Kitchen Equipment News & Information Warewashing

Best Commercial Glasswashers: Review of our top 5 models

by : Tim Taylor - Eco Catering Equipment 3 months ago

As with any major purchase of catering equipment, buying a commercial glasswasher can be a significant investment and could impact the entire operation of your bar. With the number of brand and model choices available, it can be a confusing process. You want to buy the right unit for your operation at the right price. Under-specify a glasswasher, and you’ll be struggling to offer customers fresh drinks. Over-specify your glasswasher, and you’ll be spending money unnecessarily.

The good news is, there are a number of options available to suit every site. There are several leading brands that offer the very best in efficiency, performance, innovation, and longevity. The bad news is, you’ll have to try to decide which is the right choice for you.

So, in order to help with that, we have created a list of the top 5 glasswashers we currently supply. These aren’t the only commercial glasswashers available, but they are all units we supply. As a result, we have a first-hand understanding of their key selling points, as well as their longer-term efficiency based on feedback from our customers.

2024 Update:

We have refreshed this list as of 2024, and as far as glasswashers are concerned, there’s not much to add. The same great units are still as good as ever, some even a little better, with the Premax GP-10C (formerly known as the GPW-10B) getting a new and improved control panel. We’ve also moved the Maidaid C402 up to the number 3 spot as, considering the current economy, it is more competitively priced, as well as having a better warranty. Though the Ecomax G404W remains a great choice as well. Otherwise, our rankings remain unchanged; every unit on this list still stands its own.

These are the 5 standout commercial glasswashers we currently have available from Hobart, Maidaid, and DC (Direct Catering):

Premax GPW/SW 10B Commercial Glasswasher

1. Hobart Premax GP-10C & GPS-10C

Top of the class in performance and efficiency

Rack Rating: 60 p/hr (2160 glasses) Rack Size: 500 x 500 mm Wash Tank: 10.8 ltrs Water Cons: 2 ltr p/cycle Cycle Times: 60 / 90 / 120 secs. & Special Programmes

+ Leading efficiency

+ Fantastic performance for the busiest sites

– Price

– Warranty length

The leading commercial glasswasher is the Hobart Premax GPS-10C. This warewasher is made for high performance. Designed and built for busy, larger bars, pubs, and events companies. It is packed with innovative technology and unique features that aren’t available anywhere else.

As you would expect from a glasswasher of this calibre, it is one of the most economical to run. What you pay upfront is more than recovered over the life of the machine.

The Hobart GPS-10C features a new VISIOTRONIC touch-controller, which marries an intuitive single-button control with a colour touchscreen. It also comes with clip-in upper and lower wash arms for great wash results and easy cleaning and maintenance. Plus, with an interlocking strainer to prevent blockages, coupled with the Genius X2 Filtration system, this keeps the wash water fresher for longer. One of the unique, standout features for the Premax model is the revolutionary INTESIV4 drying cycle. Your glassware not only comes out crystal clear and clean but also dry and ready to use. With so many outstanding features, this really is the ultimate commercial glasswasher.

2. Hobart Ecomax Plus G515W & G515SW

Mid-Tier Hobart washer, packing a heavy punch without the Premax price tag

Rack Rating: 60 p/hr (1500 glasses) Rack Size: 500 x 500 mm Wash Tank: 10.6 ltrs Water Cons: 2.5 ltr p/cycle Cycle Times: 60 / 120 / 180 secs.

+ Comprehensive Specification

+ Easy-to-use control panel

– Additional racks are expensive

– Warranty length

Next up is another Hobart, this time the mid-tier Ecomax Plus range. The G515SW and G515W.

The Hobart Ecomax Plus G515SW has an easy-to-use control panel and an inbuilt USB interface for easy diagnostics. This makes servicing, fault diagnoses, and software updates quicker, easier, and more cost-effective. A third wash cycle has also been added, giving you more flexibility.

