Hire catering equipment for temporary kitchens, bars and outdoor events. Ovens, fridges, glasswashers, BBQs and coffee machines from Expo Hire.
Expo Hire supplies commercial catering equipment for temporary kitchens, event bars, exhibition hospitality suites and outdoor catering sites across England and Wales. Caterers hire convection ovens, back bar fridges, glasswashers, Cinders BBQs, bain maries, coffee machines and prep tables from one place, so the whole kitchen arrives on one vehicle and leaves on one collection route.
Caterers build strong temporary kitchens when they start with the service plan, then match each station to the menu. A basic hot kitchen needs one oven, one hob, chilled storage and a clean prep area. A wedding crew serving 120 guests might hire a 6-grid convection oven for roasting and regeneration, a 2-zone or 4-zone induction hob for sauces, an upright fridge for dairy and cooked proteins, and a stainless prep table for plating. A festival trader cooking in front of customers might swap the oven for a flat top griddle, a Cinders BBQ or a gas range, then add a bain marie and hand wash point. Most smaller beverage and holding kit runs from a standard 13A socket, which suits venues, village halls and office sites with limited power. Heavy cooking equipment needs more planning. Induction units sit around 3.5kW for a 2-zone model and need a dedicated supply. Convection ovens often draw 6kW to 8kW and need 32A single phase. Larger ovens and some specialist kitchen packages need 3-phase power, so the venue electrician or generator supplier must confirm the feed before delivery day. Event bars need the same level of planning. A working bar often pairs a back bar fridge for white wine and mixers, an ice machine for spirit service, a glasswasher to keep glass turnover moving and a bottle cooler or wine fridge for reserve stock. If you need one order that covers the full operation, you can move from accessories and food warming equipment through to bar equipment, BBQ hire, beverage equipment, cleaning equipment, cooking equipment, fridges and freezers, safety equipment, storage and street food kit without splitting the order between suppliers.
Outdoor kitchens need practical kit, not domestic kit. Caterers often choose gas cooking for open-air sites because LPG gives stable heat and does not depend on long cable runs or a small generator. A Cinders BBQ gives fast service for burgers, sausages and chicken, while a hot cupboard or bain marie holds plated food above 63C before service. Marquee kitchens often mix electric and gas equipment. Chefs might roast on a convection oven fed from a 32A supply, keep sauces moving on induction, chill stock in an upright fridge, and run coffee or tea service from 13A beverage equipment. Bar teams need cold storage close to the service point, glasswash power close to the rinse sink and enough reserve space for ice, fruit and bottled stock. If your venue restricts build hours, keep the order tight: one oven, one hob, one fridge, one wash station, one hot holding point and the exact service equipment for the menu. That approach cuts dead space and keeps cable runs, gas bottle counts and staffing under control.
Most holding, beverage and smaller bar items use a standard 13A socket. Induction hobs, convection ovens and heavy cooking kit often need a dedicated 16A or 32A supply, and some larger ovens need 3-phase power.
Yes. Expo Hire supplies cooking equipment, refrigeration, glasswashing, hot holding, prep tables, safety kit and service accessories so caterers can place one order for the whole kitchen.
Most event bars need chilled storage, ice production and glass turnover. A back bar fridge, ice machine and glasswasher cover the core service, then you can add bottle coolers, wine fridges and draft equipment to suit the drinks list.
No. Expo Hire supplies dry hire only. Your team must position, connect and operate the equipment, and a competent gas engineer must handle any fixed or semi-permanent gas setup.
Expo Hire does not charge a security deposit. A free minor damage waiver covers minor damage and loss. Excessive or negligent damage is charged at 10 times the hire price. Full details in our terms and conditions.
Use the carriage calculator to find your nearest branch and get an accurate delivery quote. Heavy or bulky items may need a second delivery operative — this is shown at checkout when applicable. At checkout we show an itemised delivery cost before you confirm the order.
On the day, track your driver in real time on our order tracking page, or use the link in the automated text we send.
For orders over £1,000, you can confirm a booking with a 25% deposit and pay the balance up to 28 days before delivery. The checkout offers this automatically. Full details in our terms and conditions.
If you find you need more equipment after your initial order, don’t worry! Simply contact our team as soon as possible, and we’ll help add the items to your existing booking, subject to availability. Contact us at least 7 days prior to your event so that we can help you to the best of our ability. We strive to accommodate all your catering needs to ensure your event is a success.
All our equipment is thoroughly cleaned, inspected, and tested before delivery. Our electrical equipment is PAT tested, and LPG equipment is inspected and certified by a Gas Safe engineer. We ensure that all items are ready for use, meeting high safety and cleanliness standards, so you can focus on delivering an outstanding event.
Expo Hire provides a minor damage waiver scheme, which covers minor damage or loss at no additional cost. If there is excessive or negligent damage, we charge 10 times the hire price to cover the repair or replacement costs. We recommend reviewing our terms and conditions for full details about the waiver and charges.
Yes, all LPG equipment is supplied without gas bottles. If you need gas bottles, we recommend ordering 13kg LPG bottles for patio heaters and 19kg LPG bottles for all other LPG equipment. You can also hire a wrench for attaching the gas bottles to the equipment. Please ensure that the gas bottle you supply is compatible with our standard bayonet fittings.
We recommend booking as early as possible to ensure availability. For larger or more complex orders, such as weddings or large corporate events, booking several weeks in advance is advisable to ensure you get exactly what you need.
Yes, you can track your delivery in real time! On the day of your event, simply visit our order tracking page and enter your postcode and order number. You’ll be able to see exactly when our driver will arrive. You’ll also receive a text message with a tracking link for convenience.
