When you compare commercial refrigerators, it is easy to focus on the obvious specifications.
Capacity. Dimensions. Number of doors. Energy consumption. Price.
But there is another specification that arguably tells you far more about whether a refrigerator is actually suitable for storing food in a professional kitchen:
Its temperature classification.
For chilled commercial food storage, one of the most important classifications to look for is M1.
SKOPE ReFlex refrigeration is designed around precisely this type of controlled food storage, with ReFlex chilled cabinets offering certified M1 performance alongside the temperature control, monitoring and serviceability required in modern commercial kitchens.
What does M1 actually mean?
M1 is a temperature performance classification for refrigeration.
It should not be confused with an energy efficiency rating.
Under the testing criteria used for professional refrigerated storage cabinets, an M1 chilled cabinet must control the temperature of test packages so that the warmest does not exceed +5°C and the coldest does not fall below -1°C.
That matters because the test is looking at the temperature of simulated products stored within the cabinet, rather than simply the temperature of the air coming from the refrigeration system.
There is an important difference.
A display showing +3°C does not necessarily mean every product throughout a loaded refrigerator is actually at +3°C.
What matters is how effectively the cabinet controls temperatures throughout the usable storage space.
That is what a temperature classification such as M1 helps establish.
Why should a foodservice operator care?
Commercial kitchens are difficult environments for refrigeration.
Doors are opened repeatedly. Warm products may be introduced. Cabinets can sit alongside ovens, grills and other heat-producing equipment. Service periods can involve constant access to ingredients.
Under those conditions, maintaining controlled product temperatures becomes much more demanding than simply cooling an empty cabinet.
For an operator, M1 therefore provides a useful benchmark.
It demonstrates that the refrigerator has been tested against a recognised temperature classification intended for chilled food storage. Under UK Energy Technology List criteria, M1 professional storage cabinets are tested against defined temperature limits using the BS EN 16825 methodology.
Put more simply:
M1 is evidence of controlled food-storage performance, not simply a manufacturer’s claimed thermostat setting.
M1 versus M2: a small number can make a significant difference
Temperature classifications can look confusing on a specification sheet, but the distinction between them is important.
For example, the recognised classification limits for refrigerated cabinets include:
M1: warmest test package no higher than +5°C
M2: warmest test package no higher than +7°C
Both have a lower threshold of -1°C for the coldest package under the relevant classification criteria.
Two degrees might not look significant on paper.
In food refrigeration, however, there is a meaningful difference between a cabinet designed to keep the warmest test package at no more than +5°C and one whose classification allows it to reach +7°C.
That is why buyers should look beyond descriptions such as “commercial fridge”, “foodservice refrigerator” or even the temperature shown on the controller.
Ask instead:
What is the certified product temperature class?
Where SKOPE ReFlex becomes particularly interesting
The M1 rating is only part of the ReFlex story.
It becomes much more valuable when considered alongside the way SKOPE has designed the cabinet to operate.
For example, the current UK specification for the compact ReFlex RF6.UBR.1.SD (single door undercounter fridge) states that it is M1 certified, with a normal product temperature range of +1°C to +4°C. The temperature can also be adjusted through SKOPE-connect for different storage applications.
Larger ReFlex models go further. SKOPE specifications for models such as the ReFlex upright RF7.UPR.1.SD (single door upright refrigerator) show a 5M1 classification: M1 product-temperature performance combined with Climate Class 5 capability and a maximum ambient operating temperature of 40°C.
This distinction matters.
M1 tells you about product temperature.
Climate Class tells you about the environment in which the refrigerator is designed to operate.
They are related, but they are not the same thing.
Climate Class 4 testing represents ambient conditions of 30°C and 55% relative humidity, while Climate Class 5 represents the more demanding conditions of 40°C and 40% relative humidity. Climate Class 5 is therefore particularly relevant when specifying refrigeration for hotter commercial kitchen environments.
This is why a specification such as 5M1 deserves attention.
It effectively tells the buyer two different things about the cabinet: the temperature performance expected around the stored product and the demanding ambient conditions in which that performance has been tested.
