Open-Air Coolers

Commercial Open Air Coolers & Refrigerated Merchandisers

Commercial open air coolers make refrigerated food and beverages easy for customers to see, reach, and purchase without opening a refrigerator door. They are widely used in cafés, convenience stores, delis, bakeries, grocery stores, markets, cafeterias, hotel grab-and-go areas, sandwich shops, beverage stations, and other high-traffic foodservice environments.

At Nishi Enterprise, our Open-Air Coolers collection includes vertical open air merchandisers, horizontal refrigerated displays, low-profile grab-and-go coolers, drop-in open merchandisers, island refrigeration, rear-loading display cases, self-service beverage coolers, and open front refrigerated merchandisers.

The current active assortment is especially concentrated in commercial refrigeration from Turbo Air and Atosa, with configurations ranging from compact countertop-height displays to tall multi-shelf vertical merchandisers and large open island systems for grocery and convenience-store merchandising.

Open air refrigeration is particularly useful when speed and product visibility matter. Customers can immediately see packaged drinks, sandwiches, salads, desserts, dairy products, prepared meals, fruit, snacks, and other chilled items without repeatedly opening and closing doors.

For additional cold-storage and display options, browse our Commercial Refrigeration, Deli & Display Cases, Refrigerated Bakery Display Cases, Atosa, and Turbo Air.

What Is an Open Air Cooler?

An open air cooler, also called an open air merchandiser, open front refrigerator, air curtain merchandiser, or grab-and-go refrigerator, is a refrigerated display case with an open customer-facing side.

Instead of using hinged or sliding doors, the refrigeration system creates a controlled flow of chilled air across the front of the product area.

This allows customers to reach directly into the refrigerated display while the unit works to maintain the required chilled environment within its designed operating conditions.

Why Use an Open Front Refrigerator?

The main advantage is convenience.

A customer does not need to:

• Open a glass door
• Hold the door while selecting a product
• Wait behind another customer using the same refrigerator door
• Search through a closed cabinet before deciding what to buy

That makes open merchandisers particularly effective in high-volume self-service environments.

Open Air Coolers for Grab-and-Go Food

Grab-and-go service is one of the strongest applications for open air refrigeration.

Restaurants and cafés can prepare or stock chilled items and place them where customers can quickly pick up a product and continue toward checkout.

Common grab-and-go items can include:

• Sandwiches
• Wraps
• Salads
• Fruit cups
• Yogurt
• Prepared meals
• Cold desserts
• Bottled water
• Juice
• Soda
• Energy drinks
• Iced coffee
• Dairy beverages
• Packaged snacks requiring refrigeration

Open Air Cooler vs. Glass Door Merchandiser

A glass door merchandiser uses one or more doors between the customer and refrigerated product.

An open air merchandiser eliminates that barrier.

Open air merchandisers generally provide faster access and stronger visual exposure.

Glass door merchandisers can provide a more enclosed refrigerated environment and may be better where energy efficiency, longer holding, or challenging ambient conditions are bigger priorities.

The right choice depends on store design and how customers are expected to shop.

Open Air Cooler vs. Reach-In Refrigerator

A commercial reach-in refrigerator is designed primarily for storage and staff access.

An open air cooler is designed primarily for customer-facing refrigerated merchandising.

Restaurants may use both. The reach-in holds bulk inventory in the kitchen, while the open merchandiser presents smaller quantities of finished products where customers can see them.

Open Air Cooler vs. Refrigerated Display Case

Traditional refrigerated display cases often use glass barriers and are commonly designed for employee-served bakery, deli, dessert, or meat presentation.

Open air merchandisers are more commonly designed for direct self-service.

Browse our Deli & Display Cases when customers do not need unrestricted access to the product.

Vertical Open Air Merchandisers

Vertical open air coolers use height to create several refrigerated merchandising levels while maintaining a relatively narrow floor footprint.

A typical full-height unit may have four or more shelves plus a lower deck.

This format is especially useful along walls and perimeter merchandising areas.

Why Choose a Vertical Open Air Cooler?

