Dishwashers - Practically Speaking

Features to look for in dishwashers

Machine features abound in the product descriptions thrown at the trade, but these have to deliver practical benefits, stresses Frankie Aspin, licensee at the Nag's Head in Wellpond Green, Hertfordshire.

Frankie has recently fitted out his new pub as a fine-dining outlet, complete with 70-cover restaurant and six bedrooms. The warewasher he's plumped for is the same as he bought for his previous pub, a Winterhalter GS302/15TE.

Frankie finds that the machine acts as a staff supervisor on his behalf. "What I really like is the computerised systems. What the functions do for me is that they don't allow my staff to forget anything - lights flash when it needs salt, or cleaning or when more chemicals are needed. Nobody can get away without doing anything that should've been done. And if the plates haven't first been scraped clean enough, the machine just won't work. It saves me going around the kitchen checking up all the time.

A further benefit is that the machine is always working at its best all of the time, and problems like limescale just aren't allowed to build up."

His Winterhalter may be top of the range on price, but, as it's capable of doing 60 full racks an hour, Frankie feels it is well worth the money. "I've been buying Winterhalter for seven years now and wouldn't have anything else - it's worth it for performance, ease and reliability."

And reliability is a big priority for Frankie. "Standards here are high and we just can't afford to have anything go wrong, so buying the best in equipment is well worth it."