Equipment List
Priority: Must = needed from day one, Should = big quality or efficiency gain, Nice = add later. Prices are rough indications for new equipment in SEK excl. moms. Get real quotes, because used or demo units can be 30–50% cheaper.
Recommended setup for this restaurant
A sensible all-new setup for lunch and dinner, 2 bakers (one half-trained, one untrained), everything from scratch, walk-ins in the basement. Guest numbers aren't set yet, so this is sized for the M tier (150–400 guests a day). Check sizes against the final guest count.
| Item | Rough price | Spec | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combi oven | 180–260k | 10× GN 1/1, programmable, ideally takes 600×400 trays | Steams bao and purin, bakes everything else. Saved programs mean the untrained baker presses one button. |
| Bakery convection oven | 40–80k | 4–6 × 600×400 trays, with steam | A second oven so baking and steaming can run at the same time. Simpler and cheaper than a deck oven, and there's no artisan bread on the menu. |
| Retarder-proofer | 60–100k | Cabinet for 600×400 trays, with timer | Frozen buns go in at night and are proofed by morning, with no early-start judgement calls. |
| Spiral mixer | 50–80k | 20–25 kg dough | Milk-bread, bao and shio pan doughs. |
| Planetary mixer | 40–60k | 20 L, with whisk, paddle and hook | Creams, sponge, cheesecake, cookies. |
| Blast chiller/freezer | 70–110k | 5–10 × GN 1/1 | Fast cooling of custards and fillings, and batch-freezing of shaped dough. Essential for the freeze-ahead plan. |
| Induction hob | 15–30k | 2 zones, freestanding or built-in | Red bean paste, custards, posset, warabi mochi, caramel. |
| Bakery fridge | 30–45k | 1 × 600×400 compatible | Working stock of cream, butter and finished desserts. Plus the existing kitchen fridges. |
| Bakery freezer | 30–45k | 1 × 600×400 compatible | One day's frozen dough and shells upstairs. Bulk stock lives in the basement walk-in freezer. |
| Refrigerated prep counter | 35–55k | 1, with drawers | Cold surface for butter and cream work, so fewer trips to the fridge. |
| Scales | 8–12k | 2 bench (15 kg) + 1 precision (0.1 g) | Weigh everything: the most important habit for new bakers. |
| Worktables, sinks, trolleys, shelving | 50–90k | 2–3 tables, hand-wash sink, prep sink, 3–4 rack trolleys | |
| Small equipment | 30–60k | See section 5 | |
| Total (excl. moms and installation) | ~640k–1.03M SEK |
Not needed for now: deck oven, dough sheeter, divider/rounder, dedicated steamer, own deep fryer (sesame balls are optional and can use the main kitchen fryer).
Tips for buying new:
- Pick brands with a service technician nearby. A broken combi oven stops half the menu.
- Ask the combi and proofer suppliers to include installation, a training session and program setup in the quote.
- Since it's a new build, give the electrician and ventilation contractor the equipment list (with power and water needs) before the drawings are finished.
1. Ovens and heat
| Item | Priority | Size (S / M / L) | Notes | Rough price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combi steamer (combi oven) | Must | S: 6× GN 1/1 M: 10× GN 1/1 or 6×600×400 L: 10–20× (or 2 units) | The most useful single item. It does steam (bao, mantou, custards), convection (cookies, tarts) and humidity-controlled baking. Get a model that takes 600×400 bakery trays. Examples: Rational, Unox, Convotherm, Electrolux Professional. | 120–300k |
| Deck oven | Should (M), Must (L) | M: 2 decks L: 3 decks | Better for bread, egg tarts, choux and cakes because of its even bottom heat. It frees up the combi oven for steaming. | 80–250k |
| Bakery convection oven | Should (S) | S: 1× 4–5 trays | A cheaper alternative to a deck oven for small setups (e.g. Unox Bakerlux). | 25–60k |
| Dedicated steamer / steam cabinet | Nice | M: Optional L: Should | Only if bao and dim sum become high-volume. Otherwise the combi handles it. | 40–120k |
| Induction hob (2 zones) | Must | S: 1 M: 1–2 L: 2 | For custards, syrups, caramel, crème pâtissière and red bean paste. | 10–30k |
| Deep fryer | Should | S: Shared M: Shared or own L: Own | For sesame balls (jian dui), fried mantou, churros and donuts. Use a separate fryer or fresh oil so pastries don't taste of savory food. | 15–40k |
2. Dough and mixing
