Dishwashers

Washing dishes is not just a dirty business, it an expensive one. Being at the end of the hospitality chain, it is also given nowhere near the thought and attention that goes into preparing plates before they go out into the restaurant.

There are many stands at Hotelympia that will be exhibiting dishwashers - or warewashers, to use the industry jargon. And for anyone touring Earls Court with a dishwasher on their shopping list, there are scores to choose from.

The standard of manufacture of commercial dishwashers is, on the whole, good. It is wise, however, to enquire about the source of manufacture and the availability and cost of spare parts and service. Of all the items in the kitchen, dishwashers are most prone to breakdown, so the availability of spare parts and the cost of replacing them is an important factor in a buying decision. Apart from the washers from well-known manufacturers, there are those on the market from parts of the world where supply of the initial item takes precedence over provision of back-up service and spares.

Practical considerations

Owners of modest-sized businesses may well have the need for a machine that washes both dishes and glass. Yet while manufacturers would like to sell a separate glasswasher and dishwasher, this isn't practical for most businesses. It is worth questioning people on the stand closely on how well the basic machines will perform both functions.

There are also situations when a simple cabinet dishwasher may not be up to the job. This could be the case if the kitchen has a continuous dishwashing demand, as in roadside and in-store restaurants, or if there is a service sitting more than 100 customers an hour, as in a staff restaurant.

One stage up from simple cabinet washers is the pull-down hood system where the dirty crockery is stacked in plastic trays and placed in the machine either manually or, more usually, on a simple manual conveyor belt. The machine cowling is pulled down over the rack to start the wash cycle.

Beyond this are the semi-automatic dishwashing systems, called semi-automatic flight systems, where plastic racks of dirty cutlery and crockery are loaded on to an automated conveyor belt. The next time they are seen is coming out of the other end, dry and shiny. Be prepared to part with many thousands of pounds for these slick operators, though.