Home / Kitchen
The complete restaurant kitchen equipment list, station by station
130 items across 9 stations, in the order food moves through a kitchen: receiving, storage, prep, cooking, holding, warewashing, cleaning and sanitation, front of house, and safety. Every item is in the downloadable sheet, with columns to mark what you have and what you still need.
Download the equipment list (CSV, opens in Excel or Google Sheets)
About this page. Restaurateur News first published a kitchen equipment list at this address in 2017. That version was not preserved, so this is a new list written in September 2026, not a copy of the original. Prices are left out on purpose: they vary too much by region, brand and new versus used to be useful here.
Before you buy: the rules that touch equipment
The FDA Food Code is a model code that states and local jurisdictions adopt, often with changes, so your local health department has the final word on what applies to you. The 2022 edition is the most recent. The points below are quoted or summarized from the 2022 Food Code text (PDF).
Certified equipment
Section 4-205.10 says food equipment "that is certified or classified for sanitation in conformance to a recognized American National Standard by an American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-accredited certification program is deemed to comply" with the Food Code's equipment design and construction rules. NSF International certifies food equipment against a family of NSF/ANSI standards, including NSF/ANSI 2 (food equipment), 3 (commercial warewashing equipment), 4 (commercial cooking, rethermalization and powered hot food holding and transport equipment), 7 (commercial refrigerators and storage freezers), 8 (commercial powered food preparation equipment), 12 (automatic ice making equipment) and 18 (manual food and beverage dispensing equipment). You can check whether a specific model is certified in the NSF certified food equipment listings. In the list below, the standard shown is the NSF/ANSI standard whose title covers that kind of equipment; confirm the listing for the model you buy.
Dishwasher sanitizing temperatures
For hot-water sanitizing machines, section 4-501.112 sets the final sanitizing rinse, as it enters the manifold, at no more than 194°F (90°C) and no less than 165°F (74°C) for a stationary rack, single temperature machine, or 180°F (82°C) for all other machines. Section 4-501.110 sets minimum wash temperatures: 165°F for a stationary rack, single temperature machine; 150°F for a stationary rack, dual temperature machine; 160°F for a single tank, conveyor, dual temperature machine; 150°F for a multitank, conveyor, multitemperature machine; and 120°F for machines that sanitize with chemicals. The machine must have gauges showing wash and rinse tank temperatures (4-204.115), and hot-water operations need an irreversible registering temperature indicator to confirm utensil surface temperature (4-302.13). For manual hot-water sanitizing, the water must be at least 171°F (77°C) (4-501.111). (Food Code 2022)
Manual warewashing
A sink with at least three compartments is required for manually washing, rinsing and sanitizing, unless an approved alternative applies, and the compartments must be large enough to immerse the largest equipment and utensils (4-301.12). A test kit that measures sanitizer concentration must be provided (4-302.14). (Food Code 2022)
Hand sinks
Section 5-203.11 requires at least one handwashing sink, enough for convenient employee use in the areas listed in 5-204.11, and not fewer than local law requires. Section 5-204.11 places them to allow convenient use in food preparation, food dispensing and warewashing areas, and in or immediately next to toilet rooms. Each hand sink needs soap (6-301.11), a hand drying provision (6-301.12) and a handwashing sign for food employees (6-301.14), and a waste receptacle if disposable towels are used (6-301.20). A hand sink may not be used for anything other than handwashing (5-205.11). (Food Code 2022)
Thermometers
Food temperature measuring devices must be provided, including a small-diameter probe for thin foods such as meat patties and fish fillets (4-302.12). Cold and hot holding equipment for time/temperature control for safety food must have a temperature measuring device located for easy viewing, with exceptions for equipment such as steam tables, heat lamps and salad bars (4-204.112). (Food Code 2022)
Hoods and fire suppression
NFPA 96, the Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations, "provides preventive and operative fire safety requirements intended to reduce the potential fire hazard of both public and private commercial cooking operations," according to NFPA. Its current edition is 2027. Which edition applies to you depends on what your jurisdiction has adopted; your fire marshal and hood contractor will know.
