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.
A soft-start option minimizes the initial water pressure, protecting delicate items from breakage. Other options include casters for added mobility and 17-inch stands for ergonomic loading and unloading. Because some municipalities require water to be less than 140 degrees when drained, a drain-tempering kit can cool water as it leaves the machine. Power cord kits provide plug-in capability as opposed to hardwiring units. Most machines have self-cleaning modes or timed shut-downs that will automatically drain the unit after several hours if the machine is left on.
Final rinse temperature assurance is an important feature on high-temp machines that rely on hot water (180 degrees F) to sanitize wares. For the water to reach this temperature, the booster heat must be operating correctly. Typically, the incoming water is 110 degrees F. Many dishmachines come with a feature that does not allow the dishmachine to go from the wash cycle to the rinse cycle until the water in the booster heater reaches 180 degrees F.
A pumped final rinse feature will compensate if there’s a water pressure drop or spike, which can impact cleaning results. Some units can adapt to either floor or wall drains. High-end units are available with an active water-filtration feature, which not only requires less detergent but also simplifies cleaning.
Undercounter dishmachines can be purchased with product stands to elevate the units for better ergonomics and provide additional storage space for detergent and rinse aids. These units can also be purchased with casters, which allow operators to pull the units out for easier cleaning.
Energy Star’s most recent guidelines require undercounter warewashers to utilize between 1 and 2 gallons of water per rack, but newer machines use as little as 0.6 gallons per rack. Low-temp units also qualify for Energy Star but use in excess of 1 gallon of water per rack.
