News and Information

Booster Heaters are Part of a More Efficient Kitchen

The decision to make repairs, replacements, or perform full-scale remodels of a commercial kitchen takes several factors into consideration. It requires you take a moment, step back, and review your options. Walk through your kitchen as if you’re seeing it for the first time. Are the aisles cluttered? Does the layout make sense for your workflow? Is your booster water heater struggling to keep up with demands? Compare repair costs to a new unit, consider future repairs, and move forward based on budget and risk.

Safety

Safety is number one. If any of your kitchen equipment is a hazard, it could be putting your staff in danger and it’s time to repair or replace it. Keeping your equipment in safe working condition is a non-negotiable. Dovetailing with safety is compliance.

Compliance

Compliance is a key part of any commercial kitchen or restaurant. Your equipment needs to be health code compliant, otherwise your kitchen won’t pass health inspections.

FDA Food Code

This model code provides guidelines to ensure safe food handling in retail and foodservice operations. Specifically, it mandates that dishwashers achieve a utensil surface temperature of at least 160°F during the final rinse, as measured by an irreversible registering temperature indicator.

NSF/ANSI Standard 3

This standard establishes minimum public health and sanitation requirements for commercial warewashing equipment, including dishwashers. It covers aspects such as materials, design, construction, and performance for effective sanitization.

If your water isn’t keeping up with these standards, consider a booster heater. Hubbell dishwasher booster heaters are engineered precisely to meet 180°F during the final rinse cycle for effective sanitization.

Equipment and Supplies (E&S) Evaluation

Assess whether your existing equipment is still meeting your needs. Keeping a preventative maintenance program can guide your decisions on what needs fixing or upgrading. Frequent breakdowns or inconsistent performance might indicate it’s time to replace certain items.

Once you’ve assessed your equipment’s performance, consider how easily it can be serviced. Hubbell booster heaters are some of the most reliable on the market, but when service is required, operators find it straightforward. The digital display provides clear temperature readings and error messages. The leak detection system alerts users to internal water leaks before they become major problems. Independent component servicing means parts can be replaced without unnecessary disassembly, and the all-in-one probe handles all sensing functions and can be replaced without draining the tank. These features keep repairs simple and downtime minimal.

Many Hubbell booster heaters parts are available online for easy repairs by part number. If you don’t see your part number available for purchase, contact our tech support team at tech@hubbellheaters.com or (203) 378-2422. However, servicing outdated models from another manufacturer may require hard-to-find components.

For further reading, use this guide to evaluate your equipment and supplies (E&S).

Energy Efficiency

Ovens, refrigeration systems, and dishwasher booster heaters all require a lot of energy. Outdated kitchen equipment can drive up utility costs. Review manufacturer specifications and evaluate the energy consumption of your existing appliances. Is your facility up to modern standards? If not, new equipment could be a worthwhile investment.

For your dishwashing room, Hubbell offers several energy-saving booster water heater options tailored to your needs. Hubbell tankless booster heaters deliver on-demand hot water, meaning they only heat water when needed. They are an ideal and efficient solution for applications with variable or intermittent hot water use.

Hubbell electric dishwasher booster heaters have small tanks (3, 6, or 16 gallons). They maintain a small, preheated reservoir of water, delivering high-temperature water on demand and rapidly reheating its supply. While they have some standby heat loss, they are preferred in high-use commercial settings for their efficiency.

Energy-efficient refrigeration, ventilation systems with demand-controlled ventilation (DCV), and low-energy LED lighting all further reduce electricity consumption. For further reading, the U.S. Department of Energy provides guidelines and best practices for commercial kitchen equipment.

Is your layout working?

Deciding whether a remodel is necessary comes down to how well your current kitchen supports daily operations. Are bottlenecks slowing down service? Are safety hazards, like poor ventilation or cramped workspaces, putting your staff at risk?

A remodel might be the best move if your kitchen layout isn’t keeping up with demand or if inefficiencies are hurting productivity. Proper spacing and organization improve safety. Good design also helps staff communicate better, which leads to faster service and fewer mistakes.

Consider how your menu, customer volume, and workflow have evolved—if your space isn’t meeting those needs, it may be time to upgrade. A remodel is the perfect time to rethink your space—streamlining workflows, improving communication between stations, and making better use of available square footage. It’s the most impactful, but most expensive solution.

Cost Analysis

As a business, it all comes down to cost. Compare the costs of repairing equipment versus investing in new units or giving your entire kitchen a remodel.

Over time, repairs may grow more expensive, and operators will have to weigh the risk of future repairs and other operating costs. Sometimes replacing the unit altogether is a more economical choice. What’s the initial expense versus your potential return on investment?

Reliability is not just a word for us – it's everything we do.

Hubbell offers the best booster heaters available. They consistently and accurately deliver hot water when needed. For over a century Hubbell has delivered commercial food service equipment that stands up to the rigors of even the busiest kitchens (and busiest service techs). Contact us today and experience the Hubbell difference.