Buy outright when you have the cash, the equipment is core to your menu and you intend to keep it for years. Use finance when preserving working capital matters more than owning the asset outright. Choose rent-try-buy when you are opening, testing a new menu line, or genuinely unsure whether the equipment will earn its place. The right answer depends on your cash position and how certain you are about the equipment, not on which option looks cheapest per week.
📋 What this guide covers
- The three ways to acquire equipment, compared
- Why cash flow usually matters more than headline price
- What total cost of ownership actually includes
- New, ex-demo and refurbished equipment
- Questions to ask before signing anything
- Where to get advice specific to your business
1. The three options, side by side
| Option | Suits | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Buy outright | Established businesses with cash, buying core equipment they will keep for years. | Lowest long-run cost, but it consumes working capital you may need elsewhere. |
| Finance / lease | Businesses that want the asset but need to preserve cash for stock, wages and fitout. | Spreads the cost, but you pay more in total and commit to a term. |
| Rent-try-buy | New venues, unproven menu lines, seasonal demand, or equipment you are not certain about. | Maximum flexibility and lower commitment, at a higher cost if you keep it long term. |
ℹ️ Atlantic is an authorised SilverChef dealer
That means rent-try-buy arrangements are available on eligible equipment through our team. Terms, minimum amounts and eligibility are set by the finance provider and depend on your business, so ask us and we will get you the current details in writing rather than guessing here.
2. Cash flow usually beats headline price
Hospitality businesses rarely fail because they paid too much for an oven. They fail because they ran out of cash in a quiet month.
When you are opening or expanding, the money you do not spend on equipment is money available for stock, wages, marketing and the slower weeks that follow an opening. Spending your entire buffer on a fitout leaves no room for the ordinary surprises of a first year.
That is the real argument for finance or rental: not that it is cheaper, but that it keeps cash in the business at the point where cash is what keeps the doors open.
🔧 Pro tip, split the decision by how certain you are
Buy or finance the equipment your menu depends on and you will still be using in five years. Rent the equipment you are testing. A venue that is sure about its oven and unsure about its gelato cabinet should treat those two purchases completely differently.
3. Work out the total cost of ownership
The purchase price is one line in a longer sum. Before comparing options, add up:
- Purchase or repayment cost over the period you will keep the equipment.
- Installation, including licensed gas and electrical work and any services upgrade.
- Energy and water, which for equipment running every trading hour is substantial over several years.
- Consumables: filters, chemicals, oil, blades and seals.
- Servicing and repairs, and the cost of downtime when the machine is out.
- Residual value, if you would expect to sell it or trade it later.
A cheaper machine that uses more power and needs more service can easily be the more expensive choice by year three.
4. New, ex-demo or refurbished
New equipment comes with a full warranty and the longest service life ahead of it. Ex-demo and refurbished equipment can be a sound way to stretch a fitout budget, particularly for secondary equipment rather than the machine your menu depends on.
If you are considering used equipment, ask what warranty applies, what has been replaced or serviced, and whether parts are still available for that model. Browse ex-demo equipment, refurbished equipment and clearance lines.
ℹ️ Ask about warranty before you compare prices
Warranty length and what it covers vary widely, and a longer parts-and-labour warranty genuinely changes the total cost. Check the terms on the warranty page or ask our team before you decide on price alone.
5. Questions to ask before signing anything
- What is the total amount payable over the full term, not the weekly figure?
- Is the quoted figure inclusive or exclusive of GST?
- What happens at the end of the term — do I own it, return it, or pay a residual?
- Can I upgrade or exit early, and what does that cost?
- Who is responsible for servicing and repairs during the term?
- What warranty applies, and who honours it?
- Is installation included, and does that include licensed gas and electrical work?
Get the answers in writing. A weekly figure with no term attached tells you almost nothing.
6. Get advice that fits your business
How equipment is acquired has tax and accounting consequences that differ between buying, financing and renting, and they depend on your business structure. Talk to your accountant before you commit to a structure on the basis of a brochure.
On the equipment side, talk to us about what actually suits your volumes. See payment options or get in touch to discuss finance and rental on eligible equipment.
Final thoughts
There is no universally correct answer. Buy what you are certain about and will keep. Finance when cash flow is the binding constraint. Rent what you are still testing. And compare total cost over the years you will actually own the machine, not the number on the price tag or the weekly figure on the flyer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Buy outright when you have the cash, the equipment is core to your menu, and you will keep it for years — that is the lowest long-run cost. Rent when you are opening, testing a menu line, or unsure the equipment will earn its place. Finance sits between the two, preserving cash while you work towards owning the asset.
It is a rental arrangement that lets a business use equipment for a period with the option to purchase it. Atlantic is an authorised SilverChef dealer, so rent-try-buy is available on eligible equipment. Terms, minimums and eligibility are set by the finance provider and depend on your business, so ask our team for the current details in writing.
Purchase or repayment cost, installation including licensed gas and electrical work, energy and water over the years you run it, consumables such as filters and chemicals, servicing and repairs, the cost of downtime, and any residual value. A cheaper machine that uses more power and needs more service is often dearer by year three.
It can stretch a fitout budget, and it suits secondary equipment better than the machine your menu depends on. Before buying, ask what warranty applies, what has been replaced or serviced, and whether parts are still available for that model.
Ask for the total amount payable over the full term rather than a weekly figure, whether it is inclusive or exclusive of GST, what happens at the end of the term, the cost of exiting or upgrading early, who covers servicing, what warranty applies, and whether installation and licensed trade work are included. Get it in writing, and check the tax treatment with your accountant.
