Maximizing Holding Performance with Adjustable Vent Holes
At Brandon, we’re committed to building commercial kitchen equipment that’s not just durable and reliable—but also thoughtfully engineered to meet the day-to-day demands of professional kitchens. One such feature found in our upright holding cabinets is often overlooked but incredibly valuable: the ventilation holes with adjustable sliding doors.
In this blog, we’ll explain what these vents are for, and how you can use them to get the best results from your Brandon holding cabinet.
🌫️ What Are These Vent Holes For?
If you take a closer look at the interior of your Brandon upright holding cabinet, you’ll notice ventilation holes with small sliding covers. These are manually adjustable vents designed to help you control the internal humidity and airflow during holding to give chefs more flexibility in their food-holding operations.
Humidity Control: The Primary Function
The main purpose of these vents is to let you adjust the humidity level inside the cabinet to suit the type of food being held.
- When to keep vents closed:
When holding items that need to retain moisture—like roast meats, rice, or steamed vegetables—keeping the vents closed helps trap steam and maintain a more humid environment, preventing food from drying out. - When to open vents:
For items that need to stay crisp, such as fried chicken or baked pastries, opening the vents allows excess steam to escape, reducing moisture buildup and preserving texture.
In this way, our cabinets give you the freedom to create either a humid or dry holding environment—without additional accessories or electronics.
Can Vents Be Used to Lower Temperature?
Some users wonder if opening the vents can help cool down the cabinet faster when the internal temperature is too high. While it’s true that open vents may allow some heat to escape more easily, this is only a passive effect.
Please note:
- Our holding cabinets are designed to maintain, not cool down.
- The vents are not a substitute for temperature control via the control panel.
- If the cabinet overshoots its target temperature, it will naturally return to the setpoint, but not significantly faster just by venting.
Think of the vents as tools for fine-tuning the food environment, not as temperature regulators.
Best Practices for Using the Vents
To make the most of this feature, here are some simple tips:
- Know your food. Moisture-sensitive items benefit from more humidity; crispy items need ventilation.
- Monitor condensation. If you see too much moisture buildup on the door or trays, crack the vents open slightly.
- Test and adjust. Try different vent positions during service to discover what works best for your menu.
Brandon’s Edge: Practical Design, Chef-Driven
We designed our upright holding cabinets to give operators like you more control with simple, reliable features. The adjustable vent holes are a perfect example of how small details can make a big difference in kitchen performance.
Want to learn more about our holding cabinets? Contact our team or schedule a demo today.
https://brandonequipment.com/product-category/upright-holding-cabinet/