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Glossary

Castors

Wheels fitted to the base of a commercial cabinet, usually swivelling and lockable, that let staff move the unit for cleaning, servicing and layout changes.

Also called: Casters, Swivel wheels, Lockable castors

Many commercial refrigerators and freezers can be fitted with castors instead of fixed legs. Swivel castors let the cabinet be rolled out from a wall or counter, and brakes lock it in place during use. Some units ship with legs and offer castors as an option; others come with both.

The main reason for castors is hygiene. Food debris, spilled liquids and pests collect behind and under heavy cabinets, and a unit that cannot be moved rarely gets cleaned underneath. Rolling it out also gives a technician access to the condenser and the back panel. The trade-offs are a slightly lower stability and a need to check that floors are level, drains are clear, and that power and drain connections allow the unit to move.

A QSR outlet in Chennai might specify castors on all its undercounter units so the night crew can roll them out once a week, sweep and mop behind them, and clean the condenser grilles before rolling them back.