How to specify a commercial gas range by burner output rather than burner count: fuel and pressure, ignition voltage, gas versus electric running cost, container loading, lead time and pre-shipment checks for buyers sourcing from China.
Most gas range orders go wrong in the specification, not in the cooking. A buyer compares burner counts between quotations and later finds the burners are jetted for a different gas, the ignition board is 230 V while the kitchen runs on 120 V, or the built-in oven adds 11 kW of load the hood was never sized for. This guide is for buyers sourcing commercial gas ranges from a China manufacturer or exporter: how to turn a menu into burner output, how fuel and pressure change the rating, and what to verify before the deposit.
Size the range by burner output, not by burner count
Burner count tells you how many pans fit on top. Burner output tells you whether they will cook. A four-burner unit built around one large stock-pot burner is a different tool from four identical 7 kW burners.
Read three figures from the rating plate, not the brochure headline:
- Rated gas input — total kW, and whether the oven is included.
- Output per burner — total divided by burner count, meaningful only when burners are identical.
- Burner diameter and grate opening — a 7 kW burner under a 200 mm pan wastes heat around the sides; 4 kW under a 400 mm stock pot will not hold a rolling boil.
The catalogued units below show the spread. Figures are rated input; where an oven is fitted, the total includes the oven burner.
| Model | Burners | Rated input | Oven | Dimensions (mm) | Typical duty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KB-HP24-M | 4 | 29.2 kW | No | 914 × 734 × 325 | Countertop, pan-heavy menu |
| KB-HP36-M | 6 | 43.8 kW | No | 914 × 734 × 325 | Countertop, high pan count |
| E-RQB-700-6AG | 6 | 38.8 kW | Yes | 1050 × 700 × 850 + 60 | Range plus oven, mixed menu |
| XKE-RQB-900-6A | 6 | 44.6 kW | Yes, 11.6 kW | 1200 × 900 × 850 + 120 | Restaurant line with roasting |
| FR-24 | 4 | 45.5 kW | Yes | 630 × 750 × 1510 | Narrow footprint, stacked build |
| KB-R60 | 10 | 89.7 kW NG / 79.7 kW LPG | Yes | 1523 × 764 × 1500 | Banquet and central kitchen |
Two things stand out: per-burner output settles around 6.5–7.5 kW across the six-burner units, however the total is quoted, and the same 10-burner range carries a lower total rating on LPG than on natural gas.
Run the bring-to-boil arithmetic before you commit
Kilowatts become a decision once converted into time. Heating water takes 4.18 kJ per kilogram per degree, so 18 kg of water raised from 20 °C to 100 °C absorbs about 6.0 MJ. At 7.3 kW with 50 % of the heat reaching the water, that is roughly 28 minutes; at 45 % it is 31 minutes.
| Pot fill | Energy to 100 °C | 7.3 kW at 50 % | 7.3 kW at 45 % | 10.5 kW at 50 % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 L | 6.0 MJ | 28 min | 31 min | 19 min |
| 36 L | 12.1 MJ | 55 min | 61 min | 38 min |
| 54 L | 18.1 MJ | 83 min | 92 min | 57 min |
| 90 L | 30.1 MJ | 138 min | 153 min | 96 min |
This is where specifications break. Six 6.5 kW burners are fine for sauté pans, but if your menu runs stocks or soup in 54 L pots, one burner is tied up for an hour and a half. Specify at least one burner of 10 kW or more, or keep bulk liquid work on a separate boiling pan. Put pot sizes in the inquiry; which burner suits a 400 mm pot changes the model you buy.
Gas type, supply pressure and ignition voltage
Natural gas and LPG are not interchangeable at the burner. Propane vapour carries roughly 93 MJ per cubic meter against about 38 for natural gas, so an LPG jet is much smaller to pass the same energy. A range jetted for natural gas and fed LPG soots the pans and overheats the burner caps; jetted for LPG and fed natural gas it gives a lazy yellow flame. Both are installation errors, avoidable by putting the fuel on the purchase order.