Vertical models make sense when floor space is limited but the business needs substantial display area.

Instead of spreading merchandise across a long horizontal case, operators can display drinks and food across several levels.

Turbo Air Vertical Open Air Merchandisers

Turbo Air's TOM series includes numerous vertical commercial air-curtain merchandisers in different widths, depths, finishes, and shelf configurations.

Available designs include standard-depth, extra-deep, black exterior, stainless steel, solid-side-panel, and other configurations.

Turbo Air TOM-36EB-N

The Turbo Air TOM-36EB-N 36" Open Air Merchandiser provides a good example of a full-height vertical air-curtain cooler.

The current model offers approximately 16.5 cu. ft. of refrigerated merchandising capacity with four shelves.

Its open front, shelf lighting, and tall presentation make it useful for drinks, dairy, packaged foods, sandwiches, and other grab-and-go items.

Multi-Shelf Open Air Refrigerators

Multi-shelf units can organize products by type or price.

For example:

• Top shelf for desserts
• Upper-middle shelf for salads
• Lower-middle shelf for sandwiches
• Lower shelf for bottled beverages
• Deck for larger packaged meals

The exact layout should consider both product weight and customer reach.

Horizontal Open Air Coolers

Horizontal open air merchandisers emphasize product visibility at approximately counter height.

These are useful for cafés, bakery counters, checkout areas, food halls, convenience stores, and serving lines where a tall unit would block sightlines.

Low-Profile Open Air Coolers

A low-profile open cooler allows merchandise to remain visible without creating a tall visual wall between customers and employees.

This can be especially valuable in cafés where staff want to maintain eye contact across the counter.

Turbo Air TOM-30LB-N

The Turbo Air TOM-30LB-N 28-1/8" Open Air Merchandiser is a low-profile horizontal unit approximately 45 7/8 inches high.

The current configuration provides approximately 5.1 cu. ft. of refrigerated display space with one adjustable stainless steel shelf.

It can work well beside a checkout area, café counter, or compact grab-and-go station.

Atosa Horizontal Open Merchandisers

Atosa's ATHOM series provides another horizontal approach, with current sizes including approximately 28, 39, and 60-inch configurations.

Atosa ATHOM-28

The Atosa ATHOM-28 Horizontal Open Merchandiser is a compact open refrigerated display for cafés, bakeries, delis, and grab-and-go areas.

The current listing specifies a holding range of approximately 35°F to 38°F and includes a stainless steel shelf, floor shelf, LED lighting, glass panels, digital temperature control, and casters.

Atosa ATHOM-39

The ATHOM-39 provides additional merchandising width for businesses needing more horizontal display space without moving to a full-height vertical case.

Atosa ATHOM-60

The ATHOM-60 creates a much wider horizontal merchandising area for busy cafés, bakery counters, convenience stores, and other businesses with larger grab-and-go selections.

Open Air Island Merchandisers

Island open air coolers are designed to sit away from a wall so customers can shop around the display.

They are especially useful in:

• Grocery stores
• Markets
• Convenience stores
• Food halls
• Large cafeterias
• High-traffic retail food areas

Why Use an Island Cooler?

An island configuration can create a refrigerated merchandising destination in the middle of a sales floor rather than using only perimeter walls.

This can help retailers use otherwise open floor space for chilled impulse products.

Turbo Air TIOM Series

Turbo Air's TIOM line includes several large island merchandiser configurations with different depths, shelf arrangements, capacities, and finishes.

Some units are designed for access from multiple sides, making them especially suitable for open retail environments.

Turbo Air TIOM-20RSRB-N

The Turbo Air TIOM-20RSRB-N 48" Island Open Air Merchandiser provides approximately 19.2 cu. ft. of display capacity across three tiers.

The current model uses 220V power and is designed for products such as prepared food, beverages, and produce in a self-service sales-floor environment.

Large Island Open Air Coolers

Some Turbo Air island models extend significantly deeper than ordinary wall-mounted coolers, creating substantially more display area.

These units should be planned carefully because floor depth can approach or exceed several feet.

