The dishwasher is a necessity in every home. However, when you try to buy one, you will come across two types of dishwashers.
You can choose between the commercial dishwasher and the residential dishwasher. It is not an easy decision to make.
When you compare Commercial dishwasher vs residential dishwasher, you have to consider quite a few things.
Instead of spending hours comparing the different commercial and residential dishwashers, I will today help you out with the same.
I will compare both of these in the post below. Once you go through this comparison, you can better decide which one you should go with.
What is a Commercial Dishwasher?
Video: “How to Select a Commercial Dishwasher Machine”
The commercial dishwasher is designed to clean more utensils in every cycle. The size, as well as the capacity of the commercial dishwasher, is on the higher side.
Not only that, the commercial dishwasher is designed to complete the cycle quickly as well. Even when you are trying to clean the most soiled utensils, it will do so in a shorter time.
It is not uncommon for commercial dishwashers to clean up to 60 racks of dishes every hour. They are designed for large commercial establishments like restaurants, corporate cafeterias, banquette halls, and so on.
Now that you know what exactly is a commercial dishwasher, it is time to look at the types of the same.
Only when you are aware of the types you can make the right buying decision.
Types of Commercial Dishwashers
The different types of commercial dishwashers include:
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Under Counter
As the name itself suggests, these are dishwashers that you can easily install under the counter. They are the compact variants of commercial dishwashers.
They are perfect for homeowners who need a commercial dishwasher, coffee shops as well as smaller restaurants. The control panel of these dishwashers is simplistic and easy to understand.
However, since they are commercial, they can easily clean up to 20 racks of dishes in a single hour.
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Door Type
If you have seen a commercial dishwasher before, chances are you might have seen this one. The door type commercial dishwasher is one of the most common ones you can find.
This dishwasher consists of racks in which you can fit in the dishes. Once you slide it into the dishwasher, you can close the door and start the cycle.
If you’re looking for something bigger than under counter commercial dishwasher, this variant will not disappoint you. They clean much more dishes than the under counter dishwasher. Not only that, they can do so in a shorter time.
On the other hand, they will end up using more detergent and water. Thus, if you’re looking for a higher capacity, the door type dishwashers do not disappoint.
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Glasswasher
As the name itself suggests, these are specifically designed for washing glass utensils.
The water pressure in these units is such that they do not cause any damage to the glassware. They can easily clean over 1000 glassware utensils in a single hour.
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Conveyor Dishwashers
These dishwashers are the largest commercial dishwashers which you can find. They can clean 1000 racks of utensils in a single day.
With the help of conveyor belt assembly, the cleaning process is pretty efficient. Moreover, they can clean glassware, plates, bowls, and so on.
You need to hire an electrician for installing them because they are large and need proper installation fixtures.
Thus, when you look at the type of commercial dishwashers, these are the 4 types that you will often come across.
I will now go into the advantages and disadvantages of commercial dishwashers below.
- Time-saving
- Reduces effort
- Efficient cleaning method
- Excellent durability
- More expensive
- Requires more space
What is a Residential Dishwasher?
Residential dishwashers are small dishwashers that can clean a few utensils in a single cycle.
The residential dishwasher aims to reduce effort as compared to manual ones but not occupy a large space either.
Before I go any further into the residential dishwasher’s details, I will highlight the types of residential dishwashers and their pros and cons below.
Types of Residential dishwasher
The various type of residential dishwashers include:
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Integrated Dishwasher
- Accommodates up to eight (8) place settings and features a silverware basket and cup tray
- Six (6) Wash Cycles: Heavy, Normal, ECO, Glass, Rapid, and Rinse; Three (3) Options: Sanitize, Hi Temp, Heated Dry
- At only 17.75 inches wide, using this unit to replace an older appliance such as a trash compactor is a great option.
- Leakage sensor automatically shuts off water flow when a leak is detected to protect your home from water damage
- Quiet 52dB operation keeps the disturbance to a minimum; Dimensions 32.5" H x 17.6" W x 22.4" D; Weight: 52.9 lbs
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The integrated dishwasher is also known by the name of the built-in dishwasher. These are available in various sizes.
The reason why they are known as the integrated dishwasher is that you can easily construct the cabinets as well as make arrangements for fixtures around them. However, they are permanent and not easy to remove or replace.
You just have to get the plumbing fixtures to interconnect the drainage pipe and the water pipe. Once you do so, operating them is easy.
You have to just plug them in and start using them.
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Freestanding Dishwasher
- SD-9263SS 18" PORTABLE DISHWASHER
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If you need a more portable option, you can go with the freestanding dishwasher.
Many freestanding dishwashers have wheels at the bottom as well. Consequently, moving them around is not a problem.
