The right commercial dishwasher comes down to one question: how many covers are you running per day? A bar doing 80 covers needs something very different from a full-service restaurant doing 250. Buy the wrong machine and you either get a bottleneck at the dish station or a capital investment your volume doesn’t justify.
This guide covers each machine type, how your sanitizing method affects utility costs and health inspections, what installation requires before the machine ever runs, and how to acquire one without tying up capital you need elsewhere.
Which Machine Type Fits Your Volume?
The three main types of commercial dishwasher are sized by rack capacity, meaning how many racks of dishes the machine can push through per hour. Match this number to your peak-hour dish volume first, then worry about brand and features.
Undercounter Dishwasher
An undercounter dishwasher handles up to around 30 racks per hour. It fits beneath a standard counter, runs on single-phase electrical in most cases, and takes up minimal back-of-house footprint.
This machine suits restaurants doing fewer than 150 covers per day, such as small cafes and neighborhood bars. If your peak hour produces more dishes than the machine can cycle through, you’ll stack up on the dish station fast.
From a serviceability standpoint, undercounter units are the most straightforward to diagnose and repair. Denver Beverage’s 13 CFESA-trained technicians service these across the Front Range and the I-70 corridor, with 24-hour service response and 7-day coverage. A broken undercounter on a Friday night isn’t the crisis it would be without a local team available on weekends.
Door-Type Dishwasher
A door-type dishwasher, sometimes called a hood-type, handles 30 to 150 racks per hour depending on the model. It’s the workhorse of mid-volume operations such as full-service restaurants and sports bars.
The trade-off for that throughput is footprint and electrical supply. Door-type machines typically need 208 to 240V service and may require a booster heater if your incoming water temperature can’t reach sanitizing levels on its own. If your space is wired for a single-phase undercounter, plan for an electrician call before the new machine ever runs.
Denver Beverage services Hobart and Hoshizaki door-type machines. When a machine goes down mid-service, a local team with weekend coverage matters. Repairs carry a 90-day labor warranty.
Conveyor Dishwasher
A conveyor dishwasher moves 150 to 350 or more racks per hour, which makes it the machine for high-volume banquet operations, large hotels with active food and beverage programs, and venues serving 300-plus covers in a single service.
That capacity comes with a bigger installation. Before one goes in, you’ll need:
- Drain: A dedicated drain
- Ventilation: Proper ventilation for the machine
- Electrical: A high load, which usually means three-phase service
For a single-location restaurant under 300 covers, a conveyor is almost certainly more machine than you need. The installation cost and utility load alone typically outweigh the throughput benefit.
If you do need one, plan the install early. Denver Beverage’s own technicians handle installation and service, with 7-day coverage and a 24-hour service response on the Front Range and the I-70 corridor.
A Note on Glasswashers
If your operation is mostly a bar rather than a full kitchen, look at a glasswasher before any of these three machines. Glasswashers are purpose-built for stemware and pint glasses. The restaurants and bars page covers bar-specific equipment programs.
High-Temp vs. Low-Temp Sanitizing: Which Is Right for Your Kitchen?
Most operators don’t realize they’re making this decision until a health inspector flags it. Both methods meet FDA Food Code requirements, but they get there differently. The right choice depends on your energy costs, your electrical supply, and how much you want to rely on chemicals in the rinse cycle.
| High-temperature sanitizing | Low-temperature chemical sanitizing | |
| How it sanitizes | 180°F final rinse kills pathogens with heat alone | Washes at 120 to 140°F and sanitizes with chlorine or quaternary ammonium in the rinse |
| Booster heater | Needed in most installations unless your incoming hot water already reaches that temperature | Not required, which reduces installation complexity |
| Cost | Higher upfront and utility cost | Lower utility cost, with an ongoing chemical cost |
| Chemical program | Simpler, with no chemical sanitizer in the rinse cycle | Staff need to monitor sanitizer concentration correctly |
| Inspection | Inspectors verify by temperature reading, and the method aligns with FDA Food Code Section 4-501.112 minimums | Inspectors test chemical sanitizer concentration |
Some low-temp models also use more water per rack.
Not sure which fits your kitchen? Denver Beverage’s free dish machine assessment covers this exact question. It looks at your incoming water temperature, electrical supply, and volume, then gives you a straight answer on which method makes sense. It’s worth doing before you buy or lease anything.
NSF Certification and Colorado Health Code: What Your Inspector Will Check
Health inspectors look closely at warewashing equipment, and for a new restaurant, that inspection comes before you open. A machine that isn’t properly certified can hold up your opening, not just your service. Here’s what to verify before you buy.
- NSF/ANSI Standard 3: This is the standard for commercial warewashing equipment, and it covers material safety, design, and performance. A dishwasher used in a food service operation should meet it
- Data plate: The certification is printed on the machine’s data plate, so that’s the first place to look.
