Key takeaways
- Plan equipment by zone: receiving and storage, prep, cooking, holding, dishwashing, front counter, safety and tech.
- SFA’s pre-licensing checklist asks for a kitchen sink, a staffed hand-wash basin, impervious prep tabletops and temperature gauges on every chiller.
- Check power, gas and exhaust capacity before choosing cooking equipment, and check NEA energy labels on commercial fridges.
- Put every item on a maintenance schedule, including the yearly hood and duct degreasing SFA requires.
A commercial kitchen equipment list is more than a shopping list. Every item has to fit the space, the power and gas supply, the exhaust and the licensing rules, and it has to survive long hours of daily use. This guide walks through the equipment a typical Singapore restaurant kitchen needs, zone by zone, with the buying questions to ask and the rules that apply. For the tax side, see capital allowances on kitchen equipment. It ends with a printable checklist.
If you are still planning the room itself, start with our kitchen layout guide and the renovation checklist. Equipment decisions and layout decisions depend on each other, so do them together.
Before you buy: the questions that decide everything
Most expensive equipment mistakes come from buying before the site is understood. Settle these first:
- Menu and volume. List your dishes, the cooking method for each and your expected peak covers. A wok-heavy menu, a grill menu and a bakery need very different lines.
- Kitchen size. SFA’s food shop pre-licensing checklist sets a minimum kitchen area of 10 square metres, excluding the servery, or 16 square metres if the food shop does catering. Measure the actual floor you have and draw equipment footprints to scale.
- Power supply. Add up the rated load of every electrical item. Induction ranges, combi ovens, dishwashers and fryers draw a lot. If the unit needs a power upgrade, a licensed electrical worker has to do it, and it takes time.
- Gas. Is there piped gas, or will you use LPG cylinders? Gas piping must be done by a licensed gas service worker.
- Exhaust. Your hood length and extraction rate limit how much cooking equipment you can put under it.
- Layout plan. SFA’s checklist says the layout plan you submit for your licence must clearly show kitchen equipment and infrastructure such as exhausts, sinks and wash basins. Your equipment list and the plan need to match.
Receiving and storage
This is where deliveries arrive and where most of your stock lives.
- Reach-in chillers and freezers. Upright or undercounter units for daily stock. Choose the number of doors by volume, and check that door swings do not block walkways.
- Walk-in chiller or cold room. Worth it for high-volume or multi-outlet operations. It needs space, a condensing unit location with airflow, and landlord approval.
- Dry store shelving. Stainless steel or coated wire shelving that keeps stock off the floor.
- Receiving scale and probe thermometer. To check weights against invoices and temperatures of chilled and frozen deliveries.
- Ingredient bins and labelled containers. For first-in, first-out rotation.
Rules to know. SFA’s checklist says “Temperature gauges are installed for all refrigerators/chillers.” It also asks for separate storage for workers’ personal belongings, cleaning tools and materials, food ingredients, cutlery and food packaging, and says all food stores and storage cabinets must be pest-proof. Plan separate shelving or cabinets for each from the start.
Energy labels. Since 1 April 2025, commercial storage refrigerators sold in Singapore fall under NEA’s minimum energy performance standards and mandatory energy labelling, according to NEA’s circular of 19 February 2025. Compare tick ratings when buying. Our energy saving guide covers this and the Energy Efficiency Grant in more detail.
Prep zone
- Stainless steel work tables. SFA’s checklist asks for adequate preparation tabletops lined with stainless steel or another suitable impervious material. Undershelves add storage.
- Prep sinks. The checklist requires at least one sink in the food preparation area, with more for washing soiled crockery in larger kitchens. Our guide to commercial sinks and hand-wash basins sets out which ones SFA expects. Many kitchens separate raw meat, seafood and vegetable washing.
- Hand-wash basin. At least one wash hand basin equipped with hand soap must be provided for kitchen workers. SFA says the tap is preferably sensor operated, and if one bowl of a double sink is used for hand-washing, two separate taps are needed.
