A refurbished Rational SelfCookingCenter (SCC) is one of the most dependable ovens a UK care home can buy, as long as it comes with proper servicing, a warranty and fast engineer support behind it.
It cooks consistently without a specialist chef on shift, handles texture-modified and allergen-controlled menus, and costs significantly less than a new Rational iCombi. At CaterCombi, based in Canterbury, Kent, we refurbish and supply Rational SCC ovens for care homes, or offer them on long-term rental within our service area.
Why care home kitchens suit a combi oven
Care home kitchens need the same result every day, from whoever is cooking. A combi oven combines steam and dry heat in one cabinet, so it replaces a steamer, convection oven and much of the hob work.
- Consistency without a head chef. Preset cooking paths mean a cook or kitchen assistant gets the same result as an experienced chef.
- Texture-modified diets. Steaming keeps vegetables, fish and meat moist and soft, which makes them easier to prepare to IDDSI levels.
- Allergen control. Separate dishes can be cooked in separate trays and timed individually, reducing handling and cross-contact.
- Nutrition and hydration. Steam cooking keeps more moisture and nutrients in food, supporting your CQC nutrition and hydration duties.
- Batch cooking and regeneration. Cook in batches, chill in a blast chiller, then bring plated meals back to temperature for service.
- Food safety records. Core-temperature probing and HACCP data logging support your food safety management system.
Why the Rational SelfCookingCenter
The SCC is Rational's first intelligent combi: you choose the food and the result you want, and the oven adjusts temperature, humidity and time itself. That suits care home kitchens where staff change shifts and skill levels vary.
- Intelligent cooking modes. The oven senses load size and adjusts, so a half-full tray and a full one both come out right.
- Overnight cooking. Roasts can cook slowly overnight, freeing the oven and staff for the morning.
- Finishing mode. Plated or banqueting-style meals can be brought back to serving temperature together, which helps with room service and dining room service at the same time.
- Automatic cleaning. The cleaning system runs unattended at the end of the day, saving staff time and helping hygiene.
- Proven reliability and parts. The SCC is one of the most widely installed combis in the UK, so parts and trained engineers are easy to get. That keeps downtime short when you have residents to feed three times a day.
Warranty and support from CaterCombi
A care home cannot go a day without a working oven, so the support behind a refurbished SCC matters as much as the oven itself.
- Full refurbishment. Every oven is stripped, tested and refurbished by our engineers in Kent before it leaves the workshop.
- Warranty. 3 months parts warranty on all units (*extendable up to 12 months)
- Delivery and installation*. UK wide next day pallet delivery. *We only offer installation for our rentals.
- Servicing and breakdown cover. Our engineers achieve a 99.4% first-time fix rate, because we stock the parts Rational SCC ovens need on our vans.
- Part exchange. We can buy or part-exchange your existing combi oven against a refurbished unit.
Buy or rent?
Care homes within our service area can rent a Rational SCC WE electric instead of buying, spreading the cost into a predictable monthly payment.
|
|
Buy refurbished |
Rent from CaterCombi |
|---|---|---|
|
Models |
Rational (CM and SCC lines), Electrolux, Convotherm, and other brands (Electric or Gas) |
Rational SCC WE electric only |
|
Upfront cost |
Full purchase price |
Initial deposit + first month rental |
|
Contract |
You own the oven |
2-year minimum, then rolling with 30 days' notice |
|
Servicing |
No service offered |
Service included in rental price |
|
Availability |
UK-wide |
Within CaterCombi's service area only |
Rental is long-term only and is not available for short-term or seasonal hire. Renting suits care homes that want to protect cash flow or have a fixed equipment budget each year.
Which size SCC does your care home need?
Most care homes with 30 to 80 residents are well served by a 10-grid SCC. Meals per day below are approximate, based on Rational's published guidance; we'll confirm the right size after looking at your menu and kitchen.
|
SCC model |
Approx. meals per day |
Typical care home size |
|---|---|---|
|
6-1/1 |
30–80 |
Small home, up to around 25 residents |
|
6-2/1 |
60–160 |
Small to mid-size home |
|
10-1/1 |
80–150 |
Mid-size home, around 30–50 residents |
|
10-2/1 |
150–300 |
Larger home, or several units served from one kitchen |
|
20-1/1 |
150–500 |
Large homes and central production kitchens |
Frequently asked questions
Is a refurbished Rational oven reliable enough for a care home? Yes, if it has been fully refurbished and comes with a warranty and engineer support. CaterCombi's engineers achieve a 99.4% first-time fix rate on the ovens we look after.
Can a combi oven help with texture-modified diets? Yes. Steam cooking keeps food soft and moist, which makes it easier to prepare meals to the IDDSI level each resident needs.
Can care home staff use a Rational SCC without chef training? Yes. The SCC's intelligent cooking modes let staff pick the food and the result they want, and the oven manages the rest.
Does the Rational SCC record HACCP data? Yes. The SCC logs cooking data, including core temperatures, which can be exported to support your food safety records.
Can we rent a Rational combi oven for our care home? Yes, if you are within CaterCombi's service area. We rent the Rational SCC WE electric on a 2-year minimum contract, then rolling with 30 days' notice.
How quickly can you deliver and install? We only install our rental units, that are delivered by our engineers. For sales, we offer UK-wide next-day kerbside delivery.
Do you take our old oven? Yes. We buy used combi ovens and offer part exchange against a refurbished unit.