Always measure customer circulation around the cooler as well as the cooler itself.

Drop-In Open Air Coolers

A drop-in open air merchandiser is designed to integrate into a counter or custom fixture.

This can create a cleaner built-in appearance for cafés, hotel breakfast areas, foodservice counters, and custom grab-and-go stations.

Turbo Air TOM-36UC Series

The Turbo Air TOM-36UC family provides low-profile drop-in refrigerated merchandising in different exterior finishes.

These units can sit within a counter cutout rather than appearing as a standalone floor cabinet.

Built-In Grab-and-Go Refrigeration

Built-in refrigeration can make sense when the counter is being designed specifically around self-service food.

However, the counter must accommodate the refrigeration system's installation, airflow, service access, and exact cutout requirements.

Do Not Build Cabinetry Before Verifying the Cooler

Drop-in refrigeration should be selected before the final counter is fabricated.

Verify:

• Cutout dimensions
• Overall unit dimensions
• Ventilation requirements
• Electrical location
• Service access
• Required clearances

Rear-Loading Open Air Merchandisers

Selected Turbo Air UFD-series cases combine an open customer-facing front with rear sliding glass doors.

This gives employees the ability to restock from behind the counter while customers continue shopping from the opposite side.

Why Choose Rear-Loading Refrigeration?

Rear loading can improve workflow in deli, bakery, café, and prepared-food operations because employees do not need to step into the customer area every time the display is replenished.

Open Front, Closed Rear

This configuration works particularly well when the cooler physically separates a staff work area from a customer self-service area.

Atosa Open Air Merchandisers

Atosa's current open-air assortment includes vertical AOM models and horizontal ATHOM models.

Browse our Atosa collection for additional refrigeration and restaurant equipment from the brand.

Atosa AOM-40B

The Atosa AOM-40B 40" Open Air Merchandiser uses a tall vertical format with four stainless steel shelves.

The current model includes LED lighting on the shelves and interior, digital temperature control, a black exterior, stainless steel interior, casters, and a standard night curtain.

Atosa AOM-50B

The AOM-50B expands the Atosa vertical format to approximately 50 inches wide, creating additional product frontage for high-volume grab-and-go merchandising.

Turbo Air Open Air Merchandisers

Turbo Air currently provides the broadest open-air assortment in this collection.

The lineup spans tall vertical cases, shallow wall-style units, low-profile horizontal models, drop-in refrigeration, rear-loading cases, and large island systems.

Browse our Turbo Air collection for the broader brand assortment.

Open Air Coolers for Cafés

Cafés can use open refrigeration for products customers often add to an order without extensive staff interaction.

Examples include:

• Bottled water
• Cold brew
• Juice
• Yogurt
• Fruit
• Sandwiches
• Wraps
• Salads
• Desserts

Open Air Coolers for Coffee Shops

A compact horizontal or vertical grab-and-go refrigerator can add food sales without slowing the beverage line.

Customers can select a sandwich or drink while employees continue preparing coffee.

Open Air Coolers for Delis

Delis can merchandise packaged sandwiches, salads, drinks, cheeses, prepared sides, desserts, and other chilled foods in an open self-service format.

Rear-loading models can be particularly useful where employees prepare food directly behind the merchandising counter.

Open Air Coolers for Bakeries

Bakeries can use open refrigeration for chilled desserts, parfaits, cakes by the slice, beverages, sandwiches, yogurt, and other refrigerated products.

For enclosed refrigerated presentation, browse our Refrigerated Bakery Display Cases.

Open Air Coolers for Convenience Stores

Convenience stores are a natural fit for open-front merchandising because customers often make fast purchasing decisions.

High-visibility refrigerated products can be positioned near checkout, foodservice counters, or high-traffic aisles.

Open Air Coolers for Grocery Stores

Grocery operations can use wall cases and islands for beverages, produce, prepared meals, deli products, packaged foods, and promotional refrigerated displays.

Open Air Coolers for Markets

Specialty food markets can use open merchandisers for ready-to-eat meals, dairy, beverages, desserts, salads, dips, packaged foods, and chilled specialty products.