- Refrigerated prep counter. A chiller base with a pan rail on top for sandwiches, salads or garnish stations.
- Food processor, slicer, mixer, vacuum sealer. Buy according to your menu, not a generic list. A planetary mixer matters for a bakery; a slicer for a deli. Opening a deli-style outlet? See our guide to opening a sandwich shop in Singapore.
- Colour-coded chopping boards and knife racks. Cheap, and inspectors notice them.
Our SFA inspection guide explains what officers look for once you are open.
Cooking line
The cooking line is the most expensive part of the kitchen and the hardest to change later.
- Wok ranges, stockpot burners, open burners. Gas is still common for wok cooking. Check burner rating, number of rings and whether the range has a water tap and drain for wok washing.
- Induction ranges and induction woks. Less heat goes into the room, which helps staff comfort and air-conditioning load. You move cost from gas to electricity and may need a power upgrade, and cooks need time to adjust.
- Fryers. Check oil capacity, recovery time and whether filtration is built in. Our commercial deep fryer guide compares gas and electric models and oil life. Fryers need to sit under the hood.
- Griddles, chargrills, salamanders. Choose by menu.
- Combi oven or convection oven. A combi oven steams, roasts and bakes, and can replace several items in a small kitchen. Most need a water supply, a drain and a large electrical load.
- Rice cookers and steamers. Size by peak demand, not by average.
Gas vs electric: how to decide
| Question | Gas | Electric / induction |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking style | Familiar for wok and high-flame cooking | Precise control; induction woks exist but need adjustment by cooks |
| Kitchen heat | More heat into the room | Less heat into the room with induction |
| Site requirement | Piped gas or LPG, licensed gas work | Enough electrical capacity, licensed electrical work |
| Running cost | Gas bill | Electricity bill; ask suppliers for rated power in writing |
We have not found an official Singapore comparison of running costs, so ask suppliers for specifications and run a trial on one station before converting a whole line.
Commercial kitchen steamers and catering equipment
A commercial kitchen steamer earns its place when steamed dishes are a large part of the menu: dim sum, fish, chicken rice, kueh or buns. A steamer is central in a dumpling shop, alongside freezer space for frozen packs. Tiered stainless steel steamers on a gas or electric base are common in Chinese kitchens, while cabinet steamers and combi ovens in steam mode suit kitchens that need consistent batches. Before you buy, check the water supply and drain it needs, whether it has a boiler that needs regular descaling, and how much steam it will release under the hood.
If you also cater, commercial catering equipment such as insulated food carriers, chafing dishes and hot-holding cabinets belongs on the same list. Larger central kitchens sometimes buy industrial kitchen equipment such as tilting kettles or bratt pans. These need more floor space, power and drainage than standard commercial cooking equipment, so size them with your contractor early.
Exhaust, fire safety and grease
These are not optional extras. They decide whether you get licensed.
- Kitchen hood and air cleaning. SFA’s checklist says all fumes from the cooking range must be extracted immediately and treated with an air cleaning system, and exhausted outdoors at or above the roof where practical, facing away from and screened from neighbouring premises. It also asks for enough make-up air to keep the kitchen at negative pressure while the hood runs, and for ducts made of non-combustible, smooth, easy-to-clean material with an inspection opening. NEA’s Code of Practice on Environmental Health sets out the same principle.
- Hood fire suppression. SCDF’s Fire Code 2023, clause 6.5 lists “wet chemical suppression system for kitchen hood” among fixed automatic fire extinguishing systems. Whether you need one depends on your premises, so confirm with your qualified person and landlord. HDB’s renovation guide lists one for HDB eating houses.
- LPG safety. For LPG installations, clause 10.1 of the Fire Code requires a gas-leak detection system linked to shut off the LPG supply and sound a local alarm, and says a fixed kitchen fire suppression system, if installed, must automatically shut off the LPG supply when activated.
