Sharp Commercial Microwaves Buyers' Guide
Manufactured by a company with more than a century of experience, Sharp microwave ovens are designed to give commercial kitchens an affordable, effective, and reliable way to speed up food prep or expand their menus. These microwaves provide consistent heating for a satisfying final product, as well as ease of use and advanced setting options to ensure employees can keep up with production demands. Sharp offers both medium- and heavy-duty models capable of accommodating half-size pans, so commercial foodservice operations of all types and sizes can find a microwave that suits their needs.
Medium-Duty Sharp Microwaves
Sharp offers its medium-duty microwaves in three different models: the R-21LCFS, R-21LVF, and R-21LTF. The cavity dimensions of each model are 137⁄8 inches wide, 81⁄8 inches high, and 145⁄8 inches deep. Each model offers a power output of 1,000 watts, touchpad controls with Braille, a stainless steel interior, and a variety of technological features.
The most economical of the Sharp microwave ovens is the R-21LCFS, which is constructed with a stainless steel interior and door, and a painted gray cabinet. It is equipped with a 6-minute dial timer, which allows the cook time to be set at 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 seconds, and between 1 and 6 minutes in increments of 15 and 30 seconds. To guide employees, a quick-reference heating chart for food items like bread, soup, and casseroles is included above the dial timer. If the door is opened before the selected time has finished, the remaining process is automatically canceled to prevent energy from being wasted.
The next step up is the R-21LVF, which gives operators the ability to set 10 programs to save time and promote consistency. Those settings can be reviewed and confirmed or changed at any time with the Memory Check option. For easy cook time adjustment, the control pad includes a "Double Quantity" selection. The "Express Defrost" option optimizes defrosting time by warming food in three stages at three different power levels, which is the only time this microwave can use less than 100-percent power.
The R-21LVF and R-21LTF are each constructed with a stainless steel cabinet and interior, but the R-21LTF offers the most programming options. In addition to the express defrost and double quantity settings previously mentioned, this model allows operators to set 20 programs. The R-21LTF is also the only medium-duty Sharp microwave that lets operators choose between multiple power settings for enhanced precision when cooking. Additionally, every use is tracked by the unit and can be reviewed with the "Counter Check" feature, which helps monitor the popularity of menu items.
Heavy-Duty Sharp Microwaves
Heavy-duty commercial microwaves from Sharp include the R-22GTF, R-25JTF, and three TwinTouch models. The cavity dimensions on these models are 13 inches wide, 71⁄8 inches high, and 13 inches deep. Each of these commercial microwaves is constructed with a stainless steel door, interior, and outer wrapper, but there are variations in the available power settings and programming capabilities.
The R-22GTF and R-25JTF offer the same features, including 11 power levels, but different wattage ratings of 1200 and 2100 respectively. Because the R-25JTF model provides more wattage, it requires a power supply of either 208 or 230 volts. In fact, the R-22GTF and R-CD1200M from the TwinTouch series are the only heavy-duty microwave ovens that require 120 volts, so remember to check which model your kitchen is compatible with before purchasing a unit.
Features offered by the R-22GTF and R-25JTF include 20 programmable settings, three-stage cooking that allows a product to defrost before cooking at one level and being finished at another, manual time selection, double-quantity programming, express defrost, usage tracking, audible alerts that can be turned off, and an illuminated digital display.
Models in the TwinTouch series are available in three wattage levels: 1200, 1800, and 2200. They offer enhanced versions of the features of other Sharp microwaves, with automatic time adjustment for double and triple portions, 100 total programmable settings, and 4-stage cooking options, as well as express defrost.
