Wathen Marine
- May 12, 2022
- 3 min read

Commercial Marine Galley Equipment: Is Bespoke Always Best?

A niche but rapidly growing industry, commercial marine galley equipment is becoming more & more available in standard sizes, formats, and product ranges, and as demand within the industry increases, so too does the pressure to standardise these products; creating ‘off-the-shelf’ marine galley equipment quickly and cheaply.

However, particularly when kitting out a complex space such as a galley, standard equipment simply won’t always work – depending on the unique needs of the crew and the dynamics of the space.

So with this in mind, when it comes to commercial marine galley equipment, is bespoke always best, or is the movement towards standard equipment the way to go?

The pros & cons of standard commercial marine galley equipment

Although standard equipment may be less expensive than its bespoke counterpart, it’s not always the most appropriate option, but let’s examine both the pros & cons:

Pros:

Standard commercial equipment may have a shorter delivery time from initial purchase, meaning you’ll receive your equipment quicker, as it’s already built and ready to go; the sooner you receive it, the sooner you can start using it.

Should your standard equipment break down, any parts that malfunction or break may be easier to replace as standard parts will be easier to source.

If you need to change or upgrade your commercial equipment at any time, and choose to sell on your equipment to another buyer, you may find selling standard equipment much easier, as bespoke equipment is designed & built to your unique requirements.

Cons:

Standard equipment is unlikely to fulfil all of your requirements; whether you need a specific size, layout or function, and may lead to the purchase of additional equipment to fulfill any holes in productivity.

Particularly when you have a difficult space to work with, purchasing a standard piece of equipment may result in a confused or cluttered layout; slowing service and general productivity.

As your needs evolve and grow over time, standard equipment won’t always fulfil these ever-changing needs, meaning that, as soon as your needs change, you’ll be forced to reinvest in even more equipment.

The pros & cons of bespoke commercial marine galley equipment

Especially for a complex and demanding industry such as marine catering equipment, investing in bespoke can often be the most economical and practical solution. However, as with anything, there are pros & cons, such as:

Pros:

Bespoke equipment is designed and manufactured to your unique requirements, meaning that it’s perfectly suited to do exactly what you need it to.

With regular maintenance, due to the exceptional quality of craftsmanship and the time and expertise taken to create a unique piece of equipment, bespoke galley equipment can often last longer than standard equipment.

Although bespoke equipment may be more expensive to purchase initially, due to things like the overall lifespan and ability to fulfil a wider range of needs, investing in bespoke equipment can save you money in the longer term.

By designing equipment specifically tailored to your space and requirements, a galley can be adequately planned and configured in a way that suits your staff and the service you need to deliver; meaning that processes can be easily streamlined – saving you valuable time from preparation to service.

Cons:

The initial outlay may be higher than purchasing a piece of standard commercial galley equipment.