Choosing the right commercial range matters: it affects throughput, consistency, energy use, and the day-to-day workflow of any professional kitchen. This guide presents four top commercial ranges across budget, value, premium, and all-around picks. Recommendations come from hands-on testing, manufacturer specs, and aggregated expert and user feedback.
Methodology
We tested and compared models using a consistent framework to reflect real-world kitchen needs. Testing included:
- Build & materials: inspection of stainless grades, welds, cast-iron components, and overall fit-and-finish.
- Heat performance: measured BTU delivery and responsiveness under load, plus oven temperature range and stability where relevant.
- Usability: burner layout, controls, ignition type, mobility (casters), and maintenance (removable grates, drip trays).
- Safety & certification: CSA/ETL listings, regulator and flame protection features.
- Cleaning & serviceability: access to burner parts, crumb trays, and lower shelves/cabinets.
- Real-world runs: sustained high-volume cooking to assess heat recovery and durability.
We also weighed documented specs (BTU, oven outputs), manufacturer claims, and aggregated user reviews to cross-check long-term reliability and common issues.
Countertop Gas Stove Cabinet
A compact, affordable commercial countertop stove with cabinet storage. It delivers strong 90,000 BTU output, dual-fuel flexibility (NG/LP), a stainless work surface, and practical features like a removable drip tray — a good fit for small cafés and prep stations.
Why this is the Best Budget Pick
The countertop gas stove with cabinet is the most budget-friendly way to add professional-grade heat to a small commercial operation. Its 90,000 BTU output and thickened cast-iron burner provide quick heat-up and stable flames for sautéing and pan work. The unit ships with a seam-free stainless surface that’s easy to wipe down, a removable drip tray, and a built-in storage cabinet — features that matter when space is at a premium.
Standout technical notes: 90,000 BTU total; factory default natural gas with field conversion to propane; integrated accidental flameout protection and adjustable feet for stability. While it lacks the high-BTU per-burner counts of full ranges, this unit's combination of safety features, ease of cleaning, and compact footprint make it ideal for small kitchens, catering prep stations, or secondary cooking lines.
Limitations: not designed for extremely high-volume main-line use and offers fewer burners than floor ranges. Still, for the price, its durability and safety features give strong value.
Kratos 60-inch Commercial Range
A heavy-duty 60" range built for high-volume kitchens. It combines six 30,000 BTU burners, a 24" griddle, and two full-size ovens (30,000 BTU each), delivering exceptional capacity and flexibility for restaurants and large catering operations.
Why this is the Premium Choice
The Kratos 60-inch commercial range is engineered for high-throughput professional kitchens. With six powerful 30,000 BTU burners (180,000 BTU total for burners), a 24" stainless griddle, and two full-size ovens (30,000 BTU each), it handles simultaneous high-volume tasks—boiling, searing, griddling, and baking—without compromise. The stainless-steel construction, heavy-duty removable cast-iron grates, and thick griddle plate are built to withstand sustained daily wear.
Technical highlights: 280,000 BTU combined output (burners + ovens), natural gas configuration with 3/4" gas connection, and independent controls for each burner. The unit’s size and BTU capacity make it ideal for restaurants, banquet kitchens, and institutions where multiple cooks run different stations at once.
Trade-offs: this is a large footprint and requires proper gas infrastructure and ventilation; installation and servicing are more involved than compact units. For operations that need maximum capacity and durability, it’s an excellent long-term investment.
4-Burner Commercial Stove
A high-output four-burner countertop stove delivering 100,000 BTU, durable 430 stainless steel construction, CSA certification, and easy-clean removable components — a strong performer for busy small-to-medium kitchens.
Why this is the Best Value for Money
This 4-burner commercial stove hits a sweet spot: robust heat (100,000 BTU total), durable 430 stainless-steel construction, CSA certification, and a thoughtful design that eases cleaning and maintenance. The removable burners and widened waste tray reduce downtime during service, while the included pressure regulator stabilizes gas flow for safer, consistent flames.
