Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Dishwashers & Santitizers

[Karen Carlson (kcarlson2]

Regarding Sharon's questions.  I was on our kitchen design team and  
after consulting with a commercial kitchen designer, there didn't seem  
to be an alternative to a sanitizer.  Residential dishwashers simply  
take too long to do a single load. If our water heater was kept at a  
high enough temp (which it isn't) and if there's a enough labor in the  
kitchen, the crew could run maybe 30 trays  an hour using a sanitizer.  
We typically have 35-45 people at a meal and if we used a dish washer,  
it would take all night. Ours is a CMA and I have had some experience  
with a Jackson and a Hobart. As I recall, they all perform about the  
same, all need more maintenance than they should, and are all  
expensive to repair.

What may make a difference is a service contract.  We get a  
considerable break due a deal between the company that sells us the  
above liquids and a maintenance company.

BTW, we would have liked the type that sits on the counter with sides  
that rise up.  Trays slide through, thus requiring no lifting.  But,  
at least in our city, code  requires a commercial hood for this type.  
Way, way over our budget.  Ours is raised about 14 inches (what ever  
it is, it's the manufacturer's max)  so the stainless steel counters  
stop and then continue on the other side. We also have a device that  
automatically adds detergent and a surficant (prevents spotting on  
glasses).

Pots & Pans:  Since all visible food should be gone before putting in  
the sanitizer and pots don't need sanitizing, it doesn't make much  
sense to  put them through.  We have double, extra deep sinks for pots  
so we hand wash.

Number of Loads:  I'm not sure.  A wild guess for maybe 35 people is  
about 7-9, just for plates, glassware and utensils--no prep stuff.   
Maybe more loads if bowls are included.

Switched:  We began with a sanitizer.  IMHO, they do a pretty good job  
and they are fast. The trade off for being fast is the labor required  
to wash dishes first.

For $1600 you might consider a new one, depending on how old yours  
is.  They can be found on the used market due to frequent closing of  
restaurants.

Good luck,
Karen Carlson
Arboretum Cohousing
Madison, Wi


> What is the current state of practice in terms of residential-type  
> dishwashers? Sanitizers?
>
> Do people do pans in them?
>
> How many loads do you do?
>
> Are you sorry you switched to them?
>
> Of did anyone switch?
>
> What kind do you have?
>
> We are facing $1600 motor replacement in our commercial freestanding  
> style sanitizer and not all of us want to replace it.
>
> Some people love it.
>
> Sharon
> ----
> Sharon Villines
> Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
> http://www.takomavillage.org
>
>
>
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Cohousing-L mailing list -- Unsubscribe, archives and other info at:
> http://www.cohousing.org/cohousing-L/