Operators should consider the location of the unit. “Will it be under an ADA section of the bar?” asks Emalee Austerman, project coordinator at Camacho Associates, Atlanta. “If so, bar operators will need to make sure it will fit under the counter. Will it be in view of the customer or near customer seating? In this case, they will probably want a low-temp option with a slow start-up to avoid excess steam and noise.”

Components of these units include removable upper and lower rinse arms, pump drains, detergent pumps, built-in temperature boosters for high-temp warewashers and sanitizing pumps on low-temp machines. Insulated doors, low-chemical alerts and delime alarms typically come standard. Some warewashers have digital controls on top that display water temperature and cycle information, while others can automatically extend the rinse cycle to ensure water reaches 180 degrees F.

Most undercounter machines operate on a single two-minute cycle. Operators can also choose from among types with longer cycle times that handle heavy soil loads.

Operators often use undercounter dishmachines in front-of-the-house bar areas to wash mainly glassware and utensils. These units clean between 24 and 40 racks per hour, with fill-and-drain and heat recovery types on the lower end. Higher-end models can feature adjustable cycle times for light-, medium- and heavy-volume applications.