These features are in addition to the Ecomax Plus’s already standout features that it’s known for. A small wash tank, double-skinned door and cabinet, uprated wash pumps, etc. This Hobart Ecomax Plus glasswasher continues to offer leading efficiency and performance within this price bracket whilst giving you more control and an easier machine to maintain. An incredibly efficient all-rounder at this price point.

3. Maidaid C402 & C402D

A reliable, versatile, compact glasswasher with a 2-year warranty

Rack Rating: 40 p/hr Rack Size: 390 x 390 mm Wash Tank: 10 ltrs Water Cons: 1.9 ltr p/cycle Cycle Times: 90 / 120 / 150 secs.

+ Good spec. for the price point

+ 2-year warranty

– Pricing isn’t far from its German counterparts

– Drain pump is an optional extra

Next we have the Maidaid C402 glasswasher. The C402/D offers a good level of spec. for a small glasswasher. Built around the 390 x 390 (mm) rack size, the Maidaid C402 glasswasher offers a decent level of options, making it suitable for smaller independent sites and busier bars that are pushed on space. It has a choice of 3-cycle options, 90, 120, and 150 seconds, allowing you to tailor it to your preferred requirements.

A patented wash pump, coupled with a partial double skin design and an energy-saving mode, make this an effective and energy-efficient machine to own. The comprehensive, easy-to-use control panel, along with a moulded wash tank and automatic self-cleaning function, make this an incredibly easy machine to operate and maintain.

A great option at an affordable price, it even comes with a two year warranty.

4. Hobart Ecomax G404W & G404SW

Hobart quality at a reasonable price. Perfect for smaller sites.

Rack Rating: 60 p/hr (960 glasses) Rack Size: 390 x 390 mm Wash Tank: 10 ltrs Water Cons: 2 ltr p/cycle Cycle Times: 60 / 120 secs.

+ Double skinned door reduces heat loss and noise

+ Upper & lower wash & rinse arms for complete glassware coverage

– Expensive accessories

– Warranty length

A little embarrassingly, we have yet another Hobart glasshwasher, this time in the 4th slot. There are plenty of reasons for this however; it’s a very good machine. This time it is from the Hobart Ecomax range. The Hobart Ecomax G404SW and G404W provide Hobart’s German design and build quality at an affordable price point. It is the latest iteration of Hobart’s smallest glasswasher. The G404SW is a compact, professional unit, perfect for placing under your bar and within easy reach.

Even though it’s Hobart’s smallest offering, it still packs a punch. It comes with a built-in drain pump, ensuring fast draining and refilling. An integral chemical dosing system delivers accurate detergent and rinse aid dosing every time. The G404SW also includes an inbuilt automatic water softener. To minimise user error, the G404 has an easy-to-use electronic control panel and digital temperature display. It includes upper and lower wash and rinse arms for complete wash coverage, a number of units of this size only have one wash arm.

All of this great specification, in a very compact yet powerful package.

Watch our Ecomax & Ecomax Plus comparison video here:

5. DC SG40

A solid workhorse, at an affordable price

Rack Rating: 30 p/hr (540 glasses) Rack Size: 400 x 400 mm Wash Tank: 14 ltrs Water Cons: 2.4 ltr p/cycle Cycle Times: 120 secs.

+ Cost effective solution for around £1000

+ Flexible specification allows you to control the price and meet your budget

– Parts only warranty

– Everything is an optional extra

The DC SG40 glasswasher is a great option if you run a smaller site with lower throughput requirements. The German units lead the way, but they come at a cost and just aren’t necessary for some bars. DC glasswashers offer a simplified machine that does what it needs to do: wash glasses.

Everything is optional, which can be a little frustrating, but it does allow you to tailor your glasswasher to your specific requirements, which means you’re not paying for features you don’t need. The SG40 is equipped with an easy-to-use control panel and a fixed 120-second wash cycle. It offers, simple, reliable performance, perfect for smaller sites. We like it’s simplistic approach. The DC SG40 is a good, cost-effective, professional glasswasher.