Owner resources | Repair-or-replace tool & equipment lifespan guide (KitchenGuard)

Decision tool

Repair or replace?

The industry rule of thumb: if a repair costs more than about half the replacement price on aging equipment, replacement usually wins. This tool weighs the quote against age, expected lifespan, and how hard the unit runs.

Equipment type

Style / size

Usage level

Age: 5 years

Repair quote ($)

Replacement cost ($)

Repair it

This repair is 16% of replacement cost. With roughly 10 years of expected life left, our guidance threshold for this unit is 60%.

A written condition report from a PM visit makes this call before the breakdown does.
Premier plans include an annual capital report so replacements land in your budget, not your emergency fund.

Get a second opinion

Guidance only. A tech on-site beats any calculator.

Reference

How long does kitchen equipment typically last?

Lifespan runs shorter under heavy daily use and longer under lighter use (and, for steam equipment, when the water supply is pretreated). Replacement prices are typical market ranges for new commercial-grade units, not KitchenGuard quotes.

Equipment	Lifespan (heavy / light use)	Typical replacement cost	Repair or replace
Steamer, countertop	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$3,000–$8,000	Repair when possible
Steamer, floor (multi-pan)	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$20,000–$35,000+	Repair when possible
Broiler, cheese melter / salamander	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$200–$11,500	Repair when possible
Broiler, upright steakhouse	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$6,700–$35,000	Repair when possible
Griddle, countertop	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$429–$12,000	Repair when possible
Griddle, floor	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$9,000–$14,000+	Repair when possible
Char grill, countertop	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$529–$5,000	Cost comparison call
Char grill, floor	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$5,000–$17,500	Cost comparison call
Vertical toaster	5–10 yrs	$200–$5,600	Repair when possible
Heat lamp / bulb warmer (display)	1–3 / 3–5 yrs	$50–$900	Usually replace
Fry dump station, basic bulb-style	1–3 / 3–5 yrs	$60–$1,000	Usually replace
Fry dump station, active holding / crisp	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$1,600–$10,200	Repair when possible
Strip warmer (expo window)	7–10 yrs	$210–$900	Repair when possible
Hot water steam table	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$380–$3,100	Repair when possible
Combi oven	7–15 yrs	$5,000–$45,000+	Repair when possible
Convection oven	10–15 / up to 20 yrs	$1,500–$18,000	Repair when possible
Conveyor oven	10–15 / up to 20 yrs	$5,000–$30,000	Repair when possible
Dishwasher, undercounter	7–10 yrs	$2,000–$5,000	Repair when possible
Dishwasher, door-type	8–12 yrs	$4,000–$8,000	Repair when possible
Dishwasher, conveyor	10–15 yrs	$10,000–$15,000+	Repair when possible
Dishwasher, flight-type	12–20 yrs	$15,000–$25,000+	Repair when possible
Tilt skillet / braising pan	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$14,000–$25,000+	Repair when possible
Steam kettle	7–10 / up to 20 yrs	$8,000–$22,000+	Repair when possible
Microwave, commercial	3–7 / up to 10 yrs	$500–$2,500	Usually replace
Walk-in cooler, top-mount refrigeration	15–20 / up to 25 yrs	$9,000–$15,000 (installed)	Repair when possible
Walk-in cooler, remote refrigeration	15–20 / up to 25 yrs	$12,000–$20,000 (installed)	Repair when possible
Walk-in freezer, top-mount refrigeration	15–20 / up to 25 yrs	$11,000–$20,000 (installed)	Repair when possible
Walk-in freezer, remote refrigeration	15–20 / up to 25 yrs	$15,000–$27,000 (installed)	Repair when possible
Under-counter cooler, economy	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$850–$2,700	Repair when possible
Under-counter cooler, mid-grade	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$2,500–$7,300	Repair when possible
Under-counter cooler, premium	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$3,200–$13,000	Repair when possible
Worktop cooler, economy	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$1,050–$4,750	Repair when possible
Worktop cooler, mid-grade	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$2,600–$7,300	Repair when possible
Chef base, economy	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$1,270–$4,400	Repair when possible
Chef base, mid-grade	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$5,400–$13,900	Repair when possible
Chef base, premium	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$8,150–$18,000	Repair when possible
Reach-in cooler, economy	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$1,000–$3,300	Repair when possible
Reach-in cooler, mid-grade	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$3,400–$8,600	Repair when possible
Reach-in cooler, premium	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$9,000–$16,000	Repair when possible
Kegerator / beer dispenser, economy	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$800–$1,900	Repair when possible
Kegerator / beer dispenser, mid-grade	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$2,000–$3,400	Repair when possible
Countertop / drop-in cooler, economy	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$530–$980	Repair when possible
Countertop / drop-in cooler, mid-grade	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$1,050–$3,000	Repair when possible
Countertop / drop-in cooler, premium	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$5,600–$6,000	Repair when possible
Pizza prep station, economy	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$1,480–$4,250	Repair when possible
Pizza prep station, mid-grade	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$4,700–$10,900	Repair when possible
Pizza prep station, premium	7–10 / up to 15 yrs	$10,300–$21,500	Repair when possible
Exhaust hood fan (component only)	10–15 / up to 20 yrs	$760–$1,000	Repair when possible
Exhaust hood + make-up air package	10–15 / up to 20 yrs	$3,930–$7,567 (equip. only)	Repair when possible
Exhaust hood + MUA + fire suppression	10–15 / up to 20 yrs	$6,625–$11,714 (equip. only)	Repair when possible
Make-up air unit (component only)	10–15 / up to 20 yrs	$1,520–$2,040	Repair when possible

Components (elements, controls, motors) are replaceable on almost everything above, so most calls come down to cost, not a hard failure point. Heat lamps, basic fry dump warmers, and commercial microwaves are the exceptions: parts and labor to fix them typically cost close to a new unit, so replacement usually wins outright. Refrigeration compressors typically run 7–10 years before needing replacement, but that is a repair, not a reason to replace the whole unit, most walk-ins, reach-ins, and prep units start showing serviceable issues (leaks, fan motors, defrost clocks, pressure controls) around year 5 and keep running for many years after with normal upkeep. Walk-in prices above are all-in installed estimates (equipment, hookup, and typical labor); a poured slab or new electrical service can add meaningfully on top. All other refrigeration and ventilation prices are equipment-only.

Between our visits

What your staff should do monthly

Condenser coils

Brush or vacuum dust off refrigeration condenser coils. Dirty coils are the #1 preventable compressor killer.

Door gaskets

Wipe gaskets and check the dollar-bill pull test. Torn gaskets make compressors run constantly.

Ice machine visual

Look for slime, scale, or cloudy cubes. Production loss starts small.

Hood filters

Wash baffle filters weekly. Grease-loaded filters choke airflow and are a fire risk.

Drains

Pour hot water down floor drains and check evaporator drain lines for standing water.

Where our parts come from

We fit genuine OEM parts sourced through the same national distributors the manufacturers themselves recommend, so warranties stay intact and parts fail on schedule, not early.

Parts Town AllPoints WebstaurantStore KaTom

Researching a part yourself? Those four catalogs are the honest reference for what OEM parts really cost. Bring us the part number and we will quote it straight: cost plus a stated markup, on the invoice.

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