What is commercial grade? - NKK Wholesale

Many people ask us what we mean by commercial grade equipment.
Ok, here is what we mean:

There are four classes of products in the marketplace, of which the last three are of primary interest.

• Value/Bargain
  

• Consumer
  

• Commercial
  

• Industrial
  

Value/bargain are usually (but not always) low price, substandard products. Such products have a tendency of not "surviving the rigors" of the marketplace so we ignore these. Very low output rate. Price $-$$.

Consumer - designed to work for a typical consumer at home using the product on a regular basis not not heavily. Products in this class usually last from 1-4 years and then have an issue or wear out/break or become obsolete. Since their price point was relatively low the owner does not mind so much that they only got one to four years out of the product. Equipment in this class is lighterweight typically.  Usage 1-2 hours per week. Low output rate. Price $$-$$$.

Commercial* - Designed for business use. Expected life cycle is 5-10 years (with some maintenance possibly). Commercial units have more rugged controls and fittings and usually have more features that benefit the user in using the product. Professional users would also typically use commercial grade equipment since they are effectively businesses as well and just as demanding as commercial users. Equipment in this class is usually heavierweight and designed to last. Usage  2-4 hours per day. Medium output rate. Price $$$-$$$$

Industrial* - designed for factory type use or 8 hour shifts per day. Usually heavy metal constructiion, uglier but highly functional. High output rate. Price $$$$-$$$$$$

** - Products in these classes can be used by a wide variety of users. In other words, some smaller commercial customers would like industrial equipment but can't afford it or do not have space for it or a need for its higher output. Yet, they can often times get all of the primary features that the industrial equipment offers but at a lower price and lower output rate.

Well designed commercial class equipment is produced in much higher volumes than industrial equipment and as a result, they tend to have less issues because the wrinkles have been worked out over that large population.

Nancy's Knit Knacks produces both Commercial and Consumer grade equipment. All Ball Winders, Power Bases, Swifts, Skein-winders, Electronic Meters, and IPS are Commercials Grade.

We tend to have many products that we refer to as Professional Grade which is a subset of Commercial grade also. The remainder are Consumer grade. But we like to think that our consumer grade products are really at the high end of consumer grade.