OEM Vs. Third Party Kitchen Parts

Running a commercial kitchen is not cheap nor is it easy but, for most, it is a labor of love.  For this reason, many restaurant owners and kitchen managers do everything in their power to make this labor of love run as efficiently as possible.

One of the seemingly easiest ways to save money in a commercial kitchen is to purchase lower quality replacements parts.  It can be tempting, but in most cases, it’s a temptation that rarely pays off in the end.

The inherent problem with third party parts that many people don’t see is that they are less expensive for a reason: they are significantly worse.

However, saying a part is worse is one thing, it is a completely different endeavor to show how a part is worse.  Check this out:

PARTS:

  • OEM:  An OEM replacement part comes direct from the manufacturer which ensures that it is of the highest grade and quality.  These parts meet every qualification of the original part and will work perfectly because of that.
  • Third Party:  A third party replacement part can come from any number of random manufacturers from anywhere in the world.  The quality of materials used is questionable at best and so there is no telling how long any third party part will last.  Because they don’t work with the original manufacturer, third party parts simply cannot meet every qualification that the part should have.

WARRANTY:

  • OEM:  In most every case, OEM parts will uphold any warranty that is associated with the equipment.  Anyone in the commercial kitchen industry will tell you, to get the most out of a lifecycle of a part, maintaining the warranty is crucial.  OEM parts and warranties are just a good combination.
  • Third Party:  As you might have guessed, third party replacement parts do not uphold the warranties for kitchen equipment.  Typically, a third party replacement part will even void the existing warranty which means you’ll be left with a lower quality product and nothing to help you when it breaks.

SERVICE:

  • OEM:  OEM parts typically come with the best support system.  Because there is so much riding on every individual part, there are many people behind the scenes that are there to make sure that it works.
  • Third Party:  After you’ve bought your third party replacement part, you’re on your own.  Good luck.

There’s basically no competition.  For a commercial kitchen part that works all the time and in warranty, you need an OEM part.  If you need help or service for your OEM commercial kitchen parts, you need CPS.