Dishwashers for canteens

Canteens are traditionally the most popular food service establishments, offering fast, tasty, and affordable meals. Canteen staff must also work quickly and efficiently, not to mention the equipment. Dishwashers for canteens also have special requirements, unlike those in bars or restaurants. Choosing one requires careful consideration, and we'll help you do just that with this comprehensive review.

What criteria should I use to choose?

From a professional perspective, cafeterias differ from one another, primarily in terms of traffic volume. Some cafeterias in small companies are staff-only. They prepare small quantities of food, usually from pre-ordered meals, for no more than 50 people. Such cafeterias can easily be equipped with a dishwasher, so we won't discuss them today.

Canteens that serve 100 or more servings per meal require a professional dishwasher, as manually washing 100 plates, 100 mugs, and 200 spoons and forks is difficult, and you still need to prepare the ingredients for the next meal.

1. For establishments that serve 100 to 300 servings per meal, front-loading industrial dishwashers with low to medium capacity are suitable.
2. If a cafeteria prepares between 400 and 2,500 servings for lunch or other daily meals, it will require a dome or tunnel dishwasher with an average throughput of at least 40-50 baskets per hour. Such cafeterias are common in large institutions and manufacturing companies.
3. But if an establishment serves a huge number of customers, serving 3,000 or more portions per meal, it needs a productive tunnel-type dishwasher that washes 80-100 baskets per hour.

The largest cafeterias are usually found at major city-forming enterprises whose production facilities are located outside the city. For workers, the cafeteria is the only place to eat, so there's no shortage of customers.

It is very important that the canteen staff can wash all the dirty dishes in one load so as not to waste time.If the machine's capacity isn't sufficient, it will overload the equipment and the staff, who will spend a lot of extra time washing everything. And yet, it's important to prepare for the next meal. In a large cafeteria, food preparation is practically a conveyor belt, running almost continuously. Delays due to insufficient capacity of any given piece of equipment are unacceptable.

In addition to being efficient, the equipment must also be reliable. If the dishwasher breaks down mid-day, the cafeteria's operations will be paralyzed, as washing thousands of plates by hand is unrealistic. It's also important to consider how the machine should use less water and detergent. It's a saving, after all, and it's crucial that it performs its primary function well—washing dishes.

Below, we present a dishwasher review prepared with the help of professional dishwasher repair specialists and employees of two large cafeterias. They offered a wealth of advice and helped us select four models that, in their opinion, are just a little better than the rest. If you're interested in information aboutprofessional and industrial dishwashers In general, please read the article of the same name, previously published on our website.

AVAT MPT-1700

This tunnel dishwasher has a very high throughput of up to 95 racks per hour. Considering that each rack holds 18 standard plates, this machine can wash 1,710 plates in one hour. It's ideal for large dining rooms. In this machine, racks full of dishes move along a conveyor from left to right, entering the washing compartment and then the rinsing and drying sections. At the end, cafeteria staff receive clean and dry plates.

In addition to plates, this machine is also great for washing cutlery, glasses, and some other unusual items. It is not designed for washing pots, large frying pans, baking sheets, and other items.

1. The equipment is made in Russia.
2. Connects to hot water supply.
3. It has dispensers for detergent and rinse aid.
4. Designed for 500x500 mm cassettes.
5. The largest plates that can be loaded are 400 mm.
6. The wash boiler holds up to 100 liters of hot water.
7. The rinse tank holds 17 liters of water.
8. The wash basin is equipped with several filters.

The AVAT MPT-1700 comes standard with only four plate racks and two glass and cup racks, so the cost estimate should include the purchase of additional racks. These racks should accommodate all the plates and glasses in the dining room, so calculating the required number is easy. The current price of this model is $5,614.

GASTRORAG HDW-80

This is a hood-type dishwasher. Its capacity is slightly lower – 50 baskets per hour. This means that the machine can wash 900 small plates in just 1 hour. The machine works like this: A cafeteria worker places a cassette under the hood, closes it, and the entire washing process occurs automatically. A person only needs to keep up with changing the cassettes. Perhaps the washing process isn't as convenient as a tunnel-type machine, but it's still possible.

1. The machine is made in China, but despite this, the quality of its assembly and materials is very high.
2. There are containers for detergents and rinse aid.
3. There is a tray washing function.
4. Accepts 50x50 cm cassettes.
5. The largest plates that can be loaded are 42 cm.

The basic package includes only two baskets and one cutlery basket, so additional accessories are required. The average price of the GASTRORAG HDW-80 is $2,300.

SMEG PROFESSIONAL UD503D

The SMEG PROFESSIONAL UD503D front-loading dishwasher is ideal for relatively small cafeterias. This appliance is in high demand and is often used in European hotels, bars, restaurants, and other establishments. This is a good professional dishwasher for a school cafeteria, one that will last for decades before becoming completely obsolete. Despite its modest size, the machine can wash up to 40 racks of dishes per hour. That's an impressive 720 small plates in just one hour.

The front cameras use standard 500x500 mm cassettes.

The appliance is entirely assembled in Italy. This isn't some contract Chinese assembly; the dishwasher is "purely" Italian. It's equipped with a wastewater pump and dispensers for rinse aid and liquid detergent. Furthermore, the machine has three wash programs, which is quite impressive for a professional appliance. Needless to say, the dishwasher performs 120% of its job, so even the most stubborn dirt will be washed away from dishes and cutlery without mercy.

This line of dishwashers includes models with 24 and 15 basket capacities, so if your dining room is very small, you can opt for a less powerful machine, which will be less expensive. The model we're reviewing costs $1,910.

Apache AF500

Another Italian model with the same 40-cassette capacity, but at a much lower price. This model can currently be ordered for $1,520. The machine can be connected to hot water and loaded with plates with a maximum height of 345 mm. The appliance features a seamlessly drawn wash chamber and a body made entirely of stainless steel. It has a rinse aid dispenser, but no detergent dispenser, which isn't a significant drawback.

The APACH AF500 features special insulated walls that keep the water cool and improve cleaning results. The machine comes with a plate basket, a glass basket, and a special cutlery insert.

Well, we've accomplished our goal and presented you with a review of the best dishwashers for cafeterias with varying customer volumes. Now all that's left is to choose the right machine, perform all the necessary calculations, order it, and pay for it. How you do this, or which company you use, is of no real interest to us. The main thing is that the machine is worthy of your establishment, works well, and lasts a long time. Good luck!

   

Readers' comments