There are several small laundry businesses whose cleaning requirements exceed the capability of domestic appliances but are lower than high capacity professional machines. When the requirement is somewhere midway between household washers and industrial capacity appliances, there are several different options in the market.
Listed below are a few considerations to keep in mind when choosing a commercial washer for a small business:
1. Load
What is your average load per cycle? The tiers that should be considered are: Up to 8kg, from 8-12kg and above 12kg.
Domestic washers come in 8kg load capacity, which is quite big for a household but lack the design and performance needed for a business. The market offers 8kg washers designed and built as commercial washers that deliver a good balance between an almost-domestic capability and the needs of a small business.
While the 8-12kg range is no longer considered a household washer, it isn’t a ‘real’ commercial washer either since the load is still quite small for these appliances. Nonetheless, you can find washing solutions that can match professional performance with smaller loads.
If your washing load exceeds 12kg, chances are you are not running a small business, so you should look at real commercial washers for your operation.
2. Operating time
How fast do you need the machine to operate? Household washers are designed for family timeframes, not for guests in small hotels who need their laundry washed, dried and ironed in 2 or 3 hours. To choose a commercial washer for your small business, you need to ask yourself what average cycle time you need. Available solutions can range from 50% faster than household washers to an even shorter time for the full washing-drying cycle.
3. Durability
How long do you need the washer to operate?
The average number of cycles under standard operating conditions is the fundamental measure of durability. A household washer normally lasts for 2500 cycles. Commercial washers have multiple ranges: 2500 to 7500, 7500 to 15000 and 15000 to 30000 cycles.
The first two ranges are suitable for a small business. A commercial washer designed to complete more than 15000 cycles is hardly desirable for a small business since the performance/cost ratio is way above its needs.
4. Programs and special needs
Do you need special wash programs?
For example, a disinfecting/sanitising function is a must for small nursing homes, clinics, veterinarians and even spas. These programs are hardly ever found in household appliances, but are possible in commercial washers for small business, albeit only in the most advanced models.