Receiving (7 items)
| Item | Notes | Standard or rule |
|---|---|---|
| Receiving table or stainless work table | Somewhere to open and check deliveries that is not the floor or a prep surface. | NSF/ANSI 2 (food equipment) |
| Platform or dock scale | Weigh cases and protein against the invoice before you sign. | - |
| Probe thermometer (receiving) | Check cold and hot deliveries on arrival; keep one at the door. | Food Code 4-302.12 |
| Hand truck and platform cart | Moves cases from the door to storage in one trip. | - |
| Receiving log or clipboard station | Where temperatures, rejections and credits get written down. | - |
| Box cutter and case-breakdown tools | Safety-style cutters reduce hand cuts on high-volume receiving. | - |
| Air curtain (back door) | Helps keep insects out of an open receiving door. | NSF/ANSI 37 (air curtains) |
Storage (14 items)
| Item | Notes | Standard or rule |
|---|---|---|
| Walk-in cooler | The main cold store for most full-service kitchens; size to delivery frequency. | NSF/ANSI 7 (refrigerators and freezers) |
| Walk-in freezer | Frozen storage; often a combination box with the cooler. | NSF/ANSI 7 |
| Reach-in refrigerators | Line-side and prep-side cold storage. | NSF/ANSI 7 |
| Reach-in freezers | Line-side frozen product (fries, proteins). | NSF/ANSI 7 |
| Refrigeration thermometers | Every cold or hot holding unit for TCS food needs a readable thermometer, placed in the warmest part of a cooler. | Food Code 4-204.112 |
| Dry storage shelving (wire or polymer) | Keeps product off the floor; polymer shelving resists rust in walk-ins. | NSF/ANSI 2 |
| Dunnage racks | Low racks for heavy sacks and cases. | NSF/ANSI 2 |
| Ingredient bins with lids | Flour, sugar and rice bins that roll under a prep table. | - |
| Food storage containers and lids | Clear, graduated containers in several sizes, plus date labels. | - |
| Date labels and label gun | Date marking and first-in, first-out rotation. | - |
| Sheet pan and speed racks | Mobile racks for sheet pans in the walk-in and at prep. | - |
| Ice machine | Size by daily pounds needed for drinks, bar and food holding. | NSF/ANSI 12 (ice making) |
| Ice bin and ice scoop with holder | Scoop stored outside the ice, handle up. | - |
| Ice transport totes | Dedicated food-grade totes for moving ice. | - |
Prep (23 items)
| Item | Notes | Standard or rule |
|---|---|---|
| Stainless prep tables | Size to the menu; undershelves hold bins and small wares. | NSF/ANSI 2 |
| Refrigerated prep tables (sandwich/pizza units) | Cold rail over refrigerated storage for assembly stations. | NSF/ANSI 7 |
| Prep sink (one or two compartments) | Washing produce and thawing under running water; separate from the hand sink. | NSF/ANSI 2 |
| Cutting boards, color-coded | Separate colors for raw protein, produce, and ready-to-eat items. | - |
| Knife set and knife storage | Chef's, paring, boning, bread and serrated knives; magnetic strip or sheath storage. | - |
| Knife sharpener or sharpening service | Keeps edges usable between professional sharpenings. | - |
| Portion scale | Portion control on proteins and high-cost items. | - |
| Stand mixer | Doughs, batters and sauces; floor models for bakery volume. | NSF/ANSI 8 (powered food preparation) |
| Food processor | Chopping, slicing and pureeing in volume. | NSF/ANSI 8 |
| Immersion blender | Soups and sauces in the pot. | NSF/ANSI 8 |
| High-power blender | Purees, dressings, smoothies. | NSF/ANSI 8 |
| Meat slicer | Deli meats, cheeses and vegetables; guard and cleaning procedure matter. | NSF/ANSI 8 |
| Vegetable cutter or dicer | Manual or powered; saves labor on fries and diced produce. | - |
| Meat grinder | Only if you grind in-house. | NSF/ANSI 8 |
| Vacuum sealer | Portioning, storage and sous vide. | - |
| Mixing bowls | Stainless, in nested sizes. | - |
| Measuring cups and spoons | Dry and liquid sets. | - |
| Hotel pans and fractional pans | Full, half, third, sixth and ninth sizes in several depths. | - |
| Sheet pans | Full and half sheets for prep, roasting and baking. | - |
| Colanders, strainers and chinois | Draining, sifting and fine straining. | - |
| Mandoline | Uniform thin slices; use a cut glove. | - |
| Cut-resistant gloves | For slicers, mandolines and knife work. | - |
| Thin-probe food thermometer | A small-diameter probe for thin foods such as burger patties and fish fillets. | Food Code 4-302.12(B) |