| Item | Priority | Size (S / M / L) | Notes | Rough price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planetary mixer | Must | S: 10–20 L M: 20–30 L L: 40 L + 10 L | Creams, cake batters, meringue, cookie dough. Get whisk, paddle and hook attachments. | 25–90k |
| Spiral mixer | Should (M), Must (L) | M: 20–25 kg dough L: 40+ kg dough | For yeast doughs (bao, milk bread, shio pan). It is gentler and more consistent than a planetary mixer. | 40–100k |
| Dough sheeter (benchtop or floor) | Nice | M: Nice L: Should | Mainly for laminated dough. The current menu buys in puff pastry instead, so this is only worth it if you later make your own. | 40–120k |
| Proofer (jäsrum/jässkåp) | Must | S: 1 cabinet M: 1–2 cabinets L: Roll-in proofer | Temperature and humidity control for bao and milk-bread buns. A retarder-proofer (cold-to-warm, timer-controlled) lets dough proof overnight and be ready in the morning. | 30–150k |
| Dough divider/rounder | Nice | M: Nice L: Should | Only worth it at high bun volume. | 50–150k |
| Scales | Must | S: 1 bench (15 kg) + 1 precision (0.1 g) M: 2 + 1 L: 3 + 1 | Precision scale for yeast, matcha, gelatin and leavening. | 2–8k |
3. Cooling and freezing
| Item | Priority | Size (S / M / L) | Notes | Rough price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blast chiller/freezer | Must | S: 3–5× GN M: 5–10× GN L: 10–15× GN | Cools custards, fillings and cakes fast (food safety) and lets you freeze dough and shaped buns in batches, which is key for buffet flexibility. | 50–150k |
| Reach-in fridge (600×400 compatible) | Must | S: 1 M: 2 L: 2–3 | Get bakery-size models that take 600×400 trays. Keep at +4 °C or lower. | 20–45k each |
| Reach-in freezer | Must | S: 1 M: 1–2 L: 2 + space in walk-in | For frozen dough, laminated dough blocks, fillings and finished cake bases. | 20–45k each |
| Refrigerated prep counter | Should | M: 1 L: 1–2 | Cold work surface with drawers for butter, cream and fillings. Useful for laminating and assembling cakes. | 30–60k |
| Walk-in cooler space | Should | S: Shared M: Shared (dedicated shelves) L: Shared or own | Bulk dairy, eggs and fruit. Keep bakery items separated from raw meat and fish. | – |
| Refrigerated display (on buffet) | Must | S: 1 M: 1–2 L: 2+ | Cream cakes, mousse and custard tarts must stay cold on the buffet. Coordinate with whoever designs the buffet line. | 30–80k |
4. Work surfaces and storage
| Item | Priority | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stainless worktables | Must | At least 2 (one for dough, one for finishing/decorating). About 90 cm working height is standard; consider adjustable heights for ergonomics. |
| Marble or granite slab section | Nice | For chocolate work, sugar work and laminating. |
| Ingredient bins on wheels | Must | Flour, sugar and rice flour (glutinous and regular) under the bench. |
| Tray/rack trolleys (600×400) | Must | S: 2, M: 3–4, L: 6+. They move product between proofer, oven and chiller. |
| Dry storage shelving | Must | Flour sacks, sugar, nuts, Asian specialty ingredients. Keep them off the floor. |
| Hand-wash sink (touch-free) | Must | Required in the zone (see regulations). |
| Prep/washing sink | Must | Pot wash can be shared with the main kitchen dishwasher. |
5. Small equipment (starter list)
- 600×400 trays (perforated and solid), GN pans, silicone mats, baking paper
- Bamboo or stainless steamer baskets, plus paper liners for bao
- Egg tart tins (or disposable foils), muffin/tart pans, cake rings, mousse frames
- Mooncake/pastry molds (for seasonal items like Mid-Autumn Festival)
- Swiss roll trays, rectangular cake frames
- Heat-proof cups for purin, small glasses for posset and tiramisu
- Piping bags and tips, offset spatulas, bench scrapers, rolling pins, dough cutters
- Thermometers (probe plus infrared), timers, temperature log sheets
- Stick blender, sieves, measuring jugs, airtight containers with labels
- Turntable for cake decorating, blowtorch
6. Budget summary (very rough, new equipment)
| Tier | Core equipment | With "Should" items |
|---|---|---|
| S | ~250–400k SEK | ~400–550k SEK |
| M | ~450–700k SEK | ~700k–1M SEK |
| L | ~800k–1.2M SEK | ~1.2–1.8M SEK |
These figures exclude installation, electrical work, ventilation, plumbing and the buffet display line.