As the name itself suggests, you can keep the freestanding dishwasher on any surface. In a way, it is similar to your refrigerator; only the dimensions are smaller than that.
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Drawer Dishwasher
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The drawer style dishwasher is one of the most convenient options available. As the name suggests, it consists of 2 drawers.
You can easily pull them out to load and unload them. These are also freestanding in design.
The fact that they consist of 2 drawers certainly increases their capacity.
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Countertop Dishwasher
- COMPACT AND PORTABLE: This mini tabletop dishwasher is great for small kitchens, apartments, RVs, and boats with...
- VERSATILE CLEANING OPTIONS: The Farberware countertop dishwasher offers several different wash cycles, including baby...
- TIME-SAVING CONVENIENCE: With just 45 minutes, hookups, water, and electricity, you can have clean dishes and sparkling...
- EASY TO USE AND MAINTAIN: This dishwasher features a user-friendly LED display and simple controls, making it easy to...
- FARBERWARE: From reliable aluminum and stainless cookware to the latest in hybrid ceramic nonstick technology,...
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Do you not have space in your kitchen?
If so, you need to think about getting a countertop dishwasher. Even though it might have a lesser capacity than other residential ones, it will not occupy a lot of space.
You can keep it in the corner of your countertop. When you’re not using it, you can store it away as well. However, if your countertop is already cluttered with gadgets, this dishwasher won’t help you much.
These are the type of residential dishwashers which you need to look out for.
I will now go into the details of these dishwashers’ pros and cons to provide a holistic view.
- Comparatively compact
- Uses less water and detergent
- Easy to install
- Simplistic control panel
- Slower speed
- Less capacity
Commercial Dishwasher vs Residential Dishwasher – What are the Differences?
Now that you are aware of the basics of what the dishwasher is, it is time to look at the differences.
Only when you take a look at their differences you can make the final buying decision.
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Cleaning Ability
Most commercial dishwashers allow you to select whether you want to clean the utensils with hot water or cold water.
When you clean the utensils with hot water, the results are excellent. You get sparkling utensils in no time. That is why the cleaning ability of commercial dishwashers is much better.
Residential dishwashers, on the other hand, use water at room temperature to clean the utensils. Owing to this very reason, you might not get the same level of sparkling cleanliness as when you’re using a residential dishwasher.
This is one of the primary differences between a commercial dishwasher and a residential one.
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Speed
Commercial dishwashers are much faster than residential ones. They are designed for commercial establishments as they will need much more utensils every hour compared to residential ones.
In most cases, residential dishwashers are only in use after every meal. However, commercial dishwashers can be in use throughout the day.
That is why they are designed to provide much higher speed than the residential ones.
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Capacity
On the capacity front as well, commercial dishwashers have an advantage.
Especially when you consider options like conveyor dishwashers, door-type dishwashers, and so on, you will realize that they have a much higher capacity than Residential ones.
Commercial establishments can have a lot of patrons during meal times. To make the entire operation economically viable, they might have a limited set of utensils.
That is why they need to clean them in bulk and quickly. That is what commercial dishwashers are designed for. Residential ones on the other end have limited capacity and take a bit longer to clean the utensils.
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Cost
This is where residential dishwashers have an advantage. Commercial dishwashers are much more expensive.
Generally speaking, a residential dishwasher can cost you anywhere between $ 200-$ 1000. It also depends on the type of residential dishwasher which you can go with.
On the other end, a commercial dishwasher can cost you upwards of $ 800.
There are differences between the commercial dishwasher and the residential one.
When it comes to choosing one for your home, it is always a good idea to go with a commercial one.
Surprised?
Even though you might not need something like a conveyor belt dishwasher at home but getting under counter dishwasher for your home can certainly help you in more ways than one.
I will highlight the same below.
Commercial Dishwasher at Home
Video: “Commercial Dishwashers for the Home – Pros and Cons”
When you get something like under counter commercial dishwasher for your home, you can get high cleaning ability, faster cleaning, and more efficient cleaning cycles.
With the help of such a commercial dishwasher at home, the amount of time you will need to do the dishes will come down drastically.
Moreover, rather than running multiple cycles, you can complete that washing in a single cycle. Such dishwashers can tackle even the most soiled utensils, you can get good results in a single attempt.
It is a good idea to always spend a bit extra and get the cheapest commercial dishwasher for your home if you’re looking for excellent results.
Conclusion
So, while there might be a few differences between commercial dishwasher vs residential dishwasher, both serve the purpose.
If you simply want to go for the best, it can be a good idea to opt for an expensive residential one or shell out a bit extra and opt for the most affordable commercial one.
That will allow you to get gleaming utensils without having to vigorously wash them manually.