Cooking (25 items)
| Item | Notes | Standard or rule |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial range | Open burners, often over one or two ovens; the workhorse of most lines. | NSF/ANSI 4 (commercial cooking) |
| Convection oven | Even baking and roasting; stacks to save floor space. | NSF/ANSI 4 |
| Combi oven | Steam plus convection; replaces several pieces in some kitchens. | NSF/ANSI 4 |
| Flat-top griddle | Burgers, breakfast, sandwiches. | NSF/ANSI 4 |
| Charbroiler | Grill marks and char; high heat and grease load under the hood. | NSF/ANSI 4 |
| Deep fryers | Gas or electric; plan for oil filtration and disposal. | NSF/ANSI 4 |
| Fryer oil filtration system | Built-in or portable; extends oil life. | - |
| Salamander or cheese melter | Top heat for finishing and melting. | NSF/ANSI 4 |
| Steam kettle | Soups, stocks and sauces in volume. | NSF/ANSI 4 |
| Tilting skillet (braising pan) | Braising, sauteing and boiling in quantity. | NSF/ANSI 4 |
| Stock pot range | Low burner for large stock pots. | NSF/ANSI 4 |
| Microwave (commercial) | Heavier-duty than residential units. | - |
| Pizza or deck oven | If pizza, flatbreads or bread are on the menu. | NSF/ANSI 4 |
| Conveyor oven | Consistent throughput for pizza and sandwiches. | NSF/ANSI 4 |
| Rice cooker (commercial) | Consistent rice in volume. | - |
| Sous vide circulators | Precise low-temperature cooking. | - |
| Pots, pans, saute pans and stock pots | Stainless or aluminum, in the sizes your menu actually uses. | - |
| Cast iron and carbon steel pans | Searing and oven-to-table items. | - |
| Tongs, spatulas, ladles, spoons and whisks | Multiple sets per station. | - |
| Spider and fryer baskets | Lifting from oil and water. | - |
| Instant-read thermometers | One per cook on the line. | Food Code 4-302.12(A) |
| Kitchen display system or ticket printer | Gets orders from the point of sale to the line. | - |
| Ticket rail | Holds printed tickets in order at the pass. | - |
| Exhaust hood with grease filters | Captures grease-laden vapor over the cooking line; design and installation fall under NFPA 96 as adopted locally. | NFPA 96 |
| Make-up air unit | Replaces air the hood exhausts. | - |
Holding (9 items)
| Item | Notes | Standard or rule |
|---|---|---|
| Heated holding cabinet | Holds cooked food at safe hot temperatures. | NSF/ANSI 4 |
| Steam table or hot well | Line-side hot holding in hotel pans. | NSF/ANSI 4 |
| Heat lamps / strip warmers | Keeps plated food warm at the pass. | - |
| Food warmer drawers | Breads, proteins and sides at the station. | NSF/ANSI 4 |
| Cold wells and ice pans | Cold holding at the line or buffet. | NSF/ANSI 7 |
| Insulated food carriers | Catering and transport. | NSF/ANSI 4 (transport equipment) |
| Blast chiller | Rapid cooling of cooked food; makes cooling logs easier to hit. | NSF/ANSI 7 |
| Ice baths and ice wands | Cooling stocks and sauces quickly. | - |
| Hot and cold holding capacity check | The Food Code requires enough cooling, heating and holding equipment to keep food at safe temperatures. | Food Code 4-301.11 |
Warewashing (13 items)
| Item | Notes | Standard or rule |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial dishwasher | High-temperature (hot water sanitizing) or low-temperature (chemical sanitizing), door-type, undercounter or conveyor. | NSF/ANSI 3 (commercial warewashing) |
| Booster heater | Raises rinse water to sanitizing temperature on high-temp machines. | NSF/ANSI 5 (water heaters) |
| Dishwasher temperature gauges | The machine must show wash and rinse tank temperatures and the final-rinse or chemical tank temperature. | Food Code 4-204.115 |
| Irreversible registering temperature indicator | Heat-sensitive labels or thermometers that confirm utensil surface temperature in a hot-water machine. | Food Code 4-302.13(B) |
| Detergent and sanitizer feeders | Dispense chemicals into the dish machine. | NSF/ANSI 29 (chemical feeders) |
| Three-compartment sink | Wash, rinse, sanitize; required for manual warewashing unless an approved alternative applies. | Food Code 4-301.12 |
| Pre-rinse sprayer | Scrapes plates at the dish station. | - |
| Dish tables (soiled and clean) | Drainboards on both sides of the machine or sink. | NSF/ANSI 2 |
| Dish racks and dollies | Plate, cup, glass and flatware racks. | - |
