Do not know your glasswashers from your dishwashers? Our experts guide you through the weird and wonderful world of warewashing.

As equipment is typically a well thought out investment, approaching buying new warewashing devices can be a daunting prospect. With a number of leading brands with expansive ranges it can be hard to know where to start.

Warewashing equipment falls into two main categories - glasswashers and dishwashers. Glasswashers are specifically designed to wash only glassware, and consequently often come with much faster wash cycles and in more compact sizes ideal for situating under bars and close to points of service. Dishwashers operate to take care of everything else. These come in a range of styles based primarily around capacity and footprint. There are smaller under the counter options, pass through dishwashers and conveyor machines, which can wash thousands of plates per hour.

Pots, pans and utensils also often require specialised dishwashing equipment, which may be referred to as pot washers, pan washers or utensil washers. "Pots and pans used for preparing food typically have baked-on food and grease with which the dishwashing equipment must contend," explains Bob Wood, director of DC Warewashing and Icemaking Systems. "Utensils, specifically forks, can trap food between their prongs, which standard dishwashers can miss. Pots, pans and utensils also need more intense wash and rinse cycles."

There are, of course, a number of factors that you need to consider before you begin browsing. "Where to site your warewasher is a key consideration," says Glenn Roberts, chair of the Catering Equipment Suppliers Association (CESA). "You need to sort where you'll be storing dirties before they get washed and where the clean stuff goes afterwards, bearing in mind where the services are positioned within the space and making sure it is adequately lit and ventilated".

Installing your warewashers in a poorly ventilated location will not just cause issues for staff having to deal with working in an excessively hot and damp atmosphere, but can also affect the efficiency of the machine. Water treatment is essential to protect the machine, so some warewashers come with integral water treatment systems.

Read full article in OOH magazine April issue ...