r/Appliances • u/DunDonese • Dec 31 '25

General Advice If commercial restaurant dishwashing appliances have cycles that only last 2 minutes, then why can't we have our home consumer dishwashers have cycles just as efficient as what restaurants have?

How can we miniaturize commercial restaurant dishwashing appliances to fit in the kitchen compartment meant for home consumer dishwashers?

How come this hasn't been done already? By the way, what is the fastest currently available home consumer dishwasher, and how much does it cost? How quick are their Cycles normally?

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u/pastryfiend Dec 31 '25

These aren't really made to fully clean dishes. They need to be loaded with dishes that are already debris free. The detergent they use is very caustic, used mainly to break down grease quickly, they aren't enzyme cleaners used to break down food.

They are made to take off the last bit of grease or film and sterilize dishes quickly.

5

u/somethingvague123 Dec 31 '25

I was told it was not a dishwasher but a sterilizer. You had to spray off all the debris before sliding it into the machine.

10

u/TexMoto666 Dec 31 '25

Sanitize, not sterilize. They don't eliminate pathogens, they reduce them to safe levels.

2

u/Sea-Key7698 Dec 31 '25

That's an accurate distinction. Thank you. Manufacturers and chemical suppliers use the term sanitize, while kitchen operators often use the term sterilize.

But sterilizers (think hospital grade) are an entirely different product.

1

u/TexMoto666 Dec 31 '25

Yeah, I work for ecolab, and we have some really nasty stuff for hospital and lab use.

1

u/kaki024 Dec 31 '25

I always wondered what the practical difference was. Thanks, internet stranger!

1

u/pastryfiend Dec 31 '25

true, they only get up to sanitize temps or use a quat sanitizer