Merrychef have a lot of options in their range now. If you're not sure which is right for you, we've put a brief explanation of each one below.
Merrychef is one of the best-known manufacturers of commercial high speed ovens. If you’re considering a Merrychef oven, choosing between the Connex 12, Connex 12e, E3 or E4 can be difficult. This guide explains the key differences and helps you find the right model for your business.
What is a Merrychef?
Merrychef is a leading manufacturer of commercial high speed ovens that combine microwave, convection and impingement cooking technologies to cook food up to 20 times faster than traditional ovens. Widely used in cafés, pubs, convenience stores and food-to-go outlets, Merrychef ovens help businesses serve hot food quickly without compromising on quality.
Connex12e
The Connex 12e is the entry level Merrychef and replaces the Merrychef E1S. Do not be fooled though, this is still a very powerful oven. We would say it is primarily designed for coffee shops cooking food that is ambient of chilled. Items such as toasties and panini come out of here brilliantly. It is designed for light to medium use eg 50 – 60 cook cycles per day (1 panini = 1 cook cycle). It is only available with a 13A option. It also comes with a 2 year warranty.
Connex 12
The Connex 12 is replacing the the Merrychef E2S which was one of the best selling high speed ovens of all time, typically seen on the back counter of a Costa Coffee. The Connex12 launched 2 years ago and is currently Merrychefs best selling oven. It can either be supplied as 13A or a high power 32A. Our rule of thumb – if you’re going to be cooking around 100 – 120 times per day (spread throughout the day) then the 13A oven should be fine. IF you’ve got a very busy outlet then the 32A oven would be a better option.
In simple terms, this is because the oven can use the higher amperage level to maintain its working temperature. On the 13A oven if you cook too much without a break the oven will need a couple of minutes to get back up to working temperature. The 13A option has a 1KW microwave whilst the 32A has a 2KW microwave (great for re-heating jacket potatoes!)
Connex 16
It’s called a 16” because it has a 16” cavity which means you can get a LOT of sandwiches in there at once or even a 16” pizza! It is not available as a 13A model.
Merrychef E3
The E3 has been around for over 10 years but it’s still going strong. It has a rotating base plate and is great for re-heating pies, lasagnes, Mac & Cheese etc. The rotating base plate means the microwave is more evenly distributed. It also has 2 shelves in which is great for baking off small number of pastry items.
Merrychef E4
If it was a boxer then the E4 is definitely in the heavy weight category! Typically we put it in pub kitchens where it will do everything from cooking a steak to roasting a huge tray of veg in minutes! Pro Tip: If you’re buying a 2nd hand one the Merrychef E4S is the Subway specific variant and not designed for raw protein!
If you’re still not sure please do give us a call on 01423 321800 or contact us here