This is where refrigeration comparisons need to become more intelligent
Not all commercial refrigeration should be compared purely on purchase price.
Two stainless steel counters can look remarkably similar from the outside.
Both might have three doors.
Both might display +3°C on their controllers.
Both might be advertised for commercial kitchens.
But that does not automatically mean their tested temperature performance, ambient capability, temperature stability or control systems are equivalent.
A proper comparison should therefore look at several specifications together:
• Product temperature class – is it M1?
• Climate Class – what ambient conditions is it designed to handle?
• Tested energy consumption
• Operating temperature range
• Temperature monitoring and data
• Refrigeration system design
• Serviceability
• Warranty and technical support
This is where SKOPE ReFlex becomes a more compelling proposition than simply another stainless steel refrigerator.
More than an M1 fridge
ReFlex adds another layer of control through SKOPE-connect.
Depending on the model, operators can adjust the cabinet temperature to suit different food types, monitor temperature performance, set alerts and access historical data. SKOPE also highlights the ability to export temperature information to support HACCP processes.
The wider ReFlex platform can provide an adjustable temperature range extending approximately from -2°C to +15°C on applicable models, giving operators considerably more flexibility than a refrigerator configured around one narrow factory setting.
This means an operator can choose a temperature appropriate to the product being stored rather than simply accepting a generic refrigeration setting.
The M1 certification provides the foundation.
SKOPE-connect provides additional control.
Together they create a refrigeration system designed around managing the product being stored rather than simply cooling the cabinet.
Then there is serviceability
Temperature performance is important while the refrigerator is working.
What happens when it needs servicing matters too.
Many ReFlex models use SKOPE’s removable refrigeration cartridge system. Rather than requiring extensive refrigeration work inside a busy kitchen, the refrigeration system can be accessed and removed as a self-contained assembly, helping engineers diagnose and service the equipment more efficiently.
For an operator, this has the potential to reduce disruption.
For a dealer or service company, it provides a much more service-focused approach to commercial refrigeration.
It is another reason why ReFlex should not simply be compared with competitors on litres, doors and purchase price.
So does M1 make SKOPE unique?
No — and that is an important distinction.
M1 is a recognised refrigeration temperature classification, not a proprietary SKOPE technology. Other professional refrigeration manufacturers can and do produce M1-rated cabinets.
What differentiates ReFlex is how SKOPE builds on that specification.
Depending on the particular ReFlex model, that can mean combining:
• M1 certified food-storage performance
• High ambient temperature capability
• Precise electronic temperature control
• SKOPE-connect monitoring and adjustment
• Historical temperature and energy information
• Natural refrigerants
• 304 stainless steel construction
• Removable refrigeration systems
• Commercial foodservice-focused design
The result is a refrigeration range where performance can be assessed against recognised standards rather than simply taken from a marketing claim.
When comparing refrigeration, look beyond the badge on the door
There is a simple question catering equipment dealers, consultants and foodservice operators should start asking when comparing commercial refrigeration:
What temperature class is it actually certified to?
Then look at the climate class.
Then look at its control, monitoring, energy consumption, construction and serviceability.
A cheaper cabinet that looks similar externally is not necessarily providing equivalent refrigeration performance.
For professional food storage, those differences matter.
With M1-certified refrigeration at the heart of the range and additional technology designed around temperature management, monitoring and serviceability, SKOPE ReFlex gives operators a more complete commercial refrigeration proposition.
And that is ultimately what the M1 conversation should be about.
Not another specification to put on a brochure.
Evidence that the refrigerator has been designed to do the job that matters most: keep food stored at controlled temperatures in a demanding professional environment.
Discover SKOPE ReFlex refrigeration
SKOPE ReFlex refrigerators are available in the UK through Hubbard Systems, with options including undercounter, upright, solid-door, glass-door and refrigerated drawer configurations.
Looking at new commercial refrigeration?
Don’t just compare price and capacity.
Compare the temperature class. Compare the climate class. Then compare the technology behind them.
Speak to Hubbard Systems on 01473 350046 about the SKOPE ReFlex range and the right refrigeration specification for your application.
Further reading
Blog
