Choosing the Right Amana Commercial Microwave Oven for Your Foodservice Establishment

Almost every foodservice establishment uses a commercial microwave in some capacity, whether it's to heat up sauces, steam frozen foods, or toast sandwiches. Due to the wide variety of potential uses, each establishment must choose their microwave carefully. A model that would work perfectly for a low volume staff lounge would almost certainly be unable to meet the demands of a busy stadium or pizzeria.

The easiest way to narrow down the best models for you is by using volume / duty demands.

Low Volume Microwave Ovens

Low volume microwaves will function best in establishments where they are used less than 50 times a day. They have a lower max cooking time than most other models, and will typically be only 1000 watts. They are perfect for prepackaged foods and single servings, making them an ideal choice for cafeterias, lunch rooms, light duty kitchens, and more.

Both of the light duty Amana microwaves offered by Rapids have a durable stainless steel interior and exterior, a sealed-in Borosilicate glass shelf that's easy to clean, and a see-through door and lighted interior that allow for at-a-glance updates. In terms of cavity size, both have a .8 cubic foot capacity that can accommodate platters up to 12".

1000 Watt Microwave with Dial Controls

This unit is designed to be simple - it has only one power setting (full power), and the six minute digital timer lights up so it's easy to tell how much time is left. When the door is opened, the timer automatically resets to zero. If your microwave is mostly going to be used to heat up employee lunches or leftovers, this model will get the job done and won't be confusing to operate.

1000 Watt Microwave with Touch Controls

If you need a little more flexibility with your microwave, you should choose the model with touch controls. This one change provides you with many more options when it comes to cooking - the max cook time is increased to thirty minutes instead of six, and it allows for twenty programmable menu items, five power levels, and four cooking stages. It even has a multiple quantity pad that can automatically calculate the proper cooking time for multiple portions.

These additional options make it the better choice for light-duty kitchens or cafeterias.

Medium Volume Commercial Microwaves

Medium duty microwaves offer more power than the light duty versions, and can be used more frequently throughout the day - up to 150 times. For establishments such as coffee shops, convenience stores, and concession stands, a medium duty oven is usually the right choice.

For the models listed below, all have a stainless steel interior and exterior, a see-through door with interior lighting, and a 1.4 cubic foot cavity that can accommodate platters up to 14". Another benefit of these models is stackability - you can have multiple units without wasting valuable counterspace!

1000 Watt Microwave Oven with Dial Controls

This unit is similar to the low duty oven, but has expanded functionality. The max cooking time is ten minutes, and it comes with four power levels. It's a great choice for concession stands or snack counters that are frequently staffed by students or volunteers - using this microwave does not take a high level of training, and the design is fairly intuitive.

1000 Watt Microwave with Touch Controls

Regardless of whether you are serving fresh, frozen, or refrigerated foods, this microwave will provide consistent results every time. The 60 minute max cook time, combined with the five power levels, makes sure you can perfectly customize your cooking process. It can hold up to 100 programmable menu items, which is ideal for your most popular products - no matter who is doing the cooking, the results will be the same.

It comes with a multiple quantity pad and Braille touch pads.

1200 Watt Microwave with Touch Controls

Need a little more power for your fast casual restaurant, prep station, or pub? This unit offers the same benefits as the previous model, but has 1200 watts instead of 1000.

Heavy Duty Microwaves / Combination Ovens / Steamers

If you will need to use your microwave oven a lot - more than 150 times daily - then a heavy duty microwave is the right choice for you. This includes QSRs, bars, grills, fast casual dining restaurants, and more.

The heavy duty microwaves we carry come in several forms: the standard microwave, the combination oven, and the steamer.

Standard Heavy Duty Microwave

The Amana heavy duty microwaves (available in 1200 watts, 1800 watts, and 2100 watts) were constructed to withstand the foodservice environment, multiple users, and variable ambient temperatures.

These units were designed to work in every workspace - the interface/programming software supports 24 languages! The smart USB connectivity allows for fast uploading of new or updated menus to ensure cooking consistency, and the expansive cooking options ensure you can cook products exactly how you want. They each come with 100 programmable menu items, 11 power levels, and 4 cooking stages.

Combination Oven

A combination oven is a great way to cut costs and simplify your cooking process - they use less energy than a conventional oven and eliminate the need for pre-cooking and holding. The dual side antenna feed microwave system heats quickly and reduces cooking time, and the auto voltage sensor makes installation simple.

XpressChef 2c - Convection Oven / Microwave

Use any combination of convection and microwave to get the perfect results every time!

Combination Oven Features:

• 11 power levels
• 4 cooking stages
• 100 programmable menu items
• Smart USB connectivity

XpressChef 4i - High Speed Radiant / Convection Oven / Microwave

This microwave oven can brown, toast, crisp, cook - it's a versatile addition to any kitchen. It has an image-based menu to eliminate any language barriers, and the programming software supports 25 languages. It's also ventless!

Includes one removable rack, oven paddle, a package of non-stick liners, and a sample cleaner kit.

Combination Oven Features:

• 11 power levels
• 4 cooking stages
• 360 memory settings
• 1200+ menu settings
• WiFi and ethernet connectivity
• USB port

Microwave Steamer Oven

Amana steamer ovens cook food quickly to preserve the nutritional value - nutrients degrade more the longer they are exposed to heat. They also reduce the amount of extra water needed to steam the food, which prevents the leaching of nutrients.

These steamer ovens (available in both 2200 watt and 3500 watt) will help you get your food from the freezer to the table in just minutes!

They also have smart USB connectivity.

Cooking Features:

• 100+ programmable menus
• 11 power levels
• 4 cooking stages
• 60 minute max cook time
• Multiple quantity pad

All of the Amana models listed above come with a three-year limited warranty, and have been thoroughly tested to ensure they can handle the demands of a foodservice environment.