Pizza Today - December 2020 - 36

The Pros and Cons of Buying
Used
" There are always restaurants going
out of business, which means used
equipment is always an easy option, "
says Sillari, who has purchased equipment for several establishments. In
addition to used pieces being readily
available, the price is typically lower
than what you'll pay for new equipment. In his experience, Sillari has
occasionally purchased multiple pieces
for a really good deal at auctions for
eateries going out of business. " We'll
buy a few pieces that we don't even
need in the present moment, and put
them away for that time to come, " he
says. This strategy works well if you
have room to store pieces that you can
then bring out later when they are
needed.
Getting used equipment has certain drawbacks, including the form of
payment. You may have to pay for the
equipment up front rather than making
installments over time through financing plans. Furthermore, you won't get
a warranty, notes Avni Latifi, owner of
Harry's Pizza Market in Sheboygan,
Wisconsin. There are usually no written
manuals included in used gear and you
could have a hard time getting technical support if the equipment breaks
down. It can also be tough to find a size
that fits exactly in the kitchen space you
currently have.
When to Purchase New Equipment
" Buying new equipment makes it
easier to design your ideal kitchen, " Sillari says. " You'll be able to order pieces
of equipment that will fit where you
need them. " You'll also often get a warranty that will cover costs if something
needs to be fixed or replaced. Generally,
it costs more to buy new equipment,
but you can often get financing options
to spread out payments.
The style of pizza you produce can
also help guide the decision-making
process. In 2019, Latifi went to Miami,
Florida, to attend the Roman Pizza

Academy, LLC. He got certified in
Roman Al Taglio Pizza and now runs
Harry's Pizza Market with his wife
Laurie. Their eatery is the first certified
Roman al Taglio-style pizza restaurant
in the state of Wisconsin.
During his training sessions at the
Roman Pizza Academy, Latifi got to
see firsthand the oven used in class that
was specifically designed for Roman
al Taglio pizza. It was a Moretti Forni
Pizza Oven (P120E B2X) from Ampto.
He found it to be durable and selected
the same model for his restaurant. The
oven, along with the pieces that go
with it such as blue steel pans that are
cured and then used to cook the pizzas,
work well together. The pans have an X
formed in them and the bottom rises
slightly, coinciding with the X formation. This way, " the heat gets under it, "
Latifi says. " The bottom looks like it
gets done perfectly, which is very hard
to achieve with a wood or gas oven. "
Think about Parts
Whether you purchase new or used
kitchen equipment, consider the manufacturer. Check if the company has been
in business for an extended period, if it
has a good reputation, and if it makes
parts for the model you're considering. A well-established company that
produces consistent parts over time
could be helpful if you need to repair an
appliance. " A good example is Bakers'
Pride ovens, " says Nancy Jo Seaton,
president and owner of Seaton Food
Consultants. " They last a very long
time and the manufacturer does not go
through dramatic model renovation, so
parts are readily available, even for the
very old models. "
Consider Visibility
For equipment that will be tucked
away behind doors in the kitchen, you
may not have to worry that much about
appearance. In places set up to give
customers a full culinary experience and
watch food being prepared, looks will
play a bigger role. " If you're going to
hide it in the back, dents and scratches

won't matter, " says Seaton, who has a
background in pizza equipment sales.
" If it will be customer facing, it better
be beautiful. "
Look at Temperature
Kitchen equipment can impact your
place's HVAC system. Once after purchasing used equipment, Sillari found
it threw the balance off in the kitchen.
" Buying new equipment allows you to
understand how it will impact the temperature in the kitchen, which in turn
will allow the equipment to run better, "
he says. " This is especially true when it
comes to refrigerated pizza benches. "
Evaluate the Need for Training
" Who's using the equipment? " Seaton
asks. If you get a good deal on a piece
of equipment that requires many steps
or special skills to use correctly, you may
have to train staff members so they can
operate it. If it's complicated to carry
out a process on a piece of equipment,
you also run the risk of workers causing
harm to the machine. " Sometimes it's
prudent to pay a bit extra for ease of
operations to avoid unnecessary damage
through misuse, " Seaton says. n
RACHEL HARTMAN is a freelance
writer who covers small business, finance
and lifestyle topics.

HOW TO
CALCULATE THE ROI
When selecting kitchen pieces, you'll
want to make sure you get a solid return.
" In the end, you should choose equipment that will deliver on your investment, " says Nancy Jo Seaton, president
and owner of Seaton Food Consultants.
" Make sure it pays for itself over a reasonable amount of time. " For example,
say you're going to make 100 pizzas a
day at a profit of $10 each, and the oven
you're considering costs $10,000. It will
take 100 operating days to pay for the
oven.

3 6 / P I Z Z AT O D AY. C O M / D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0

034_PIZ_1220_IKequipment.indd 36

11/11/20 11:58 AM

http://www.PIZZATODAY.COM

Pizza Today - December 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pizza Today - December 2020