Commercial dishwasher: how to choose your dishwashing system
16 April 2020 -
How to choose the right commercial dishwasher
for your business
For any public place where there is a need for professional dishwashing, choosing the right dishwasher is essential.
There are a number of considerations that need to be made before purchasing the machine to avoid installing a dishwashing system that does not meet the expectations or needs of the business.
When we talk about commercial dishwashers, we mean professional machines designed for high quality washing of dishes, glasses, cutlery, pots, pans and, more generally, all those utensils and tools used in foodservice & catering industry kitchens that require total hygiene and cleanliness from dirt.
We can divide professional dishwashers into the following families:
COMMERCIAL GLASSWASHERS
These are the smallest dishwashers that use dishwasher baskets measuring 35 x 35 cm and 40 x 40 cm.
These commercial dishwashers are mainly used in bars, ice cream shops and wine shops and are ideal for being installed under the work counter.
Unlike dishwashers, which have an upper and lower washing arm, glasswashers have only one washing arm in the lower part and a rinsing arm in the upper part of the washing chamber.
These machines are mainly used to washing glasses and cups, but thanks to their great flexibility they can also wash cutlery and small dishes.
COMMERCIAL DISHWASHERS
Higher than glasswashers, commercial dishwashers for the foodservice sector, are designed and optimised for dishwashing, but are often used to washing glasses, pots and pans and other tools.
They use a 50 x 50 cm basket and are normally installed in business such as restaurants, pizzerias, delicatessens, bakeries and butchers’ shops.
In the washing chamber there are 2 washing arms, one in the lower part and one in the upper part of the washing chamber.
COMMERCIAL HOOD-TYPE DISHWASHERS AND GLASSWASHERS
It is featured by a hood-type structure, or pass-through, so the opening and closing of the dishwasher is performed by vertically lifting the handle placed in the upper part of the machine.
It is important to bear in mind that this type of machine has a certain amount of height and therefore there must be no obstacles in the area above. It is possible to install special tables on the sides of the dishwasher to allow working with in and out baskets without having to lift them, making it easier to organise workload and reducing physical effort.
A hood dishwasher is ideal for restaurants, pizzerias, cafeteria and canteens.
The models of pass-through dishwashers are: T110E, T1215, T1515.
COMMERCIAL RACK CONVEYOR DISHWASHERS
These are real complex washing units, which can be particularly large.
Designed to optimise the number of baskets washed over time, they are ideal for environments such as canteens, cafeterias, restaurants and pizzerias, where there is a heavy daily workload.
Unlike other models of dishwashers, a rack conveyor dishwasher is a side-loading machine that can be operated through a manual push or in automatic mode through rollers. This system ensures that the dishwashing capacity is very high, loading basket after basket in a continuous cycle. The models of rack conveyor dishwashers are: CT120 and CT200.
COMMERCIAL POTWASHERS AND UTENSILWASHERS
These machines are used to washing pots, pans, utensils and various tools and objects, therefore they have a larger front opening than a glass or dishwasher.
It is not advisable to use this type of machine to wash crystals and glasses because of the risk of breakage due to the power of the water jets.
The installation of commercial warewashers is recommended in restaurants, pizzerias, canteens, butchers’ shops, delicatessens and pastry shops.
The models of utensil washers are: S90, S100, S200, S350.
How to choose the right commercial dishwasher
for your business?
The steps to follow and decide which type of commercial dishwasher is the best choice are:
Define the use of the dishwasher
What tableware or kitchenware do you need to wash? Glasses, dishes, cutlery or what else?
How large is the space in which you need to install the machine?
First of all, you need to determine the exact type of machine you need:
glasswasher, dishwasher, hood-type washer or rack conveyor dishwasher.
Look at the room
Is the kitchen suitable?
The drain hole is necessary, as well as knowing its height, in order to check whether a drain pump is required.
In addition, you should check the water pressure; most commercial and industrial dishwashers operate correctly with a dynamic pressure of at least 2 bar and at most 4 bar.
If the pressure was lower, you need a model with an integrated pressure booster pump.
The type of water is crucial
The concept of hard water
Water is defined as ‘hard’ when there is a high concentration of limescale: in the long term this can lead to maintenance problems.
It is always advisable to have a water softener upstream of the system or an external one.
Connecting the dishwasher to hot water (55°C) further helps to avoid limescale deposits.
Electrical system
Power and voltage
The type of power available and the maximum power consumption of the machine are important specifications.
It is therefore necessary to take into account the power consumption of all other machines in the kitchen before installing a high-powered commercial dishwasher.
Instructions at hand
First start-up procedures
Often underestimated, forgotten or lost, the instruction manual of every machine provides the appropriate procedure for the first start-up.
Every CE certified machine must have it.
If you need more information about what is the best commercial dishwasher or glasswasher for your business, contact us and we will be happy to help you choose the right professional dishwashing system.
Sistema Project Italia staff