In a professional kitchen, the cost created by a small accessory often arises not from the purchase price, but from incorrect product ordering, excess spare stock, or equipment being out of service due to cleaning.

UK-based Regale Microwave Ovens has simplified this issue with its Microsave microwave cavity liner products. The company’s new CPS23 model will replace the previously separately used CPS2A and CPS3A models with a single product code.

According to a news article from Foodservice Equipment Journal dated September 4, 2026, the CPS23 has been developed for use with Panasonic models NE-1815, NE-1864, NE-1878, and NE-17521. Regale states that due to the redesigned ventilation openings on both sides of the product, equipment that previously required two different liners can now be serviced with the same model.

The innovation here is more related to operational standardization than microwave cooking technology.

“Universal” does not mean all microwaves

The most important point to pay attention to in product naming is the term “universal.”

The CPS23 is not marketed as a general-purpose accessory that can be used with all professional microwaves on the market. Regale’s stated compatibility covers specific 18L Compact commercial microwave models from Panasonic.

Therefore, it is not sufficient for the purchasing team to only look at the device brand when placing an order. The model number must be checked, and it should be verified that the liner is compatible with the equipment specified by the manufacturer.

This is particularly important in restaurant chains that have made equipment investments in different years. Two branches using the same brand of microwave may have different device models or cavity structures.

Why is the transition from two SKUs to one SKU important?

In the previous Microsave product family, CPS2A and CPS3A served different Panasonic models. The aim of the new CPS23 is to eliminate this distinction.

The advantage highlighted by Regale’s Managing Director Iain Phillips in the company statement is also here: multi-location businesses and distributors with different Panasonic 18L Compact models can now stock a single model instead of having two different product codes within the original Microsave series.

At first glance, this may seem like a small change for a single kitchen. However, the outcome is different for businesses managing dozens or hundreds of branches.

Reducing two different parts to a single SKU can decrease the number of stock items in the central warehouse, the risk of incorrect product shipments, the order lists of branches, and the product matching burden on the purchasing team.

However, the actual amount of savings has not been disclosed. Regale has not published an independent cost analysis showing that the transition to CPS23 will reduce maintenance or stock costs by a certain percentage.

Therefore, it is more accurate to say that the product has the potential to simplify stock and ordering processes rather than “reducing costs.”

What does a cavity liner do?

Microsave creates a removable barrier between the interior surface of the microwave and the food being cooked or reheated.

The aim is to reduce the accumulation of grease, sauces, and food particles on the base, ceiling, and other sensitive surfaces within the microwave cavity. The liner can be removed, washed, and reused. Current product information from Microsave states that the Original series is suitable for food contact and dishwasher safe.

This product category is not solely based on Regale’s own claims. The old NE-CPS2A Microsave liner is still listed as a commercial microwave accessory in Panasonic’s professional product store in the USA. Panasonic also states that the product is removable, washable, and dishwasher safe.

Regale’s previously developed CPS3A was also recognized by Panasonic as an authorized accessory for certain heavy-duty commercial microwaves. However, this past approval should not imply that the new CPS23 model has also been approved by Panasonic under the same scope; current Panasonic confirmation for CPS23 has not yet been seen in public sources.

It does not replace cleaning the equipment

Using a liner does not mean that the microwave no longer needs to be cleaned.

Microsave’s own usage information states that the liner should be regularly removed, cleaned, and replaced in the device in a clean condition.

This distinction is important from an operational perspective. If the protective accessory itself is left dirty, it merely changes the surface where the dirt is located instead of solving the maintenance problem.

The more accurate approach in professional kitchens is to incorporate liner cleaning into the equipment cleaning procedure created according to daily or service intensity.

For example, the removal, washing, inspection for damage, and correct reinstallation of the liner can be standardized along with the inspection of the microwave’s interior surface in the closing shift checklist.

Using a spare liner can reduce service interruptions

Another interesting feature of the CPS23 for multi-location businesses is its ability to be used among compatible devices, as stated by Regale.

The company indicates that being able to use another CPS23 in a compatible microwave while one liner is being cleaned will provide operational flexibility.

This approach can be particularly meaningful in high-volume quick-service restaurants, pub kitchens, convenience operations, and locations with high-volume reheating.

Here, the indicator the purchasing team should look at is not the number of liners, but the duration of equipment downtime.

If an accessory is kept in stock but the staff does not know where it is or if the cleaning procedure is not defined, the operational counterpart of standardization will remain limited.

Old products will not disappear immediately

The transition will not happen in a single day.

According to Foodservice Equipment Journal, existing stocks of CPS2A and CPS3A will continue to be sold until they are depleted. After that, CPS23 will take the place of the two models in the Microsave Original product family. The papaya-colored Gen:2 option remains as a separate alternative in the product range.

Therefore, during the transition period in chain businesses, three issues should be monitored: existing liner stock, the actual list of microwave models in branches, and when the new order code will be defined in the purchasing system.

Otherwise, while product simplification is being done, it is possible for both old and new SKUs to be unnecessarily stocked at the same time.

What should businesses check in purchasing decisions?

Even for an accessory that seems low-cost like a cavity liner, it is not sufficient to only look at the benefit claims in the catalog.

The business should first take stock of its equipment; it should record brand, model, and quantity information on a branch basis. Then, compatibility, cleaning method, spare liner needs, and the impact of the accessory on warranty conditions should be checked.

If maintenance costs are also being tracked, the real impact of the change can be measured. Indicators such as service calls per microwave, cleaning time, broken base or ceiling plates, and the duration the device is out of service can be compared before and after the product is used.

This way, the purchasing decision can be elevated from the level of “the accessory seems useful” to measurable equipment management.

Stafflink’s perspective

The most striking aspect of the CPS23 from an industry perspective is not that it offers a new kitchen technology. The real value is in demonstrating how standardization in small equipment and spare parts can significantly impact operations.

In multi-location HORECA businesses, the complexity of purchasing does not consist solely of large ovens or refrigeration systems. Filters, baskets, seals, cleaning parts, and protective accessories each create separate SKU, training, and stock needs.

In our view, businesses should not measure savings on such products solely by part price. The correct model reaching the correct branch, employees using the part correctly, reduced cleaning time, and decreased downtime of the device are more meaningful indicators.

If the CPS23 truly provides benefits in these areas, it will not be the manufacturer’s slogan that demonstrates this, but the business’s own maintenance and operational data.