Whether it’s a small self-service spot or a five-star restaurant, you’re probably familiar that your business can’t operate without equipment such as commercial fridges, mixers and ovens. And talking about this kind of equipment, a restaurant also needs a dishwasher to increase the efficiency in the kitchen and serve food on pristine clean dishes.
Indeed, a dishwasher is important for maintaining a reputation as a sanitary space. But with all the specific requirements and wide range of choices, picking the right one can become a daunting task. There are certain aspects every restaurant owner needs to know and pay attention to when shopping.
Types of Commercial Dishwashers
It’s of great importance to choose a quality restaurant dish machine. But however, it’s also important to get to know the different types before picking something that doesn’t correspond to your restaurant’s needs. Generally, dishwashers can be split into three categories:
Conveyor Dishwashers
Conveyor dishwashers are large, chunky and powerful machines that can accommodate a large number of dishes at a time. Hence, they make for the best option for jammed restaurants, as well as cafeterias, hotels, schools, hospitals and other spaces that receive a lot of traffic at a time.
And due to their powerful properties, conveyor commercial dishwashers are typically made of stainless steel and other materials suitable for heavy use. They’re also very bulky, meaning they’re pricey, can’t be fitted into a small space and require a trained electrician to install them.
Door Dishwashers
As their name states, door (or rack) dishwashers feature a large door on their front that you can open, fill the racks with dirty dishes and slide the door back to get them clean. These dishwashers tend to be very fast, and they’re very suitable for busy and jammed spaces that need clean kitchenware quick.
However, keep in mind that this type of dishwashers also tends to be bulky, takes up a lot of space and uses more energy and water than the others. But considering the operating speed and ease of use, it’s one of the most common choices.
Under-Counter Dishwashers
Under-counter commercial dishwashers look similar to residential ones and make for a great option for coffee shops, bars and smaller restaurants that can’t dedicate much space to a chunky dishwasher.
But even though these dishwashers are great to save space, it’s essential to know that they’re not as efficient when you need a large number of dishes quickly. Otherwise, they typically feature a single door and come with a bunch of controls so you can pick the right setting for your needs. As these machines can be conveniently fitted under a counter, they’re an excellent choice to use in the front of the house, so you can minimize the time and the distance to your customers.
Size and Capacity
A restaurant dish machine that doesn’t fit the kitchen space will only result in an inefficient and disorganized work environment that can’t meet the customers’ needs. So, before you decide to go for the chunkiest model you’ll come across when searching, it’s recommended to measure your kitchen and see how much space you can dedicate to this appliance.
In addition to fitting the dishwasher right, it’s also recommended to pay attention to the exact spot where you’ll be placing it. Keep in mind that locating it in the way of your kitchen staff will make it hard to work efficiently and result in a chaotic work environment.
Finally, capacity is also among the most important considerations, as it’s crucial to pick a model that can accommodate the right amount of dishes at a time. Choosing a small-capacity dishwasher for a large or busy restaurant will result in longer waits by your customers. On the other hand, equipping your small food corner with a large dishwasher will only increase your costs and take up valuable kitchen space.
Indeed, picking the right size can be really tricky. And with the wide variety of choices, it’s essential to do your best in figuring out the right size and capacity to meet your restaurant’s requirements.
Temperature
In the race of meeting the high sanitation standards for commercial kitchens, it would be in vain to get a restaurant dish machine that can’t contribute to the cleanness of your kitchen. For this purpose, dishwashers typically come in high and low-temperature varieties, depending on your kitchen’s needs.
High-temperature dishwashers rely on heat to clean dishes, as they use temperatures above 80°C to ensure full sanitation. On the other hand, low-temperature machines use warm water for rinsing, but they rely on chemicals to ensure that the dishes inside are completely sanitised.
Even though it can be hard to decide between these two types, keep in mind that high-temperature dishwashers are a more common choice for most restaurants. They may cost more upfront and use more energy to operate, but they’re better at drying out dishes faster, and you won’t have to purchase different chemicals on a regular basis. Hence, they also make for an eco-friendlier option, as they don’t dump chemicals into the drainage system.
On the other hand, a low-temperature commercial kitchen dishwasher may cost less upfront and require less energy, but the chemicals that are used can damage specific types of dishes which can additionally increase your restaurant’s costs.
Noise
Last, but not least, keep in mind that the more powerful the industrial dishwasher, the more noise it will produce. This especially applies to conveyor and rack dishwashers, as they tend to be bulky and powerful. However, this is not the case with most of the under-counter dishwashing machines, as you can easily find a model that is quite quiet, and suitable to get fitted close to where your customers dine.
Regardless of what you pick, it’s recommended to check the decibel rating before you invest in a specific model. Commercial kitchens tend to be busy spaces, and accommodating a noisy dishwasher mostly isn’t a problem. However, if you’re searching for something you’re about to fit near your customers, it’s of great importance to evaluate your options before you make your purchase. Now that you know the most basic aspects, you’re ready to pick the best dishwashing machine for your restaurant.