Open Air Coolers for Restaurants

Restaurants can use open refrigeration to add a self-service sales component separate from the main dining-room menu.

This can work especially well near entrances, cashier stations, or pickup areas.

Open Air Coolers for Indian Restaurants

Indian restaurants can use grab-and-go refrigeration for chilled drinks, lassi, desserts, packaged meals, yogurt-based products, takeaway curries, salads, sweets requiring refrigeration, and prepared lunch items where appropriate.

Open Air Coolers for Fast-Casual Restaurants

Fast-casual concepts benefit from refrigeration that keeps customer movement simple.

Guests can collect drinks and chilled sides independently while the main entrée moves through the service line.

Open Air Coolers for Sandwich Shops

Pre-made sandwiches, bottled drinks, salads, fruit, and desserts can be positioned in a grab-and-go case for customers who do not want to wait for made-to-order food.

Open Air Coolers for Pizzerias

Pizzerias can merchandise bottled beverages, salads, desserts, and refrigerated sides near the register without using valuable back-of-house reach-in space.

Open Air Coolers for Hotel Grab-and-Go Areas

Hotels increasingly use lobby markets and small self-service food areas for beverages, sandwiches, salads, snacks, and breakfast items.

An open merchandiser can keep the display visually accessible throughout the day.

Open Air Coolers for Cafeterias

Schools, hospitals, universities, corporate dining rooms, and other cafeterias can use open refrigeration for bottled drinks, prepared salads, sandwiches, desserts, and individually packaged meals.

Open Air Coolers for Hospitals

Hospital cafés and visitor areas may use self-service refrigerated displays for packaged meals, drinks, yogurt, fruit, and other chilled foods.

Open Air Coolers for Food Halls

Food halls can use compact open cases to create self-service beverage and prepared-food zones without adding another staffed station.

Open Air Coolers Near Checkout

Placing an open cooler close to checkout can encourage impulse purchases.

Customers waiting to pay can easily see bottled drinks, desserts, snacks, or prepared foods without leaving the checkout line.

Open Air Coolers & Impulse Sales

Product visibility is one of the biggest commercial advantages of open refrigeration.

Customers see the complete product face without reflective doors, handles, frames, or the psychological barrier of opening a refrigerator.

Merchandising Bottled Beverages

Beverages are ideal for open coolers because they are packaged, easy to restock, and often purchased impulsively.

Organize bottles and cans so labels face the customer and shelf depth does not hide products behind one another.

Merchandising Sandwiches

Packaged sandwiches should be displayed where labels, ingredients, and product appearance remain easy to see.

Shelf height should make popular items easy for customers to reach.

Merchandising Salads

Clear packaged salads display well in open cases because customers can immediately see ingredients and portion size.

Merchandising Desserts

Cheesecake slices, puddings, parfaits, chilled sweets, and other packaged desserts can benefit from bright LED merchandising.

Merchandising Prepared Meals

Prepared refrigerated meals can be arranged by meal type, cuisine, dietary category, or portion size.

A wider open case may be useful when the operation carries numerous meal choices.

Vertical vs. Horizontal Open Air Cooler

A vertical cooler provides more merchandising area through multiple shelves while using less linear floor space.

A horizontal cooler keeps merchandise lower and can preserve sightlines across a store or café.

The choice depends on floor plan and customer flow.

Low-Profile vs. Full-Height Open Merchandiser

Low-profile units work well under counters, in islands, and near checkouts.

Full-height units provide significantly more shelf area and work well against walls.

Island vs. Wall Open Air Cooler

A wall merchandiser uses perimeter space efficiently.

An island merchandiser turns central floor space into refrigerated retail space and can potentially be approached from several directions.

Standalone vs. Drop-In Open Cooler

A standalone machine can usually be positioned more flexibly.

A drop-in model provides a built-in appearance but requires more precise counter planning.

Rear-Loading vs. Front-Loading Merchandiser

Most open coolers are stocked from the same side customers use.

