What Is a Flight (Rackless) Dishwasher?

How it Works

• Flight dishwashers aren't compact nor are they equipped with racks like a home dishwasher. After a brief scrubbing to clean away stuck-on food, dishes are placed on special trays and loaded onto a series of rollers that feed the trays into the washer. The washer then steams, washes and rinses the dishes as they continue their way through the machine, much like a car being pulled through a car wash. Glassware, flatware and some cooking items also go through the washer.

Benefits

• The main benefit of a flight dishwasher is its speed. Smaller models can clean up to 3,000 dishes an hour, while industrial-sized machines wash more than 14,000 an hour. The machines also save energy and water, which helps the environment and saves the business money. Restaurants and food plants also save money by having to pay fewer people to wash dishes.

Drawbacks

• Smaller restaurants simply won't have the kitchen space for a flight dishwasher. These machines measure at least 10 feet long and 2 feet wide and require several inches of clearance space for venting. Like home dishwashers, some items cannot go through the flight dishwasher such as certain cookware and cutlery items. Therefore, these items still must be washed by hand. The machines also have to be cleaned regularly for best performance.

Manufacturers

• Flight dishwashers are typically purchased through industrial supply companies or directly from the manufacturer. Hobart Corp. produces an energy-efficient model. Insinger offers six models and a dryer for your dishes. Blakeslee claims to have invented the flight dishwasher system. Several other U.S. and foreign companies manufacture flight dishwashers.