Contactor Relays for Electric Griddles: OEM vs. OCM

Reading Time: 4 Minutes

If there is one part on an electric griddle that is guaranteed to fail, it is the contactor relay.

Electric griddles in high-volume breakfast diners or burger chains pull massive amounts of amperage to maintain cooking temperatures. The contactor is the heavy-duty switch that handles this electrical load, clicking on and off hundreds of times a day. Over time, that constant arcing causes the internal metal contacts to pit, carbonize, and eventually weld shut or burn out entirely.

Because they are high-wear consumables, service companies replace contactors constantly. But if your procurement team is strictly buying OEM replacements for every griddle repair, you are leaving significant profit margins on the table and risking unnecessary downtime due to supply chain delays.

Here is why switching your sourcing strategy to AllPoints OCM (Original Component Manufacturer) contactors is the smartest move for your bottom line in 2026.

The OEM

The first thing purchasing managers need to understand is that major foodservice equipment manufacturers (like Star, Vulcan, or Wells) do not manufacture their own contactors.

They source these electrical components from specialized controls manufacturers. The equipment brand then takes that standard contactor, puts it into a branded box, and applies a heavy markup.

When you buy the OEM part, you are paying for the logo on the box, not a proprietary piece of technology. Furthermore, if that specific equipment manufacturer is dealing with a backlog, your technicians are stuck waiting weeks for a part that is actually widely available.

The AllPoints OCM

This is where the OCM strategy changes the game.

An AllPoints OCM contactor is not a cheap, reverse-engineered knock-off. It is the exact same component, sourced directly from the original manufacturing facilities that supply the major equipment brands. Because OCM parts don't come with the OEM markup, they are sold for 15% less than OEM parts.

• The Exact Same Specs: Whether you need a 3-pole, 40-amp contactor with a 240V coil or a 50-amp unit with a 24V coil, the OCM equivalent matches the electrical specifications perfectly.
• The Exact Same Footprint: Your technicians won't have to drill new mounting holes or reroute wires. The physical dimensions and terminal layouts are identical, ensuring a fast, drop-in replacement.
• The Cost Advantage: Because you are bypassing the equipment manufacturer's markup, OCM contactors cost significantly less. This allows you to either pass the savings to a customer, or increase your own service margin.

"Truck Stock" Sourcing

Because contactors are universal across so many different brands of electric cooking equipment, they are the perfect candidate for proactive inventory management.

Instead of ordering a contactor every time a griddle goes down, standardizing on AllPoints OCM equivalents allows you to build a highly profitable truck stock. By keeping a few standard 30-amp and 40-amp OCM contactors in every service van, your technicians can achieve a "first-time fix" on the initial visit. No return trips, no expedited shipping fees, and no angry kitchen managers.

Cross-Reference in Seconds

Finding the right OCM equivalent shouldn't be a research project.

With thousands of in-stock items ready to ship, AllPoints makes it effortless to bypass OEM backorders. For example, your technicians can even use the mobile-optimized version of AllPointsFPS.com right from the kitchen. They simply type in the OEM part number or equipment model, and the site instantly displays the exact AllPoints OCM equivalent next to the OEM, complete with live pricing and availability.

Stop overpaying for the box and start protecting your margins. Equip your fleet with genuine, factory-grade OCM contactors today.