Why do domestic dishwasher cycles take hours instead of being extremely fast like commercial dishwashers?
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The commercial dishwasher we used to use at my last food job. Didn’t really clean the dishes.
It just sanitized them with really high heat.
Commercial dishwashers are not dishwashers they are dish sanitizers. They can “wash” very lightly soiled dishes but they are not supposed to and are not designed to clean the dishes. The first step in washing the dishes in a commercial setting is to remove all visible “mess” from the dishes. This may require someone to scrub them with soap and a scouring pad or maybe just a quick rinse with the sprayer. After all the visible mess (food, dirt, ect.) is removed, the soap needs to be rinsed off (this is actually what the sprayer is for), then placed into the “washer” and the cycle started by closing the door. The “washer” uses either heat or a chemical to sanitize the dishes. When the cycle finishes the dishes are removed and should be placed to air dry.
Edit: changed a word for clarity
Domestic dishwashers used to be quicker and more powerful a few decades ago. Now to conservatives water and energy they depend upon soak cycles stretching the wash time further.
Many years ago the government mandated that home dishwashers use less water and less electricity. The only way they can do that is take longer to wash.
Second the government took phosphates out of the detergents those is why dishes don’t look as clean as they used to
So I sell appliances at Lowe’s and I have also worked in a professional kitchen. Here is the difference commercial dishwashers are akin to a sanitizer than an actual dishwashing machine these machines use a combination or chemicals as well hot water their cycles generally run for 3-5 minutes.
Your residential dishwasher works in a much different way, these machines use use a set amount of water along with a heating device to keep the water hot. Some machines have a sensor function as well that sense the parts per million to know if it is done or if it should keep going. Other dishwashers include a garbage disposal in the unit as well.
Environment regulations is the answer here.
The removal of phosphates from dishwasher detergent and requirement to use less water and electricity increased non-commercial dishwasher run times.
My dishwasher has a 30 minute setting, which is fine for glasses, cups and plates if I’m desperate for stuff back quickly.
It also has a 2hr 30 min setting, the highest time being 3hr 30 on an eco wash.
All but the 30 min one can be reduced by half if inosh a button to do so. It’s a Samsung Serie 6.
OP should look at buying a new washer.
LPT – buy one with an integrated cutlery tray instead of a basket. Baskets are a faff and take up too much room.
I run the water until it is hot, and then use the one hour wash cycle. It’s fine. I’m impatient, and I run the thing twice a day, and empty it immediately so I can keep loading it during the day. I rinse off tomato sauce (it sticks) and presoak pans with sticky stuff.
The longer run cycle does not require heating the water hotter than it is, and uses less hot water, but sloshes it around more. It’s supposed to be more efficient.
to add to what others are saying, commercial dishwashers are more about sanitising the dishes than actually cleaning them. They just make sure no bacteria or germs and what not survive the wash, but won’t necessarily clean any gunk or food bits stuck to the dishes. That part is done at the sink by hand with pressurised water.
a lot is because of regulations and what not over the years requiring efficiencies which use less water. The trouble is, to get the same clean using less water it has to run longer – but nobody thinks of things like that I guess.
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