Kitchen Applications: Washing all the pots, pans, utensils, plates, cutlery, glasses, etc. dirtied from preparing, cooking and serving food and beverages.
Types: Warewasher is the foodservice industry's broad term for commercial dishwashing equipment. Models include undercounter, doortype, rackless-conveyor, rack conveyor, upright conveyors and circular conveyor-type units. Specialized washers are designed to clean specific types of wares, such as glasses, pots and pans, and utensils.
Unique Features & Latest Technology: For machines that use racks, manufacturers offer various types of options designed to hold specific types of wares, such as trays and sheet pans. To wash plates, racks with pegs are most efficient, while pegless racks are designed for glassware and flatware.
Handheld computer interfaces that communicate and control single or multiple warewashers can perform functions such as start-up, timed cycle selection and machine shutdown. They also allow for control of the internal booster heater and for service diagnostics, machine programming or to check individual operating components.
A few manufacturers offer units that are compliant with the NAFEM Data Protocol.
Capacity: The racks or glasses per hour they can wash will distinguish warewashers. Undercounter dishwashers and door-type machines generally wash between 24 to 55 racks per hour. A glasswasher can clean and sanitize up to 2,000 glasses per hour. Rackless-conveyor units can wash 21,000 dishes per hour. Single-tank and multiple-tank rack conveyors can be adjusted to wash up to 288 racks or 28,000 dishes per hour. Pot, pan and utensil washing machines can have a 6 to 60-pan capacity. Circular conveyors can wash a maximum of 122 to 320 racks per hour.
Footprint: Undercounter dishwashers are the most compact and are best suited for use in smaller kitchens or bars; 23" wide x 25" deep x 53" high in overall dimensions. Door-type machines are also designed to conserve space, while providing high production; approximately 26" wide x 25" deep x 92" high. Upright conveyor systems offer high-volume operators continuous dish rack or direct drive loading; 4' wide x 7' to 10' high. Glasswashers average 72" wide x 22" deep x 38" high.
Energy Source: The majority of warewashing machines operate on electric power levels ranging from 115V for smaller machines to 460V for larger units. Some warewashers offer the option of either electric, steam or gas water-heating systems, while others are available only with single-source gas-heating systems.
Temperature Range: Many local codes require a warewashers’ water temperature to reach a minimum of 160°F.and 180°F. Manufacturers offer sensors that can extend a wash cycle to ensure this temperature is attained. Using a building’s water heater to reach these temperatures could burn patrons when they wash their hands. Operators can add water temperature-boosting devices to their warewashers.
Construction: Heavy duty type 304 stainless steel construction provides durable performance.
Maintenance: To maintain performance, most manufacturers suggest using commercial-grade detergents and check that water temperature and pressure do not exceed specifications. One common practice to keep machines operating smoothly is to run a daily wash cycle while the unit is empty.
Some models have an automatic soil purging system that filters wash water and traps plate debris in an external drawer. Drawer is then easily removed for dumping contents.
Manufacturers: ACityDiscount offers a full line of warewashers, including undercounter dishwashers, glass washers and conveyor washes, from the leading manufacturers, including CMA Dishmachines, and Perlick Corporation,
Recommended Optional Products: Dishwasher accessories include dishtables to extend the usability of an undercounter dishwasher and various size racks for cocktail glasses, wine stems, and other glasses.