10 Questions to Ask Before You Buy a Dish Machine

A chef-to-operator checklist to avoid costly mistakes.

Before You Buy

  1. Peak volume: racks/hour you actually need?
  2. Venting: vented, heat-recovery, or ventless?
  3. Utilities: electrical phase/amps, water pressure/temp, gas?
  4. Booster heater: required to meet sanitizing temps?
  5. Footprint & path: does it fit through doors and in the dish room?
  6. Table configuration: clean/dirty sides, scrap sink, pre-rinse?
  7. Speed vs. efficiency: cycle times and energy use trade-offs.
  8. Service & parts: who services it in Chicago, and how fast?
  9. Warranty: what’s covered and for how long?
  10. Lead time & freight: real dates, liftgate fees, install windows.

Pro tip: draw the entire dish flow (drop → scrap → rack → machine → unload → storage). If staff cross paths, you’ll pay for it every night.