How to Choose the Right Commercial Dishwasher for Your Kitchen

WHY THIS DECISION MATTERS

Choosing the wrong dishwasher causes more than inconvenience. It leads to:

• Failed health inspections
• Chronic downtime
• Excess utility and chemical costs
• Staff frustration and turnover
• Shortened equipment life
• Repeated service calls

The right machine protects compliance, controls operating costs, and keeps kitchens moving at peak speed—especially in regulated environments like schools, hospitals, and federal facilities.

‍

TYPES OF COMMERCIAL DISHWASHERS

Undercounter Dishwashers

Best for: Coffee shops, bakeries, bars, concession stands, break rooms

• Smallest footprint
• Batch operation
• Ideal for glassware and light plates
• Lower upfront cost
• Limited throughput

Go to Undercounter Dishwashers

‍

Door-Type (Hood) Dishwashers

Best for: Restaurants, schools, catering kitchens, churches

• Medium-high volume capacity
• Handles real grease loads
• Rack-based workflow
• Works with heat or chemical sanitizing
• Requires booster heater for heat systems

Go to Door-Type Dishwashers

‍

Conveyor Dishwashers

Best for: Schools, hospitals, universities, VA medical centers

• Continuous feed
• High rack per hour output
• Designed for tray operations
• Requires strong utilities and pre-rinse systems
• Highest inspection scrutiny

Go to Conveyor Dishwashers

‍

Flight-Type (Rackless) Dish Machines

Best for: Military dining, prisons, stadiums, mega commissaries

• No racking required
• Continuous ware movement
• Massive volume handling
• Largest footprint
• Highest install complexity

Go to Flight-Type Systems

‍

Glasswashers & Bar Dishwashers

Best for: Bars, breweries, event venues

• Lower wash pressure
• Spot-free drying
• Typically chemical sanitizing
• Compact footprint

Go to Glasswashers

‍

Food Truck & Mobile Dishwashing

Best for: Food trucks, mobile kitchens, temporary operations

• Commissary-based washing
• Limited on-truck sanitizing
• Chemical systems most common
• Strict local health department rules

Go to Food Truck Dishwashing

‍

HEAT VS CHEMICAL SANITIZING (KEY DECISION POINT)

Every dishwasher uses one of two sanitizing methods:

Heat (High-Temp) Sanitizing

• Final rinse at 180°F
• Kills bacteria through temperature
• Requires booster heater
• Simpler verification for inspectors
• Higher electrical or gas demand

‍

Chemical (Low-Temp) Sanitizing

• Uses sanitizer at lower water temps
• Requires consistent ppm testing
• Lower utility demand
• Requires chemical provider support
• Higher inspection risk if testing is sloppy

Take the Heat vs Chemical Quiz

‍

HOW TO KNOW WHICH TYPE YOU NEED

You should never select a dish machine before answering these:

• How many racks per hour at peak meal?
• Are you washing:
  • Plates only?
  • Trays?
  • Pots & pans?
• What are your:
  • Electrical limits?
  • Water pressure?
  • Drain capacity?
• How stable is your dishroom staff?
• What type of inspection authority oversees your operation?

Use the Dishwasher Selection Tool

‍

SPACE & FOOTPRINT REQUIREMENTS

Dishrooms fail not because the wrong machine was chosen—but because clearances, drainage, and workflow were ignored.

We help you verify:

• Smallest legal footprint by machine type
• Pre-rinse space
• Air-dry space
• 3-comp sink integration
• Dirty → Clean workflow
• Code-required aisles and clearances

View Smallest Compliant Dishroom Sizes

‍

UTILITIES & INFRASTRUCTURE FILTER

Before a machine can be selected, these must be confirmed:

• Electrical voltage, phase & amp draw
• Hot water temperature & recovery
• Drain sizes, floor sinks & air gaps
• Booster heater requirements
• Water treatment & softeners
• Hood & ventilation needs

Check My Utility Readiness

‍

MANUFACTURERS BY TYPE

Not every manufacturer is built for every application. Some dominate:

• Restaurants
• Schools
• Hospitals
• Federal & military facilities

We break down:

• Manufacturers by dishwasher type
• Federal vs commercial suitability
• Service network considerations
• Parts availability
• Total cost of ownership

View Dishwasher Manufacturers by Type

‍

COMMON BUYER MISTAKES (AND HOW TO AVOID THEM)

The most common failures we see:

• Buying based on price instead of volume
• Choosing high-temp without verifying utilities
• Buying chemical systems without test strip discipline
• Ignoring water treatment
• Undersizing drain capacity
• Designing for square footage instead of workflow

See Why Dishrooms Fail Inspection

‍

WHO THIS GUIDE IS BUILT FOR

This selection hub supports:

• Restaurants & hospitality
• School districts
• Colleges & universities
• Hospitals & healthcare systems
• VA medical centers
• Federal facilities
• Correctional institutions
• Food trucks & commissaries

‍

READY TO NARROW YOUR OPTIONS?

Get a Dishwasher Recommendation Based on Your Actual Kitchen

• Start the Dishwasher Selection Tool
• Take the Heat vs Chemical Quiz
• Request a Dishroom Assessment

‍

Designed and maintained by Aldevra, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business supporting federal agencies, healthcare systems, schools, and commercial kitchens nationwide with compliant, high-performance dishroom solutions.