Best Commercial Dishwasher for Your Kitchen: Undercounter, Hood Type, Conveyor and Glass Washers

The best commercial dishwasher is the type that matches how many racks you wash in your busiest hour. An undercounter machine fits under a bench and suits cafes and bars. A hood type (also called pass-through) dishwasher sits between two benches and suits restaurants. A conveyor dishwasher pulls racks through a tunnel at 100 racks an hour or more, for hotels, clubs and large kitchens. A glass washer is a smaller undercounter machine with a shorter door opening and a rack sized for glasses.

This guide compares the four types using makers' figures from the commercial dishwashers we sell.

Dishwasher types compared

Sizes are width x depth x height. Capacity and power are as each maker lists them.

Type	Model	Capacity or cycle	Power	Size (mm)
Glass washer	Washtech XG, 365 mm rack	Up to 540 glasses an hour, 1 minute cycle	15 amp, 3.15 kW	See listing
Glass washer	Adler DWA2040	1 or 2 minute cycles, 355 x 430 mm basket	15 amp, 2.5 kW	480 x 517 x 838
Glass washer	Eswood IW3N	Up to 1,800 glasses an hour, 50 second cycle	Single phase, 3.6 kW	510 x 550 x 875
Undercounter	Washtech XU, 500 mm rack	Up to 1,080 plates or 1,500 glasses an hour	15 amp, 3.37 kW	See listing
Undercounter	Eswood SW500	60, 90 and 180 second cycles	Single phase, 3.2 kW	575 x 605 x 820
Hood type	Adler DWA2001	500 x 500 mm baskets, 420 mm clearance	15 amp, 3.6 kW	630 x 750 x 1491
Hood type	Washtech XP, 500 mm rack	Up to 1,080 plates or 1,500 glasses an hour	15 amp 3.75 kW, or three-phase 9.0 kW	See listing
Hood type	Eswood ES50	60, 90 and 120 second cycles	Three-phase, 10.3 kW	645 x 645 x 1490
Conveyor	Eswood ES100	100 racks an hour	23.5 kW	1130 x 730 x 1600
Conveyor	Washtech CD120	120 racks or 2,160 plates an hour	See listing	1500 x 765 x 1445
Conveyor	Washtech CD240	240 racks or 4,320 plates an hour	See listing	2700 x 765 x 1445

Undercounter dishwashers: cafes and small kitchens

An undercounter dishwasher is a front-loading machine about the size of a domestic dishwasher, but it washes a rack in 1 to 3 minutes instead of an hour. The Washtech XU has 1 and 2 minute cycles and is rated at up to 1,080 plates an hour on a 15 amp outlet, using 2.2 litres of hot water per cycle. The Eswood SW500 is 575 mm wide and 820 mm high, and uses 2.5 litres per cycle.

The limit is loading. Staff bend to load and unload, and there is nowhere to stage dirty racks. Once you are washing steadily through service, a hood type machine is easier on people.

Hood type (pass-through) dishwashers: restaurants

"Hood type" and "pass-through" are the same machine. It stands between a dirty-side bench and a clean-side bench; you slide a rack in, pull the hood down, and slide it out the other side when the cycle ends. See our pass through dishwashers.

• Racks: most take a 500 x 500 mm rack. The Adler DWA2001 comes with 2 baskets and has 420 mm of internal clearance for trays and tall items.
• Cycles: the Eswood ES50 runs 60, 90 and 120 second cycles and uses 4 litres of water per cycle.
• Power: this is where models differ most. The Adler DWA2001 is a single phase unit on a 15 amp outlet (3.6 kW). The Washtech XP is field convertible between single phase (15 amp, 3.75 kW) and three-phase (9.0 kW). The Eswood ES50 is three-phase at 10.3 kW, and the Asber GE-H500BDD is 415 V at 11.1 kW.
• Height: the machines in the table are about 1.5 m tall with the hood down; allow room above for the hood to lift.

Conveyor dishwashers: hotels, clubs and large kitchens

A conveyor dishwasher moves racks through wash and rinse zones without stopping. Capacity is quoted in racks per hour: 100 for the Eswood ES100, 120 for the Washtech CD120 and 240 for the Washtech CD240. Washtech equates 120 racks with 2,160 plates, which is 18 plates a rack.

These are big machines on big power. The Eswood ES100 is 1,130 mm long and draws 23.5 kW; the Eswood ES220 washes 175 to 220 racks an hour, is 2,500 mm long and draws 37.5 kW. They need a power supply sized by your electrician, loading and unloading tables, and a plan for the room.

Glass washers: bars and cafes

A glass washer is built for glasses, not plates. It is narrower, the door opening is lower, and the cycle is short.

• Size: the Adler DWA2040 is 480 mm wide with a 355 x 430 mm basket and 270 mm of internal clearance. The Asber GE-400BDD is 470 mm wide with 270 mm of door clearance, against 320 mm on the larger GE-500BDD dishwasher.
• Speed: the Washtech XG washes up to 540 glasses an hour on a 1 minute cycle, using 1.5 litres of hot water per cycle. The Eswood IW3N washes up to 1,800 glasses an hour on a 50 second cycle and offers a hot and cold cycle for a cold final rinse.
• Check your tallest glass. Measure it against the clearance before you choose. A 270 mm opening will not take every stemmed glass or jug.

What to check before you order

• Power: none of the machines in our table lists a standard 10 amp outlet. Expect 15 amp at least, three-phase for larger hood type machines, and 23.5 kW or more for a conveyor.
• Water and waste: every machine needs a water connection and a drain. Several list a built-in drain pump, which helps when the waste outlet is above floor level.
• Bench space: a hood type machine needs benches on both sides to work properly.

Frequently asked questions

What is a hood type dishwasher? A dishwasher with a lift-up hood that sits between two benches. Racks slide in one side and out the other. It is also called a pass-through dishwasher.

What is the best commercial dishwasher for a cafe? Usually an undercounter machine with a 500 mm rack. The Washtech XU is rated at up to 1,080 plates an hour on a 15 amp outlet.

What is the best glass washer for a bar? One that fits your tallest glass and your bar. Compact models are 470 to 510 mm wide; the Eswood IW3N is rated at up to 1,800 glasses an hour with a cold rinse option.

Do commercial dishwashers need three-phase power? Not all. Undercounter machines and some hood types run on a 15 amp single phase outlet. Larger hood types (10.3 to 11.1 kW in our table) are three-phase, and conveyor machines draw 23.5 kW or more.

How many racks an hour does a conveyor dishwasher wash? In our range, from 100 racks an hour (Eswood ES100) to 240 racks an hour (Washtech CD240).

Sources: each model's capacity, cycle times, power, clearance and size as listed by its maker on our product pages.