Rear-loading designs allow employees to replenish merchandise from behind the display.

This can reduce customer-area traffic during restocking.

Open Air Cooler Shelves

Shelf count has a major effect on usable merchandising space.

Current products range from deck-only and one-shelf models to tall vertical cases with four or more shelves and island units with several display tiers.

More Shelves vs. More Shelf Height

More shelves increase the number of merchandising levels but reduce the vertical clearance available for each product.

Do not choose maximum shelf count if the operation sells tall bottles, large meal containers, or bulky packages.

Adjustable Shelves

Adjustable shelving allows the merchandising layout to change as product mix changes.

This can be valuable for cafés and markets where seasonal beverages or food packages vary significantly in height.

LED Lighting in Open Air Merchandisers

Selected Atosa and Turbo Air models use LED lighting to illuminate shelves and product faces.

Good lighting helps customers identify products quickly and can make packaging appear more attractive.

Night Curtains

Many commercial open air coolers include a night curtain or night cover.

The curtain is pulled across the open front when the merchandising area is closed or not being shopped.

This helps reduce unnecessary exposure of the refrigerated air curtain during off-hours.

Atosa Night Curtains

The current Atosa AOM-40B listing includes a night curtain as standard equipment.

Turbo Air Night Covers

Selected Turbo Air TOM models also include night curtains or covers.

Always verify the exact model because features vary across the large Turbo Air lineup.

Do Open Air Coolers Have Doors?

The primary customer-facing side is open by design.

However, selected models can include doors on another side, such as rear sliding glass doors for employee restocking.

How Does an Open Air Cooler Stay Cold?

An open merchandiser uses refrigerated airflow engineered to maintain chilled product conditions within the designed display zone.

Because the front is open, placement and room conditions matter more than they might with a fully enclosed refrigerator.

Ambient Temperature Matters

Open air merchandisers are designed to operate within specified ambient temperature and humidity limits.

For example, current Turbo Air product documentation for selected models specifies maximum room conditions such as approximately 75°F or 80°F with 55% relative humidity depending on the unit.

Always verify the exact model's installation conditions.

Humidity Matters

High humidity can increase the refrigeration load and create condensation problems.

Open cases should not be selected without considering the actual environment where they will operate.

Avoid Direct Sunlight

Direct sunlight can add heat to the display and the products inside it.

Whenever possible, avoid placing open refrigeration directly against hot exterior windows or other strong radiant heat sources unless the manufacturer approves the installation.

Avoid HVAC Drafts

Strong air-conditioning or heating drafts across the open front can interfere with the case's designed air curtain.

Do not assume the best location is simply wherever there is open floor space.

Avoid Exterior Doors

An open merchandiser installed immediately beside an exterior entrance may be exposed to repeated bursts of warm, cold, or humid outdoor air.

Installation conditions should be checked before final placement.

Keep Open Air Coolers Away from Cooking Heat

Ranges, fryers, ovens, grills, and other cooking equipment generate substantial heat.

Customer-facing open refrigeration generally belongs away from the hot cookline.

Open Air Cooler Temperature

Operating ranges vary by model.

For example, the current Atosa ATHOM-28 listing specifies approximately 35°F to 38°F.

Other models may use different design ranges, so operators should check the exact specification rather than applying one temperature range to the entire category.

Digital Temperature Controls

Many current open merchandisers include digital electronic temperature controls or displays.

This makes operating information easier for employees to view during daily checks.

Commercial Refrigeration Temperature Monitoring

Restaurants should follow appropriate food-safety procedures and the equipment manufacturer's operating instructions when monitoring refrigerated foods.

The case display alone does not replace the operation's broader food-temperature procedures.

R290 Open Air Coolers

Many current Turbo Air open merchandisers use R290 hydrocarbon refrigerant.

Refrigerant type can vary across manufacturers and individual models, so verify the specific product when this is important to the project.

Self-Contained Open Air Merchandisers

Many open air coolers in the current collection use self-contained refrigeration.

The refrigeration system is built into the cabinet rather than requiring a separate remote condensing system.

