Cook chill kettles made their main entry into the food service industry in the early 1970’s. Unfortunately the technology necessary to successfully create a reliable & easy cook chill system did not come out for many years later, after the concept of cook-chill was already stained as unreliable, complex, and expensive to purchase as well as maintain. So much so that cook-chill’s rise into the industry was as quick as its fall.
PerMix changes all that, creating an innovative, performance-driven solution that is reliable & easy to use, making training how to use a breeze.
PerMix introduces a cutting-edge solution focused on high performance.
Designed for dependability and user-friendliness
Simplifies the learning process, making training quick & easy.
When we discuss cook-chill kettles, one of the largest topics we face is where to chill. Do we cook & chill in the kettle? Do we cook in the kettle, discharge, and cool in a separate kettle? Do we cook, fill, and chill in the packaging? The fact is, this topic all depends on your production rates needed as well as space & staffing.
All the ways listed are good ways to produce a cook chill product and all of them can meet SQF & HACCP protocols. Here at PerMix we have the knowledge to guide you in your choice and make sure it will fit the needs of today and the demands of tomorrow.


Another puzzling question is the choice of cook-chill kettles, vertical or horizontal.
The answer to this is a little easier than that of where to chill. When we discuss vertical or horizontal cook-chill kettles we simply need to ask what are we cooking.
If we are cooking liquids with particulates, such as soups, sauces, gravies, or other, we would be using a vertical kettle.
| Specifications | Vertical Cook Chill Kettles | Horizontal Cook Chill Kettles |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Liquids, liquids with powders, liquids with particulates | Solids, semi-solids, pastes, heavy liquids |
| Batch Flexibility | Can operate between 25%–100% capacity | Requires at least 80% capacity for proper mixing |
| Agitation Type | Various styles (12+ options) | "Flip & Fold" mixing (spatula-like action) |
| Strengths | Versatile, handles a wide range of liquid-based products | Excellent for browning, searing, and mixing solids into pastes or liquids |
With over 12 different styles & types of agitation available, choosing the best one can be tough, especially when making multiple products.
Each type has advantages & disadvantages, and you may need multiple kettles to meet your needs. From single, dual, double, or triple agitation types, we have them all.
Products with fat, proteins, sugars, or starches, we will need to have scraped surface in the main agitation. These products have properties that will allow them to stick to the side of the kettle and burn. So, by creating a main agitation that has PTFE scraper blades, these products are always scraped & cleaned off the sides as the agitation turns.
This limits the product time it touches the sidewalls, stopping them from burning or sticking to the side walls during the cooking process. These scrapers can also be made from other materials, including even a stainless steel scraper for products that are abrasive such as sugars.
The acidity of the product with dictate what type of stainless you select for construction. Acidic products will stain & etch 304 stainless, so for products that have acidic pH levels, 316 stainless is always a wise choice.