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Most small equipment problems, like dirty condenser coils, a torn door gasket or a clogged drain line are things your team can fix. Anything involving gas, refrigerant or electrical work should go to a licensed technician, as should any unit still under manufacturer warranty. Once a repair costs more than half the price of a new unit, or the same machine keeps breaking down, replacing it is usually the cheaper option.
Those calls are harder to get right this year. Canadian operators were already spending heavily on repairs, and in September, new tariffs raised the price of both replacement parts and new equipment. Below, we walk through how to tell which situation you’re in.
According to EconoLease’s 2026 Hospitality Operator Report, the typical Canadian operator spends a median of $22,500 CAD a year on equipment maintenance and repair.
A lot of that spending comes from keeping old equipment alive because replacing it doesn’t feel possible. Among operators who want to upgrade, 29% say they can’t afford to, and 46% pushed back a planned upgrade in the past year because of cost. Cooking equipment was the most common bottleneck in the kitchen, named by 28% of operators, followed by 14% citing refrigeration.
Source: SilverChef Group x Leger Hospitality Business Operators Data Report, 2026. Based on a survey of 250 foodservice operators in Canada conducted in June 2026.
Tariffs make the picture more complicated. Canada’s latest counter-tariffs took effect on September 8 and put a 25% rate on several types of refrigeration and freezing equipment, and up to 50% on certain refrigerated cabinets, counters and display cases. Restaurants Canada has warned that operators should expect to pay more for equipment and for replacement parts.
A surprising number of service calls start with something that regular cleaning would have caught. Condenser coils on refrigeration collect dust and grease, which makes the compressor run harder and wear out sooner. Wiping them down every month or two is one of the cheapest ways to extend the life of your fridges, freezers and ice machines. The same goes for keeping boxes and supplies away from the condenser so air can move freely.
Fryers last longer when you boil them out and filter the oil on a schedule. Dishwashers and beverage equipment need regular descaling, especially in areas with hard water. If you run a coffee program, your espresso machine needs its own routine, which we cover in why coffee machine maintenance matters.
Some problems look serious but turn out to be simple. A fridge that won’t hold temperature often has a loose or torn door gasket, which is a fraction of the cost of a compressor repair. Spotty dishes usually mean clogged spray arms or a machine that needs deliming. A unit that won’t turn on at all might just need a breaker reset.
Before you open anything up, shut off the power and check the manual. Also, check whether the unit is still under manufacturer warranty, since doing the repair yourself can void it. If the simple fix doesn’t solve the problem, that’s the point to call a professional.
Some jobs should always go to a professional. Gas lines and burners are a fire and safety risk. Working with refrigerant or sealed refrigeration systems requires certification in Canada. Faulty wiring and control boards can cause shocks or fires.
For espresso machines and other beverage equipment, EconoLease’s in-house service team, Accurate Repairs, can help with repair call-outs.
The cost of service calls can add up, so it’s important to keep track of the repairs completed and start to see if any patterns emerge. Keep a simple log for each piece of equipment with the date, the problem and the cost. When a technician in inspecting your equipment, It also helps to ask them directly whether they’d repair or replace the unit if it were theirs. They look at worn-out equipment every day and usually have an honest opinion. Additionally, ask how long parts will take to arrive, because a two-week wait during a busy stretch can cost you more in lost sales than the repair itself.
Many operators use a simple rule: if a repair would cost more than half of what an equivalent new unit costs, replace it. Age matters too. Most commercial kitchen equipment lasts between 10 to 15 years, depending on how hard it works and how well it’s maintained. A major repair on a 12-year-old fryer buys you a lot less time than the same repair on a 3-year-old one. For more warning signs, see six signs you need to replace your kitchen equipment.
The repair invoice also leaves out a lot of what an aging unit costs you. Older equipment typically uses more energy. A fryer that takes too long to recover between batches or an oven that heats unevenly slows down every ticket. Guests notice when food quality slips and staff get worn down by working around the same unreliable machine every shift. None of these costs shows up on a single bill, but together they’re often bigger than the repairs.
Tariffs add one more reason to take a hard look at older units. When replacement parts cost more, every repeat repair on an old machine costs more too. New equipment is affected by tariffs as well, but a new unit gives you years of reliable service that a unit on its third repair usually doesn’t.
A special note for refrigeration: Canada is phasing down refrigerants with a high global warming potential. Those rules apply to new equipment, so your existing units can keep running. But older refrigerants may get more expensive to service as supplies tighten, so ask your technician what that could mean for your equipment.
If you’re pricing out a replacement, it helps to compare the cost of another year of repairs against a new or Certified Used unit. You can browse commercial refrigeration, deep fryers, convection ovens, commercial dishwashers and ice machines to see our available inventory.
When something breaks down, these questions will usually point you in the right direction:
1. Could it be a cleaning, gasket, drain or breaker problem? Try fixing it in-house first.
2. Does it involve gas, refrigerant, wiring or food safety? Call a licensed technician.
3. Is it still under manufacturer warranty? Contact the manufacturer or an authorized service provider.
4. Would the repair cost more than half the price of a new unit? Replacing is probably the better choice.
5. Has it needed service more than twice in the past year? Replacing is probably the better choice.
6. Is it holding back your volume or your menu? A replacement may pay for itself.
For a broader review of your kitchen, our mid-year equipment check-in walks through how to assess each piece of equipment.
Deciding to replace a unit is often the easy part. Paying for it upfront right before the busiest season of the year is harder. EconoLease has a few ways to make that easier.
If you’d like to try the equipment before committing, and free up your cash flow, Rent-Try-Buy is a 12 month rental agreement that gives you flexibility to change or upgrade the equipment at any time.
If you already know what you need and plan to keep it long term, a lease spreads the cost of new equipment 24 to 60 months. That keeps your cash available for food, staff and everything else the holidays demand.
If your budget is tight, Certified Used equipment gives you reliable equipment for less than buying new, fully serviced by our in house team. It’s also available through Rent-Try-Buy instead of paying for it all at once.
These options can also be combined. When Liliya opened Fleur De Lys Bakery in Maple, Ontario, she used Rent-Try-Buy for her espresso machine so she could test it in daily service first. She leased the equipment she knew she’d depend on long term, including her proofer and espresso grinder. That let her open with the equipment she wanted without tying up all her cash.
To see what a replacement might cost per month, check out our equipment finance calculator.
A fryer that fails in the middle of December costs you far more than one you replace in October. Take some time now to walk through your kitchen, look over your repair records and ask your staff which equipment is giving them trouble.
If it’s time to replace something, talk to our team to get the right equipment in place before the holiday rush.