Plug-In Open Air Coolers

Selected models are designed as plug-in units, which can simplify installation compared with remote refrigeration.

However, voltage and amperage vary significantly.

115V Open Air Coolers

Some compact and vertical Turbo Air models use 115V power.

For example, the current TOM-30LB-N uses 115V and a NEMA 5-15P plug, while the larger TOM-36EB-N requires a 20-amp style connection.

220V Open Air Coolers

Larger island units may require 220V power.

The Turbo Air TIOM-20RSRB-N, for example, currently uses 220V service.

Do not order a merchandiser before verifying the building's available electrical connection.

Open Air Cooler Electrical Planning

Verify:

• Voltage
• Phase
• Amperage
• Plug type
• Dedicated circuit requirements
• Outlet location

Open Air Cooler Ventilation

Self-contained refrigeration needs airflow around the condenser and ventilation openings.

Do not block intake or discharge areas with cabinetry, product, decorative panels, or adjacent equipment.

Front-Breathing Open Air Coolers

Some models use front air intake or discharge designs that make them more adaptable to certain counter installations.

The exact clearance requirements still need to be followed.

Self-Cleaning Condensers

Selected Turbo Air merchandisers include self-cleaning condenser systems intended to help reduce accumulation on condenser surfaces.

This feature does not eliminate the need for overall equipment inspection and manufacturer-recommended maintenance.

Open Air Cooler Casters

Selected Atosa models include factory-installed casters, which can make cleaning and repositioning easier.

A mobile merchandiser should still be positioned securely during operation.

Open Air Cooler Capacity

Cubic-foot capacity can help compare cabinets, but merchandising area is often more useful than volume alone.

Two cases with similar cubic footage may display products very differently because of shelf count, shelf depth, case height, and open-front dimensions.

Choose an Open Cooler by Product Facings

Retailers should consider how many visible product facings fit on each shelf.

A wider case may allow several brands or flavors to appear side by side rather than hiding inventory behind the front row.

Choose an Open Cooler by Package Size

Measure the products that will actually be displayed.

Tall bottles, meal trays, salad containers, yogurt cups, and dessert packaging all use shelf space differently.

Do Not Overload Open Air Cooler Shelves

Merchandise should be loaded according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Overpacking a shelf or blocking designed airflow can affect refrigeration performance.

Do Not Block the Air Curtain

Product should remain inside the manufacturer's intended loading boundaries.

Items projecting too far toward the open front can interfere with proper air movement.

Product Stoppers & Shelf Rails

Selected open merchandisers include rails or clear product stoppers designed to keep merchandise organized near the shelf edge.

Price Tag Rails

Some larger retail-oriented cases include price-tag areas so stores can display pricing directly at the shelf.

This can simplify merchandising in convenience and grocery environments.

Black vs. Stainless Steel Open Air Cooler

Black cabinets can blend naturally into customer-facing retail interiors and make colorful packaging stand out.

Stainless steel can coordinate with professional foodservice equipment and modern counters.

Finish should be selected according to both appearance and the exact environment.

Open Air Cooler Cleaning

Commercial open merchandisers should be cleaned according to manufacturer instructions.

Typical areas requiring attention include:

• Shelves
• Deck surfaces
• Glass panels
• Interior walls
• Air intake areas
• Drain areas where applicable
• Exterior surfaces
• Night curtains

Clean Around Display Products

Open refrigeration is highly visible to customers.

Spills, crumbs, leaking packages, and stained shelves should be addressed promptly so the merchandising area remains attractive.

Clean Glass Side Panels

Glass panels help frame the display without blocking customer access.

Fingerprints and streaks can reduce the visual quality of an otherwise clean merchandiser.

Open Air Cooler Maintenance

Routine maintenance should follow the manufacturer's recommendations for refrigeration components, condenser systems, controls, fans, drains, and other service areas.

Check Night Curtains

If the unit includes a night curtain, confirm that it rolls or closes correctly and is not damaged.

Check Product Temperature

Do not assume food is correctly held simply because the display lights are on and the fan is running.

