Supplier opinion – Take care to calculate the total cost of equipment ownership

It is important when evaluating equipment that total cost of ownership is taken into account - paying more for features can cut costs over the life of the machine.

Throughout my career in the equipment industry the most commonly asked question has always been "how long will it last?". My stock reply is "how well are you going to look after it?" I have seen a hotel wreck a dishwasher in 18 months, whilst a retail outlet looked after one for 24 years.

Total cost of ownership must be evaluated on purchase price, plus running costs, plus maintenance and service charges.

Remember to take into consideration the running cost savings from any features built-in. For example, an enclosed hood on a pass-through dishwasher will save 3kw an hour over the entire life of the machine. Effective filtration systems reduce consumption of chemicals, and low water consumption per cycle dramatically reduces power consumption. So if paying more delivers features to reduce costs over the life of the machine, it is always worth it.

Careful maintenance and care of any machine will always extend its life and deliver a reduced total cost of ownership. Never forget that the most important element of this is the day-to-day care and cleaning of a machine. When we buy a car we service it at regular intervals and exchange worn out parts before an expensive failure occurs - the same should be true for catering equipment.

So, in order to get the best return on your investment, pay extra for energy saving options, and maintain and service your equipment to maximise its life, which will guarantee you the lowest total cost of ownership.

David Riley, Director of Warewash, Hobart UK