- Used or unfamiliar vendors: If you’re buying used equipment or sourcing from a vendor you don’t know, check the NSF certified product listings directly before you commit.
- Temperature minimums: Colorado follows FDA Food Code temperature minimums, enforced locally. A high-temperature machine runs a 180°F final rinse, and inspectors check for 160°F at the rack surface.
- Chemical sanitizer: Inspectors test sanitizer concentration separately, so a machine that passes on temperature still has to pass on chemistry.
What Installation Actually Requires
This is where the real cost surprises happen, typically during opening week when you’re already over budget and running out of time. Three installation requirements catch operators off guard more than any others.
- Drain connection: The floor drain has to be within reach of the machine, and conveyor machines almost always need a dedicated drain. If your dish station sits more than a few feet from the nearest floor drain, budget for plumbing work.
- Electrical supply: Undercounter machines often run on 120V single-phase, door-type machines typically need 208 to 240V, and conveyor machines usually need three-phase service. If a door-type machine goes into a space wired for a single-phase undercounter, you’ll need an electrician before it can run.
- Booster heater: A high-temperature machine without a built-in booster heater needs one installed separately. That adds to the upfront cost and makes the installation more complex.
Denver Beverage’s own technicians handle installation. Installs take planning and are rarely immediate, so build lead time into your opening schedule. For installation requirements specific to your kitchen, the free dish machine assessment covers layout and utility supply alongside the equipment recommendation.
Rent, Lease, or Buy: How to Acquire a Commercial Dishwasher
There are three ways to get a commercial dishwasher into your kitchen. The right path depends on how much capital you want to tie up, how you want to handle repair liability, and whether you want the equipment on your books.
- The ADS leased program: Denver Beverage’s American Dish Service program starts from $129 a month and includes free repairs, so the monthly payment covers the equipment and the service, with no separate repair invoice when the machine breaks. CFESA-trained technicians respond within 24 hours, with 7-day coverage on the Front Range and the I-70 corridor.
- Leasing from a third party: Reduces upfront cost and spreads payment over the lease term, but some agreements leave repair liability with the operator, so read the service terms before you sign.
- Buying outright: You pay the full capital cost, own the machine, and carry all repair liability, with a door-type machine typically running $5,000 to $15,000 depending on brand and specification and conveyor machines running significantly higher.
Once the machine is in, Denver Beverage can support the rest of your dish room. All repair service covers the Front Range and the I-70 corridor.
- Dishwasher repairs: The commercial dishwasher repair service handles ongoing repairs and maintenance.
- Other kitchen equipment: The commercial kitchen and beverage equipment repair program covers additional equipment in the same service area.
- Chemicals: Denver Beverage’s dish and laundry chemical programs and cleaning products cover the chemical side of your dish room.
Get a Free Dish Machine Assessment
Ready to find out whether ADS or another program fits your kitchen? The free assessment covers high vs. low temp, electrical and drain requirements, and which acquisition path makes sense for your volume. Call 303-295-3737 or request a free assessment and you’ll hear back within 24 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of dishwasher is best for a restaurant?
The best type depends on your daily covers. An undercounter dishwasher handles under 150 covers, a door-type machine is the standard choice from 150 to 300, and a conveyor is worth evaluating above 300 covers with banquet or high-volume service. The throughput benchmarks in the machine-type section give you a starting point before you call a supplier.
How much does a commercial dishwasher cost?
A door-type commercial dishwasher typically costs $5,000 to $15,000 to buy outright, depending on brand and specification. The ADS leased program from Denver Beverage starts at $129 a month and includes free repairs, which removes both the upfront capital cost and the repair liability from your books.
What’s the difference between a high-temp and low-temp commercial dishwasher?
High-temp machines sanitize with heat, and low-temp machines sanitize with chemicals. High-temperature sanitizing uses a 180°F final rinse, usually needs a booster heater, and costs more in utilities but uses no chemical sanitizer in the rinse. Low-temperature sanitizing runs at 120 to 140°F with chlorine or quaternary ammonium, costs less to install and run, and carries an ongoing chemical cost that staff need to monitor.
How many racks per hour do I need for my restaurant?
Divide your peak-hour dish volume by the machine’s rated rack capacity, then leave a 20% buffer for slower cycle times at full load. A machine rated at 60 racks per hour is realistically closer to 48 in sustained peak use. For an exact specification for your volume and kitchen, request a free dish machine assessment from Denver Beverage.
Does Denver Beverage repair dishwashers they didn’t supply?
Call 303-295-3737 and describe the equipment you have, and the team will tell you what’s possible. Denver Beverage’s CFESA-trained technicians provide service across the Front Range and the I-70 corridor.