The restaurant should use appropriate monitoring procedures for its refrigerated foods.

Open Air Coolers for New Restaurants

A new restaurant should decide whether grab-and-go sales are part of the concept before allocating floor space to open merchandising.

If the business expects most customers to order from servers or a counter, an open merchandiser may not be necessary.

If customers frequently buy packaged food and beverages independently, the merchandising value can be substantial.

Adding Grab-and-Go to an Existing Restaurant

An open air cooler can create a new refrigerated sales area without changing the kitchen menu dramatically.

Restaurants can package existing salads, desserts, beverages, lunch items, and prepared meals for quicker customer access.

Open Air Coolers for Takeout Businesses

Takeout-focused restaurants can use open refrigeration near pickup areas for drinks, desserts, salads, and side dishes that customers can add to their order.

Open Air Coolers for Impulse Beverage Sales

Cold drinks are among the easiest products to add to a customer order at the last moment.

Positioning beverages where customers can see and reach them can support incremental sales without requiring staff to retrieve every bottle.

Where Should You Put an Open Air Cooler?

Good locations can include:

• Near checkout
• Along a customer traffic path
• Beside a café counter
• Near a pickup area
• Inside a hotel lobby market
• Along a grocery perimeter wall
• In a convenience-store aisle
• Inside a cafeteria service area

The final location must also satisfy the equipment's ambient and ventilation requirements.

Open Air Cooler Near the Register

This is particularly effective for drinks, desserts, and small packaged foods because the customer has another opportunity to purchase them while waiting to pay.

Open Air Cooler Near Restaurant Entrance

An entrance location can make grab-and-go food immediately visible, but exterior-door drafts and sunlight must be considered before positioning an open refrigeration system there.

Open Air Cooler Buying Checklist

• Determine which products will be displayed.
• Measure package height, width, and depth.
• Estimate required product facings.
• Choose vertical, horizontal, island, drop-in, or rear-loading design.
• Compare shelf count and shelf depth.
• Check overall width, depth, and height.
• Confirm operating temperature range.
• Check allowable ambient temperature and humidity.
• Verify voltage, amperage, and plug type.
• Determine whether a night curtain is included.
• Check lighting configuration.
• Review condenser ventilation requirements.
• Avoid strong HVAC drafts and heat sources.
• Plan customer traffic around the unit.
• Leave enough access for cleaning and service.
• Confirm whether casters are included when mobility matters.

Which Open Air Cooler Is Right for You?

A café with a few sandwiches and bottled drinks may only need a compact horizontal case.

A convenience store may benefit from a full-height vertical model with several illuminated shelves.

A grocery store may use a large Turbo Air island merchandiser in the center of the sales floor.

A custom café counter may call for a drop-in unit, while a deli may benefit from a rear-loading model that employees can stock from behind.

Start with the merchandising workflow, then choose the refrigeration configuration.

Shop Commercial Open Air Coolers

Nishi Enterprise carries commercial open air coolers, open air merchandisers, open front refrigerators, air curtain refrigerators, grab-and-go coolers, refrigerated merchandisers, vertical open air coolers, horizontal open air coolers, island merchandisers, drop-in refrigerated displays, and self-service commercial refrigeration for restaurants and retail foodservice.

The current active assortment is especially strong in Atosa and Turbo Air, ranging from compact low-profile horizontal units to tall multi-shelf vertical cases and large island systems. Available configurations include stainless steel and black finishes, multiple shelf arrangements, LED merchandising, selected night curtains, drop-in models, rear-loading cases, casters, digital controls, 115V units, and larger 220V systems.

Whether you need a compact grab-and-go cooler for a café, a vertical refrigerated merchandiser for a convenience store, a low-profile case beside checkout, a built-in drop-in display for a custom counter, or a large open island cooler for grocery merchandising, explore the collection above to compare width, height, capacity, shelf layout, electrical requirements, operating environment, and installation style.

For related refrigeration and display equipment, browse our Commercial Refrigeration, Deli & Display Cases, Refrigerated Bakery Display Cases, Atosa, and Turbo Air.