A Guide to Commercial Dishwasher for Restaurants

A commercial dishwasher not only produces the cleanest dishes possible it also saves your business time and money.

A reliable commercial dishwasher is a must for any professional kitchen. Designed to clean and sanitise even the dirtiest cutlery, utensils, pots, and pans, commercial dishwashers may sometimes look like domestic models, but they are far more powerful and much more efficient.

Figuring out which type will work best for you is essential to getting the best dishwasher to fit your needs. So, we’ve put together a handy guide to help you choose the best fit for your commercial kitchen.

Commercial Dishwashers come in three main types:

1. Under Bench Dishwashers
2. Pass-Through Dishwashers
3. Conveyor Dishwashers

Under Bench Dishwashers

Sometimes called, “undercounter commercial dishwashers,” Under Bench Dishwashers are a great option for bars, cafes, and smaller operations where space is a priority.

With their compact, manual front loading design, Under Bench Commercial Dishwashers sometimes resemble domestic dishwashers and offer similar features, but they are more durably built to continuously clean larger loads.

They additionally offer a wider variety of controls and displays to let you clean more efficiently, assuring that your business has a steady supply of clean dinnerware. Models such as the Washtech XUwith multiple wash cycles, along with an Eco-filter system that provides excellent rinsing results. It’s built with double-walled construction which reduces heat and noise and a soft start system that protects your valuable glassware.

Pass Through Dishwashers

A Pass Through Dishwasher, sometimes called a commercial pass dishwasher, shares some similarities to the under-bench dishwasher, but is better suited for larger operations.

One particular advantage is they can operate continuously, providing a constant flow of clean dishes back to the restaurant.

These units feature a pull-down hood and typically have a “feed-in” and “feed-out” countertop on either side for easy loading of dirty dishes and the unloading of clean dishes afterwards.

Typically, Pass Through Dishwashers have a varying number of programs that can wash dishes in cycles between 1 to 3 minutes

Conveyor Dishwashers

Great for high-volume cleaning, Conveyor Dishwashers, also known as “rack dishwashers” or “inline dishwashers,” are great for cafeterias, large restaurants, hotels, and healthcare institutions.

Dishes are placed by the operator on a basket or a rack that is hooked and “pulled” through a series of cleaning modules that typically includes a pre-wash cycle, a wash cycle, a rinsing cycle, and then, in some models, a drying cycle, before emerging at the other end perfectly cleaned.

With a wide variety of settings for clean cycles, water temperature, drying cycles and more, Conveyor Washers assure a steady supply of dishes and crockery back to the restaurant.

Pro Tip

It is recommended that you have a separate Commercial Glasswasher used only for cleaning glassware. This avoids the transfer of oils from food onto your glassware. Nothing worse than a customer complaint over something as simple as cleaning a glass!

Which is the best Commercial Dishwasher for your kitchen?

Hopefully, this outline of the available options has made it easier to determine which kind of Commercial Dishwasher is best for your restaurant or business. If you have questions about dishwashers in general or specific models and features, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Caterlink’s commercial kitchen experts who are ready to assist you.