Ratings are quoted at a stated inlet pressure, usually in kPa on Chinese documents, while North American fitters work in inches of water column, where 1 in w.c. is about 0.249 kPa. Send your supply pressure in the unit your fitter uses, and get the jet size and regulator setting confirmed in writing.
Electronic ignition boards are built for 230 V or 120 V, and the plug matches one market. State destination, voltage and plug type on the order and ask for a photo of the rating plate before the container is sealed. Gas appliances also need the destination approval — CE or UKCA in Europe, ETL or CSA in North America — and the certificate should name your model, not the factory's general range. Ask for the certificate number and issuing body, then verify it.
Gas or electric for the same duty
Compare delivered heat, not nameplate heat. An open burner transfers 45–55 % of its input to the pot; an induction cooktop transfers 80–90 %. A 7.3 kW burner therefore delivers about what a 4 kW induction zone does.
For running cost, divide the gas price per kWh by 0.5 and the electricity price by 0.85. Gas is cheaper whenever its price per kWh is below about 0.59 times the electricity price. Add non-energy factors: induction puts less heat into the room, so the hood can be smaller, but it needs three-phase capacity and a menu that does not depend on wok char.
Ventilation, clearance and installation checks
A range that passes a factory test can still fail a site inspection. Size the hood to the appliance footprint, with a capture velocity of roughly 0.25–0.5 m/s at the canopy edge. Keep the clearance to combustibles on the rating plate; reducing it voids the listing and, usually, the insurance. Fit a dedicated shut-off valve within the operator's reach, leak-test every joint before first firing, fit the backguard or flue, lock the braked castors and level the unit before connecting gas.
Buying from a China manufacturer: what to verify first
Chinese factories build to any of these specifications, and price gaps usually trace back to steel thickness, valve material and whether flame failure uses a thermocouple or a rectification board. Ask for the business license, a video walk-through of the line that will build your order, and the rating plate. Book a third-party pre-shipment inspection and make the balance conditional on it.
Can it be exported to my country? Yes, and the paperwork is routine: invoice, packing list, certificate of origin and bill of lading, quoted FOB or CIF. Import-side gas approval stays with you or your installer; the factory supplies the technical file that approval needs.
Will certification, voltage and plug match? Only if you specify them. Put destination market, voltage, frequency and plug type on the purchase order and ask for the ignition transformer rating in writing. Do not accept "universal" as an answer.
How does it load, and how long does it take? A 20 ft container holds about 33 m³ and a 40 ft high cube about 76 m³. A 1200 × 900 mm range on a pallet occupies roughly 1.1–1.3 m³ packed, so a high cube takes about 45–55 units before the last row wastes space; confirm against the packed dimensions on the quotation. Ask for lead time in working days from deposit, separately from sailing time, and check that jet changes for your fuel are included.
What about spares and service? Request a parts list with numbers for the thermocouple, ignition module, burner cap, oven thermostat, door gasket and knobs, and ship a spares kit in the same container — one to two percent of order value is the usual allowance. Confirm video-call commissioning support, and that consumables can be couriered.
Pre-shipment acceptance checklist
- Rating plate photographed and matched to model, fuel and voltage.
- Output per burner recalculated from the plate against the quotation.
- Gas train leak-tested at the factory with the pressure recorded.
- Every burner lit from cold, then again after ten minutes.
- Flame-failure device tested by extinguishing one burner and timing shut-off.
- Oven at set temperature checked with an independent probe.
- Door alignment, gasket seal and hinge play checked.
- Stainless checked for weld discoloration, sharp edges, transit dents.
- Packed dimensions and weights compared with the booking note.
- Spares kit, manual and certificate of origin on the packing list.
Run that list against a video inspection before the container leaves, and file the signed copy with the shipping documents.