Chafers & Chafing Dishes

Common Questions About Chafers

What should I consider when selecting a chafer?

There are a few key aspects to keep in mind when deciding which chafing dishes are right for your buffet or catered event, including how much room is available, what you'll be serving, and whether guests will serve themselves.

Chafing dishes are available in a number of sizes, enabling you to keep a variety of food, sides, and other meal components warm. Small catering chafers, for instance, may be the best choice for holding sauces, toppings, and rolls at the end of the serving line, while full-size models are ideal for accommodating chicken, pork, lasagna, and other entrée options. Full-size chafing dishes are usually rectangular and hold 8 to 9 quarts of food. Typically, they are used to hold and serve entrees, though they can house two smaller food pans to serve multiple types of product. Two-thirds size chafing dishes hold 5 to 6 quarts of food and are commonly square or round. Half-size chafing dishes are normally rectangular or square and are one of the smallest kinds of chafing dishes, as their 4- and 5-quart capacities are ideal for serving side dishes and appetizers.

What types of buffet chafers are available?

The various buffet chafer shapes are designed for serving specific meal varieties. One of the most standard dish shapes is the rectangular chafer, which is often used for entrees, while round chafing dishes are more suitable for desserts, sauces, and sides. Conversely, half-round catering chafers are best for side dishes or appetizers. Sleek, modern oval buffet chafers serve entrees, and square chafers, the least common type, are most complementary to establishments with contemporary atmospheres, serving sides and appetizers.

When choosing a chafer cover, it is important to keep your serving method in mind. The most popular kinds of chafing dish covers are roll top, lift off, and hinged lids. These covers keep product moist and hot, their design directly affecting the guest experience since they interact with the equipment themselves. Dome or lift-off covers feature a handle on top of the lid that lets guests lift off the chafer completely. Most include a cover holder, so employees and customers have a place to set the lid when the chafer is in use. Customers do not need to hold or remove the lid from a retractable or roll top cover, so they are great for buffets. These covers usually have front handles, simplifying use, and some models offer two-sided service with a design that can be retracted on both sides. Most have a 90- or 180-degree opening, often coming with slide locks that keep the cover in place. However, roll tops that only flip down 90 degrees cannot provide two-sided service. Most models of hinged cover provide a stay-open feature at 45- or 90-degree angles, and some can even be lifted off completely. Slow-closing hinge models cause less wear and tear on the equipment and close more quietly and gently than other covers.

The clear windows in glass top covers let customers see product without having to open the lid, helping to prevent heat loss from the cover being opened and closed on a regular basis as guests check the contents. Server convenience and safety is enhanced by lids with coated handles. These covered handles are often coated with or constructed of nylon to help prevent burns and provide an easier grip.

Catering chafer finishes are all about aesthetics, tying the presentation of an environment together. Each finish sets a different tone for establishments, and the various colors and textures create new foodservice narratives. Mirror polish chafing dish finishes have a reflective and shiny appearance. They elevate the atmosphere of catered events, but fingerprints collect on them easily, so they must be regularly cleaned with a microfiber cloth. Satin finishes are not reflective and have a smooth texture that does not require constant polishing. On the other hand, the surfaces of matte finishes, are not reflective or shiny, so food is the main feature of the unit. Some catering chafers have a dimpled texture that gives them the appearance of hand-hammered copper, which is ideal for events with a more modern theme.

Similar to finishes, buffet chafer trim styles are designed to enhance the display of an establishment's initial décor. The three main types are brass, gold, and chrome. Brass trim has dark yellow accents, complementing silver chafers. Gold trim creates a striking presentation on silver chafing dish bodies, and chrome trim provides a modern look for contemporarily decorated establishments.

What should I use to heat my chafers?

Chafing dishes can be heated by chafing fuel, induction, or an electric warmer. Though the most economical option is chafing fuel, it requires more active attention and labor because it operates using an open flame, and there are several types of fuel to choose from. Induction warmers are pricier but able to heat up the food within the chafer while staying cool to the touch on the surface, increasing operator safety. The safety benefit of electric warmers is they do not have an exposed flame, so they are ideal for use in venues with restrictions on open flames.

What chafing fuel should I use?

If chafing fuel is your best choice, you have various options to consider. There are two types of fuel: wick and gel. Wick is available in either stem or traditional forms, though both use clean-burning glycol fuel. It has 2-, 4-, or 6-hour burn times and is safer than gel since it will not ignite without a wick and is nonflammable if spilled. Gel has a strong heating performance and offers more burn time options than wick fuel. Both forms offer environmentally friendly options and are odorless.

Wick and gel are further broken down into specific fuel types, diethylene glycol and propylene glycol for wick and ethanol and methanol for gel. Propylene is biodegradable while diethylene will not combust if spilled and has a high flash point. Methanol is illegal in some areas of the U.S., but it is a more economical alternative to ethanol, which burns longer and hotter than other fuel types.

Additionally, there are two different capping options for catering chafer fuel: stem wicks with plastic caps and twist-off metal caps. Flame in fuel cells with twist-off metal caps can be put out by placing the cap over the flame, a simple, safe, and quick alternative to buffet chafer fuel cells with plastic caps and stem wicks. Those require another tool to safely extinguish the flame and are more challenging to reuse and store than twist-off metal cap options.