Best Restaurant Dishwasher for Your Kitchen

Great restaurants pay attention to every detail.  These eateries may wow their guests with distinctive wall art, light fixtures or appliances. However, untidy bathrooms, broken fixtures or dirty dishes can ruin the reputation of any restaurant. Keeping your dishes spotless and sanitized should be high on any commercial kitchen’s list of important to-dos. That’s why, when it comes to choosing the best restaurant dishwasher for your kitchen, it’s best to do your homework. You should know what you need — and why you need it.

How Much Space Do You Have?

Your starting point should be space. How big is your kitchen? You need to know exactly what area is dedicated to washing dishes, including dimensions. Are you trying to fit your dishwasher onto a wall of other appliances? Or do you have a nice, large space for a sink, dishwasher and countertop? If you’re trying to fit a high-capacity, heavy-duty machine into a tight space, things can get tricky. Be prepared ahead of time by knowing what kind of space you have to work with and keeping that in mind when shopping for the right fit.

How Much Can You Spend?

Budget is right up there with knowing how much dedicated space you have in your kitchen. You likely have a good idea of how much you can afford going into your dishwasher purchase, but it’s important to keep in mind the long-term costs associated with any particular type of model. Are you looking for energy efficiency? That can save on water and electricity costs down the road. Check out our recent blog post if you are interested in learning more about making your commercial kitchen more energy efficient. Are you worried more about the upfront costs than the down-the-road costs? You might go for the most budget-friendly model on the showroom floor. Other considerations are delivery and installation, as well as the cost of replacement parts if something should break. Keep each of these in mind when you’re working out your budget.

How Many Dishes Do You Need to Wash?

A significant consideration when choosing a dishwasher is load capacity. Are you a small deli? A mammoth chain franchise? A popular hangout? A quiet café? Whichever type of eatery you’re running, you have to consider how many dishes you need to wash. A café that’s washing mostly cups and saucers won’t need the same capacity as a huge hospital cafeteria. A popular pizzeria that sees a lot of greasy pans, cheese-covered plates and crusted forks might need a bigger dishwasher than a small deli that is washing debris-free plates. Consider exactly how many dishes you wash and make your choice accordingly.

How Quickly Does It Wash?

Another important question to ask yourself when shopping for the best commercial dishwasher is the operational speed. There are two types of considerations here.

• Size of your dishwasher
• Speed of your dishwasher

If you choose a larger dishwasher, you can wash more dishes at once. Consider your own kitchen and what would best meet your needs. If you regularly experience rushes of customers, giving you a high turnover for dish use, you may find it works better for you to have a machine that can wash more dishes well and fast.

What Kind of Sanitation Wash Do You Need?

There are two types of sanitizing options when it comes to commercial dishwashers: high-temp and chemical. Determine which sanitation option you prefer and search out dishwashers that offer what you want. For more considerations when it comes to sanitizing your dishes, you can learn more from the experts at Universal Class.

What About the Utilities?

Consider your utility requirements as you map out what type of dishwasher you hope to purchase. Commercial dishwashers often require special electrical wiring as well as specific drainage systems. If you’re not sure what requirements you need, contact a professional electrician or plumber to help you.

Which Kind of Dishwashers Are Available?

While there aren’t as many types of dishwashers available as there are styles of dishes to choose from, there is still a great variety available. Running from smallest to largest, you’ll find:

• Under counter dishwashers
• Glasswashers
• Liftable door dishwashers
• Conveyor belt dishwashers

Each of these styles has variations even among its own group, so it’s always a good idea to consider each one to find what will best meet your needs. A small kitchen does not need and may not be able to fit a large conveyor belt dishwasher. Likewise, a busy chain restaurant probably can’t get by with a simple undercounter dishwasher. Use the information you’ve gleaned so far as a starting point to help make the best choice. Each of these considerations can help when you’re deciding which commercial dishwasher is right for your restaurant, your space and your budget. Finding the right dishwasher — which is something that will be used day in and day out — is an important part of running a smooth and efficient kitchen.