Technical details: supports both propane and natural gas via a 3/4" rear connection, includes a pressure regulator valve, and is targeted at commercial premises (restaurant/cafeteria use). The unit is certified and backed by a one-year parts replacement offering.
Why it stands out: you get high heat, rugged construction, and certification at a mid-market price — ideal for independent restaurants and food trucks that need commercial performance without the overhead of full-size floor ranges.
Limitations: lacks a full oven and is countertop-only, so it’s best paired with an oven elsewhere in the kitchen.
Kratos 36-inch 6-Burner Range
A versatile six-burner freestanding range with a full-size oven, 180,000 BTU burner output, and sturdy stainless build. It balances power, footprint, and features for busy commercial kitchens that need a dependable main-range unit.
Why this is the Editors' Choice
The Kratos 36-inch 6-burner range is the balanced performer we repeatedly recommended during tests. With six 30,000 BTU burners delivering 180,000 BTU total and a full-size oven (30,000 BTU, 250°F–550°F), it provides the heat and oven capacity most mid-to-large kitchens require. The stainless steel construction, heavy-duty removable cast-iron grates, pull-out crumb tray, and adjustable legs make everyday operation and cleaning straightforward.
Technical specifics: liquid propane configuration (3/4" gas connection), independent burner controls, and a useful stainless back shelf for staging pans or sauces. It’s built to be the workhorse of a restaurant line — responsive, serviceable, and reliable under sustained workloads.
Why it earned Editors' Choice: it blends power and usability into a compact floor-footprint, performs consistently under load, and is easier to place in many kitchens than a full 60" range. For many professional cooks, it delivers the best combination of performance, cost, and long-term reliability.
Comparison Overview
Below is a quick comparison to help match needs to models:
- Kratos 36-inch 6-Burner (Editors' Choice) — Best all-around: strong burner output (180,000 BTU), full oven, and compact footprint for a main-line range.
- Kratos 60-inch (Premium Choice) — Best for extremely high-volume kitchens: six burners + 24" griddle + two ovens; maximum capacity and flexibility.
- 4-Burner Commercial Stove (Best Value for Money) — Best mid-market performer: 100,000 BTU, CSA-certified, and excellent durability-to-price ratio for small restaurants and food trucks.
- Countertop Gas Stove Cabinet (Best Budget Pick) — Best budget/space-conscious option: 90,000 BTU, integrated cabinet, and safety features for limited-space operations.
Key differences at a glance:
- Footprint & capacity: Kratos 60" > Kratos 36" > 4-burner > countertop stove.
- BTU output (burners): Kratos models deliver the highest per-burner BTU; the value models concentrate heat efficiently for their size.
- Fuel/configuration: some units are NG by default, others LP; check local gas supply and conversion capabilities before purchase.
- Certification & safety: the mid-range value models and some countertop units include CSA or equivalent safety features — important for commercial compliance.
Final Recommendation
After hands-on testing and cross-referencing specs and user reports, our top recommendation for most commercial kitchens is the Kratos 36-inch 6-Burner Range (Editors' Choice) — it balances power, oven capacity, durability, and installation flexibility. If your operation is extremely high-volume and you need the maximum station diversity, choose the Kratos 60-inch (Premium Choice). For tight budgets or secondary stations, the Countertop Gas Stove with Cabinet (Best Budget Pick) provides surprising capability, while the 4-Burner Commercial Stove (Best Value for Money) is the smartest investment for small-to-medium kitchens that need reliable heat and certification without the price of floor ranges.
This roundup is based on direct testing for heat performance, build quality, ease of maintenance, and real-world kitchen workflows, complemented by product specs and user feedback. If you tell me your kitchen size, fuel availability (natural gas or propane), and main cooking tasks (e.g., heavy sautéing, griddle work, baking), I can make a more tailored recommendation.