- Fire extinguishers and fire blanket. Ask your fire safety contractor which extinguisher types suit cooking oil fires and where to mount them. See our guide to kitchen fire safety in Singapore. Fire safety works need SCDF-approved plans submitted by a qualified person.
- Grease trap. PUB’s grease trap requirements say all food establishments need one, with NEA and PUB approval before installation. SFA’s checklist says grease traps must not sit where food is prepared, cooked, stored or served.
Holding, dishwashing and waste
Holding and service
- Hot holding. Bain-maries, heated cabinets or heat lamps at the pass, so plated food waits at temperature rather than cooling.
- Display showcases. If customers choose ready-to-eat food from a display, SFA’s checklist asks for showcases with fixed glass panels, sneeze guards or proper covers that are easy to clean.
- Pass shelf and ticket rail, or a kitchen display. This is where the cooking line meets service. See the tech section below.
- Blast chiller. Useful if you cook in batches and cool food for later service. Our central kitchen guide covers batch production in more depth.
Dishwashing and waste
- Commercial dishwasher. Undercounter for small cafés, hood-type (pass-through) for busier restaurants, conveyor for high volume. Our commercial dishwasher guide compares the three types by covers per hour. Check water and drain connections, electrical load and whether you need a water softener. For coffeeshops, food courts and canteens with a centralised wash area, SFA’s checklist says a commercial dishwashing machine is encouraged.
- Pre-rinse sink and spray. With a soiled-dish landing table beside it.
- Clean-dish racks. Keep clean and dirty flows apart.
- Bins. SFA asks for an adequate number of pedal bins lined with plastic bags for food and kitchen waste, and wheeled refuse bins for food waste and refuse.
- Floor traps. The checklist requires a floor trap in the food preparation area with the floor graded towards it. This affects where you can place equipment that drains.
Front counter, bar and tech
Front counter and bar
- Beverage equipment. Espresso machine and grinders, blenders, juicers, soda guns or beer taps, depending on concept. Espresso machines need water filtration and often a dedicated circuit.
- Undercounter chillers and bottle coolers. The same energy label check applies.
- Ice machine. Size by peak demand; it needs water, a drain and ventilation around the condenser.
- Glass washer. For bars with high glass turnover. See our bar POS page for tab and bottle-service workflows.
Tech: POS, kitchen display and printers
Tech is part of the equipment list, and it needs power points, network points and counter space planned into the layout.
- POS terminals. At the counter, and handheld devices if staff take orders at tables.
- Kitchen display system (KDS) or kitchen printers. Screens need to be mounted away from heat and splashes; printers need to be where each station can see tickets. Our KDS vs printer guide compares the two.
- Receipt printers, cash drawer and card terminals.
- Self-order kiosk or QR ordering. Reduces counter queues at peak.
- Network. Reliable Wi-Fi or wired connections to every device, with a plan for internet outages.
ChaChaCha, powered by AppsPOS, supplies the hardware as part of the package, including a self-order kiosk with a built-in card terminal. The POS keeps taking orders if the internet drops and syncs later. The kitchen display system routes orders to stations with prioritisation and prep timers, and Epson cloud printing sends tickets to multiple printers, with kitchen tickets in English or Chinese. For a full breakdown of devices, see our restaurant POS hardware guide.
New vs used, buying vs leasing
New or used?
Used equipment can make sense for simple, robust items such as stainless steel tables, shelving and sinks. Be more careful with refrigeration, dishwashers and combi ovens, where a failed compressor or control board can cost a lot. For used items, ask for the model number and age, check that spare parts are still available, test it running, and find out whether any warranty transfers. For refrigeration, check whether the model carries an NEA energy label; older units may not. Efficient equipment is one part of sustainable practices for Singapore restaurants.
Buy or lease?
