The Factors that you must take into Consideration before Buying Chafing Dishes

A chafing dish is a food apparatus whose primary task is to keep the food hot for longer periods while it is being served during special events. A water pan warms the food underneath the dish, which produces steam, keeping the food warm.

In this article, we will discuss the chafing dish, how it works, maintenance, and the factors you must consider before buying one.

How it works

As stated earlier, the primary task of a chafing dish is to preserve the food’s hot temperature, and this is how the hot temperature is achieved. Beneath the apparatus, there is the chafing fuel. Once the chafing fuel is ignited, it heats a large, shallow pan of water. The water emits steam which further heats the food above it.

The steam provides a humid atmosphere, which prevents the food from drying or charring when heated.

Features

There are some crucial features that the apparatus has to offer, and we will briefly look at them. The first feature is the chafing pan lid. The primary task of the lid is to help retain the heat. When the dish is closed with the lid, it increases the pressure inside the apparatus. The high pressure helps in heat retention. The lid also prevents the heat from escaping. The water pan is a very important feature.

When heated, it produces steam that later warms the food. The steam is vital as it prevents the food from charring during heating. The fuel can is a very important feature as this is where the chafing fuel is stored. Chafing fuel can be either ethanol or diethylene glycol.

Electric chafers don’t use fuel; they have a heating element turned on once you connect it to a power source. Fuel chafers tend to be more portable and, in most cases, reliable than electric chafers.

How to use a chafer safely

When buying a fuel chafer, make sure you buy plenty of fuel for convenience. Handle the fuel with care as they are flammable liquids. Electric chafers should be handled cautiously to avoid an electric shock risk. We all know how painful and dangerous electric shocks are, so handle them cautiously.

When opening the lid, open it slowly and carefully to protect yourself from steam burns. Steam burns can be excruciatingly painful. Opening the lid carefully and slowly is crucial as there is a lot of steam trapped within the chafer under high pressure, and opening it abruptly will result in severe steam burns. Before removing the fuel canisters, ensure the holders have cooled down to avoid getting burned by the hot metal.

Maintenance

Maintenance of chafers is simple. Their maintenance involves cleaning the chafer. They should be cleaned with soap and water. Since they are made of stainless steel, they will not rust when they come into contact with water. Avoid using harmful chemicals to clean the chafers to reduce the risk of contamination.

Conclusion

To summarise, a chafing dish is perhaps one of the most reliable food apparatuses. They keep the food hot while being served. Heat usually kills any harmful microorganism that may have formed on the food, hence a reliable apparatus.

Chafers are usually used in special events to serve the guests food, and if you are planning to hold a special event, we highly recommend you get yourself a chafer for that special event. For more, check chafing dish prices in Kenya.