| Sanitizer test strips | Check chlorine, quat or iodine concentration. | Food Code 4-302.14 |
| Pot and pan sink (deep compartments) | Compartments large enough to submerge your largest pan. | Food Code 4-301.12(B) |
| Drying racks and shelving | Air-drying cleaned wares. | NSF/ANSI 2 |
| Garbage disposer or food waste pulper | Where local code allows; check first. | NSF/ANSI 13 (refuse processors) |
Cleaning and sanitation (14 items)
| Item | Notes | Standard or rule |
|---|---|---|
| Handwashing sinks | At least one, and enough for convenient use in prep, dispensing and warewashing areas and in or next to toilet rooms. | Food Code 5-203.11, 5-204.11 |
| Hand soap dispensers | Every hand sink or pair of adjacent hand sinks needs soap. | Food Code 6-301.11 |
| Paper towel dispensers or hand dryers | Every hand sink needs a drying provision. | Food Code 6-301.12 |
| Handwashing signs | A sign telling food employees to wash hands at each hand sink they use. | Food Code 6-301.14 |
| Waste receptacle at hand sinks | Required where disposable towels are used. | Food Code 6-301.20 |
| Mop sink (service sink) | For mop water and floor cleaning; not a hand or prep sink. | - |
| Mops, buckets and wringers | Separate sets for kitchen and restrooms. | - |
| Brooms, dustpans and squeegees | Floor squeegees for wet kitchens. | - |
| Sanitizer buckets and cloths | Sanitizing solutions must meet the Food Code's temperature and concentration criteria for the chemical used. | Food Code 4-501.114 |
| Chemical storage shelving | Chemicals stored below and away from food. | - |
| Trash and recycling containers | Lidded, durable containers throughout the kitchen. | NSF/ANSI 21 (refuse containers) |
| Grease trap or interceptor | Sized and serviced per local rules. | - |
| Anti-fatigue and drainage floor mats | Comfort and slip reduction on the line. | - |
| Pest control devices | Traps and monitoring, typically placed by a licensed provider. | - |
Front of house (14 items)
| Item | Notes | Standard or rule |
|---|---|---|
| Point-of-sale system | Terminals, card readers and receipt printers. | - |
| Host stand | Reservations, waitlist and menus. | - |
| Beverage dispenser (soda system) | Fountain drinks and ice. | NSF/ANSI 18 (manual dispensing) |
| Coffee brewer and grinder | Drip, espresso or both. | - |
| Iced tea brewer and dispenser | NSF/ANSI 18 | |
| Back-bar cooler | Beer, wine and bottled drinks. | NSF/ANSI 7 |
| Bar sinks and underbar equipment | Includes a separate hand sink at the bar. | Food Code 5-204.11 |
| Glass washer (bar) | Undercounter glass washing. | NSF/ANSI 3 |
| Soft-serve or frozen beverage machine | If desserts or frozen drinks are on the menu. | NSF/ANSI 6 (dispensing freezers) |
| Dinnerware, glassware and flatware | Buy for breakage; most operators keep extra par. | NSF/ANSI 36 (dinnerware) |
| Server stations | Silverware, napkins, condiments and water service. | - |
| Bus tubs and bus carts | - | |
| High chairs and booster seats | - | |
| Menus and menu covers | Menu content may be regulated: see service charge rules below. | - |
If your menu carries a service charge or automatic gratuity, several states regulate how it is shown. See service charge disclosure rules by state.
Safety (11 items)
| Item | Notes | Standard or rule |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen fire suppression system | Automatic system over cooking appliances under the hood, installed and inspected by a licensed contractor. | NFPA 96 |
| Class K fire extinguisher | For cooking-oil fires near fryers. | - |
| ABC fire extinguishers | For general fires elsewhere in the building. | - |
| First aid kit | Including burn and cut supplies. | - |
| Burn gel and eye wash station | Near the line and chemical storage. | - |
| Wet floor signs | - | |
| Oven mitts and heat-resistant gloves | - | |
| Non-slip shoes (staff policy) | - | |
| Walk-in inside release and alarm | Make sure the door opens from inside and staff know how. | - |
| Emergency lighting and exit signs | Per local building and fire codes. | - |
| Carbon monoxide detection | Where gas appliances are used and local code requires it. | - |
More from the archive
These 2017 Restaurateur News pieces cover the rest of the kitchen side: restaurant workstations, how to run a restaurant kitchen, buying used restaurant equipment and restaurant job titles.