Buying used cooking equipment: checks before you pay
Buying used cooking equipment? Match the gas type and power supply, check flames, plates and seals, and ask for service records before you pay for anything.
Ask the seller to light every burner on a short video. Blue, steady flames on each one tell you more than any photo, and yellow or orange flames mean an engineer visit first.
Quick answer: Before you buy any used oven, range, griddle or grill, check it matches your supply: natural gas or LPG, single or three-phase power. Ask for a short video of every burner lit and every element heating, plus any service records. Then have a Gas Safe engineer qualified for catering appliances fit and check it before it goes into service.
Match the kit to your kitchen first
Most bad buys fail before anyone cooks on them. The machine is the wrong gas type, the wrong power supply or too big for the gap under the canopy.
- Gas type. Ask whether it is set up for natural gas or LPG. A conversion is a job for a qualified engineer, so price that in before you agree a deal.
- Electric supply. Larger ovens, griddles and fryers often need three-phase power. Our guide to single and three-phase supplies shows how to tell what you have.
- Space. Measure the width, depth and height of the gap, and the door or route it has to come in through.
The rating plate on the machine shows the gas type and power rating. Ask the seller for a clear photo of it.
What to check on each type
| What it is | What to check | Walk away or haggle if |
|---|---|---|
| Oven range | Every burner lights and stays lit; the oven heats and the door shuts tight | Burners keep going out, or the door seal is torn |
| Griddle | The plate is flat and heats evenly across its width | The plate is warped, cracked or pitted |
| Chargrill | Burners and radiants are complete, the fat tray slides out | Radiants are missing or burnt through |
| Salamander | Every element or burner glows; a rise and fall model moves smoothly | One side stays cold, or the grill sticks |
| Fryer | The tank is clean, the drain tap works, the thermostat holds | The tank is pitted or there is any sign of a leak |
| Convection or combi | The fan runs quietly, the light works, the seal is whole | The fan grinds or there is water under it |
Fryers and combis need more checks than this. See our used fryer checklist before you buy one.
Gas kit: what to look for before you pay
The flame tells you a lot. On a working gas appliance it should be blue and steady.
Watch for these warning signs, which local councils list for catering gas safety:
- yellow or orange flames instead of blue
- soot or yellow and brown staining around burners or flues
- pilot lights that keep going out
- damaged or loose pipework and connections
Ask the seller whether the flame supervision devices work. These cut off the gas if a flame goes out, and every commercial gas burner should have one. If the seller cannot show a burner lit, treat the machine as untested.
Ask for service records too. Catering gas appliances should be inspected at least once a year by a competent engineer, and a seller with records has usually looked after the kit. Our gas safety guide for second-hand kit goes further.
Electric kit: simple checks anyone can do
Look at the cable and plug or the connection point for cuts, burn marks or taped joins. Check the casing for heat scorching around the controls.
Ask for a video of it heating up, with the thermostat light cycling on and off. That shows the thermostat is switching, not just that it powers on.
The law asks employers to keep electrical equipment maintained so it is safe. It does not set one fixed test for every item, so ask what checks the seller has had done and when.
Getting it fitted and safe
Any work on gas appliances must be done by an engineer on the Gas Safe Register. Check the back of their ID card: it should show they are qualified for commercial catering work and for the right gas, natural or LPG.
If you are fitting new extraction at the same time, new ventilation systems must be interlocked to the gas. That means the gas cannot be turned on unless the extract fan is running.
Plan the fit before the kit arrives. Have the engineer booked, the gas and power points ready, and the old machine disconnected safely.
Buying and selling on CaterBids
Browse used catering equipment for sale across the UK, or go straight to the cooking equipment category for ovens, ranges, griddles, grills and fryers. Message the seller through the site to ask for the burner video, the rating plate photo and service records before you commit.
Replacing your own kit? Your first listing is free while our launch offer lasts, then from £5 for 30 days. No commission and no final value fee.
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Ready to Sell Your Equipment?
Your first listing is free while our launch offer lasts, then from £5 for 30 days. No commission and no final value fee, so what a seller makes is what they keep.
Prepare Your Equipment
- Clean stainless surfaces
- Disconnect safely
- Photograph the data plate
- Box loose parts
- Measure and weigh
- Prepare for pallet collection