Leasing or rental spreads the cost and can include servicing, which suits items that need regular maintenance. Our maintenance schedule for fryers, ovens and refrigeration sets out the routine. Buying outright usually costs less over the full life of the equipment if you keep it. Compare the total paid over the term, what happens at the end, who pays for repairs, and what happens if you close or move. Get the terms in writing.
Grants
EnterpriseSG’s Energy Efficiency Grant supports pre-approved energy-efficient equipment, and Food Services is an eligible sector. Apply before you pay any deposit. For POS and digital solutions, EnterpriseSG’s EDGE Grant takes over from PSG, EDG and MRA from 30 September 2026, with support of “up to 70% for SMEs” that differs by activity. AppsPOS is approved under the EDGE Grant; see our grant guide. For the full opening budget, see what it costs to open a restaurant.
Maintenance schedule
Write a schedule, assign an owner to each task and keep records. SFA’s guidelines for licensed food retail premises require the entire exhaust duct and kitchen hood to be degreased and cleaned at least once every 12 months by a specialist, with records kept.
| Frequency | Task |
|---|---|
| Every shift | Record chiller and freezer temperatures; wipe down cooking surfaces; empty and clean fryer crumbs |
| Daily | Clean hood filters as needed; descale or flush dishwasher; clean ice scoop area; check gas hoses for damage |
| Weekly | Deep-clean fryers and change oil as needed; clean fridge door gaskets and condenser grilles; clean combi oven |
| Monthly | Pest control visit (SFA’s checklist asks for a contract of at least 12 months with at least monthly treatment); check fire extinguisher gauges; service water filters as specified |
| Quarterly | Refrigeration servicing; grease trap cleaning as your contractor advises; calibrate probe thermometers |
| Yearly | Specialist degreasing of hood and full duct, with records; fire suppression and extinguisher servicing; electrical inspection |
Adjust frequencies to the manufacturer’s instructions and your contractors’ advice. Tracking repair costs against sales helps you decide when to replace rather than repair; our restaurant KPI guide covers the numbers to watch.
Printable commercial kitchen equipment checklist
| Zone | Item | Check before buying | Done |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storage | Reach-in chillers and freezers | Capacity, footprint, NEA energy label, temperature gauge | ☐ |
| Storage | Walk-in chiller (if needed) | Space, condenser location, landlord approval | ☐ |
| Storage | Dry store shelving, pest-proof cabinets | Separate storage for food, cleaning items, staff belongings | ☐ |
| Storage | Receiving scale, probe thermometer | Calibration | ☐ |
| Prep | Stainless steel prep tables | Impervious surface, size | ☐ |
| Prep | Prep sink(s) | At least one in prep area; drainage to floor trap | ☐ |
| Prep | Hand-wash basin with soap | At least one for kitchen staff; sensor tap preferred | ☐ |
| Prep | Refrigerated prep counter, processors, mixers | Menu fit, power | ☐ |
| Cooking | Ranges, woks, fryers, ovens | Gas or electric, load, fits under hood | ☐ |
| Cooking | Hood, air cleaning, make-up air | SFA and NEA exhaust requirements | ☐ |
| Safety | Hood fire suppression, extinguishers, fire blanket | SCDF requirements via qualified person | ☐ |
| Safety | Gas-leak detection (LPG) | Linked shut-off per SCDF Fire Code | ☐ |
| Safety | Grease trap | PUB and NEA approval; not in food areas | ☐ |
| Holding | Bain-marie, heated cabinet, display showcase | Sneeze guards for displayed ready-to-eat food | ☐ |
| Dishwashing | Dishwasher, pre-rinse, racks | Water, drain, power | ☐ |
| Waste | Pedal bins, wheeled refuse bins | Lined, adequate number | ☐ |
| Front | Beverage equipment, ice machine, glass washer | Water filtration, drain, circuits | ☐ |
| Tech | POS, KDS or printers, card terminals, kiosk | Power and network points, counter space | ☐ |
Want the tech part of this list sorted in one quote? Contact us and we will scope POS terminals, a KDS, printers and a kiosk for your kitchen.
