Hood Type Dishwasher: The Pass Through Machine Restaurants Step Up To

The hood type dishwasher — also sold as a pass through dishwasher — is the machine most restaurants and hotel kitchens settle on after outgrowing an undercounter unit. It sits under a condensate hood, takes standard 500×500 mm racks, and a single operator can push 40 to 60 racks through per hour. This guide explains how it works, what it costs to run, and how to compare models before requesting quotes.

How a hood type dishwasher works

An operator rolls a loaded rack into the machine, pulls the hood down, and the cycle runs automatically: wash, then a hot final rinse. The hood lifts, the rack rolls out clean, and the next rack rolls in. Wash and rinse tanks sit below the deck; the condensate hood above captures the steam a 60–80°C wash releases.

The pass through layout is the same machine from the other direction — racks enter on one side of the hood and exit on the other, passing straight through. Choose the direction that matches your dishroom flow: dirty drop-off on one wall, clean staging on the other.

Hood type vs undercounter: when to step up

Undercounter machines tuck under a worktop and suit bars and cafes up to roughly 30 racks per hour. Three signals say it is time to move to a hood type machine:

• Staff queue at the undercounter between cycles during service.
• Your site passes 40 racks in any single hour, even occasionally.
• Pans and trays need their own washing window because the undercounter cannot hold them.

Above 60 racks per hour sustained, compare rack conveyor dishwashers instead — the step after hood type.

Running costs: water, power, and the hood

A hood type machine uses roughly 2 to 3 liters of water per rack. High-temp models draw a 180°F final rinse, which requires a booster heater and usually a condensate hood for steam extraction; low-temp chemical-sanitizing models skip the booster and often the hood, trading hot water for sanitizer chemicals.

Compare candidates on three numbers: water per rack, tank heating power (recovery speed between racks), and connected load. Our cost guide shows how those numbers translate into monthly running cost, and the water temperature guide covers the sanitizing requirements behind them.

Installation checklist before you order

• Height under the hood: confirm the open hood clears your ceiling, extraction ducting, and any shelving.
• Table height match: entry and exit tables should align with the machine deck so racks slide, not lift.
• Drainage: a floor drain at the machine, sized for dump-and-refill of both tanks.
• Power or steam: confirm supply matches the machine’s heating configuration before ordering.
• Rack standard: 500×500 mm racks across the site keep baskets, peg racks, and flatware racks interchangeable.

Frequently asked questions

How many racks per hour does a hood type dishwasher wash?

Most wash 40 to 60 racks per hour, depending on cycle length. A 60-second cycle with fast hood movement sustains about 60; longer cycles for heavy soil drop the number to around 40.

What does a hood type dishwasher cost?

Hood type machines typically run $5,000 to $15,000 installed, moving with chamber height, tank power, and heat recovery options. Oberon quotes against your rack volumes and utility supply — see the 2027 cost guide for the full budgeting frame.

Pass through and hood type — the same machine?

Yes. The terms describe the same hood-lift machine used in different flow directions: hood type loads front-to-back under the hood, pass through loads one side and unloads the other. Specifications and racks are identical.

Related reading

• Commercial dishwasher types: a buyer’s guide
• Racks per hour in practice: three installation case studies
• HACCP compliance for commercial dishwashers

Sizing a hood type machine for your kitchen? Send Oberon your peak rack counts — application engineers will match a model and layout to your dishroom.