What is the life expectancy of a commercial refrigerator?

Answer 1

They can last for decades, especially if you're willing to get repairs when they have minor issues. However, the real limiting factor is energy efficiency. Newer models are often so much more efficient that it pays to upgrade. Also, if you're talking about a display refrigerator or freezer, most businesses will want to upgrade every so often to maintain a relatively modern appearance.

Commercial refrigerators are sort of like cars. They can technically run for a long time, but most people will find good reasons to upgrade long before they completely stop working.