Stop Burning the Outside and Leaving the Inside Cold
Ever notice how some bakery griddles just… fail? You get that perfect sear on the outside, but when you cut into the food, the middle is still cold. Or worse, the outside is totally dried out before the core even gets warm. It’s a frustrating loop. We fix this by focusing on “energy flux”—which is really just a fancy way of saying we control exactly how much heat hits the food and how fast.
Keeping the Moisture Where It Belongs
Most old-school heaters just warm up the air. The problem is that hot air is a moisture thief; it strips the water right out of your product. Our IR tubes do things differently. They use electromagnetic radiation to push heat directly into the food. Depending on whether you go with shortwave or medium-wave tubes, you can actually choose how deep that heat goes. It means you get that crisp, golden crust while the inside stays juicy and tender.
Picking the Right Replacement
When you’re looking for a new tube, pay close attention to the wattage and the length. If you jam a high-wattage tube into a small space, you’re going to create a “hot spot” that’ll scorch everything. My best advice? Stick to the original OEM voltage and wattage. If you try to “beef up” the power without upgrading your wiring, you’re just asking for a burnout at the terminals. Not a fun way to spend a Tuesday.
The Setup
We use high-purity quartz glass for our bakery tubes. Why? Because quartz doesn’t freak out when the temperature swings wildly. It handles that rapid heating and cooling way better than standard glass. Installation is a breeze. We use standard connectors, so these are true drop-in replacements. No need to tear apart your chassis or rewire the whole machine. Just slide the old one out, pop the new one in, and you’re back in business.
A Few Things to Watch For
High-intensity tubes get up to temperature incredibly fast. That’s great for your workflow, but it does put more stress on the griddle’s housing. Make sure your vents are actually doing their job. If the ambient heat builds up too much, your electronics might trip. Plus, if there isn’t enough airflow around the ends of the tube, those filaments are going to burn out a lot sooner than they should. Keep it breezy, and your gear will last.