The Basics on Dishwashers
Our commercial dishmachine guidelines outline the basics, when it comes to selecting the backbone of any restaurant kitchen design concept. Any type of dishmachine need to be centrally located within the kitchen area, so that it is placed in close proximity to the kitchen entrance as well as to the hot line. With the increase in technology, there are a vast array of options for the foodservice operator to consider when deciding on the dishmachine that is best for your operation.
The commercial dishmachine guidelines offer a seemingly endless number of options, and we will discuss the specific types of dishmachines available on the market in a future post; but, for now we will simply outline the decision-making process of selecting a unit.
In determining the appropriate commercial dishmachine guidelines for a project is probably the most complex of all equipment we specify in a restaurant kitchen design. To ensure you select the correct unit, there are a few aspects that need to be considered in order to narrow down your options.
Commercial Dishmachine Guideline Factors to Consider
Dishmachine Volume
The first step in narrowing down your options for a dishmachine is to determine your volume requirements. This can be a tedious and complex task for the uneducated, but your restaurant consultant should be able to easily make those determinations for you after a few after asking a few strategic questions. Determining the maximum number of customers per hour, multiplied by the number of dishware items your menu dictates will give you a sound idea as to what capacity dishmachine you should begin with.
Dishmachine Heater
Essentially dishmachines fall into two categories, either low temperature or high temperature. Water in the dishmachine obviously needs to be heated, and manufacturers provide wide number of options to supply power to the heater as well as the degree of heating needed. The degree of heating will be based on the size of your hot water heater, but keeping in mind the bigger picture of ongoing expenses, it is typically more cost-effective utilize a dishmachine that provides a greater heating capacity to the water. This ensure the water is heated “on demand” as opposed increasing the size of your water heater to ensure an adequate amount of hot water is always available. Below are a number of options available for supplying heat to your dishmachine. When determine the commercial dishmachine guidelines for your project, it is always more cost-effective to operate a machine at 400+ volts, since it draws half the amount of power to heat the same amount of water as a 208 voltage unit.
- Electric Heat, 40°/70° Rise Booster
- Available in 208-240/60/1, 208-240/60/3, 460-480/60/3
- Gas fired booster heaters
- Steam generated booster heaters
- Ventless heat recovery booster heaters
Dishmachine Ventilation
Exhaust systems or ventilation hoods for dishmachines are essentially glorified bathroom fans and are designed to simply remove the steam vapor emitted from the unit after the cleaning cycle has completed. These systems can be canopy style, similar to what you see over a cooking line, or depending on the dishmachine, they can also be directly vented to an exterior fan. The commercial dishmachine guidelines are pretty straightforward and there are basically 3 options when it comes to the ventilation aspect.
- A low temperature dishmachine does not require a ventilation hood.
- A high temperature dishmachine does require a ventilation hood.
- The exception to this rule is if you use a ventless heat recovery type dishmachine that recirculates the steam vapor backing into the machine to power the booster heater.
The number of options available, coupled with the numerous types of dishmachines on the market; make the proper selection of your dishmachine a critical component of your commercial kitchen design. Utilizing the guidance of an experienced foodservice design consultant will help you ensure you select a unit that fits perfectly with your operational requirements.
Other Commercial Kitchen Design Guidelines posts:
- General Guidelines: Commercial Kitchen Guidelines
- Refrigeration: Commercial Refrigeration Guidelines
- Walk-in refrigeration: Walk-In Refrigeration Buying Guide
- Ice Machines: Commercial Kitchen Ice Machine Guidelines
- Sinks, garbage disposals and grease traps: Commercial Kitchen Sink Guidelines
- Exhaust systems: Commercial Kitchen Exhaust System Guidelines
- Doors: Commercial Kitchen Doors : Things To Keep In Mind
- Flooring: Restaurant Kitchen Flooring
Equally as important when looking at the kitchen is how it relates to other areas of your project so we also suggest you read our posts about overall restaurant interior design.