When Every Inch of Counter Space Counts
In a massive Wetherspoons, nobody cares how wide the glasswasher is. In a converted horsebox bar, a micro-pub under a railway arch, or a tight coffee shop counter, 4cm is the difference between success and disaster.
If you are reading this, you probably have a “dead space” under your bar that is too narrow for a standard industrial machine. You are likely debating two options:
- Washing glasses by hand in a sink (Slow, illegal for hygiene ratings, and staff-intensive).
- Buying a domestic dishwasher from Currys (Takes 2 hours per cycle, illegal for commercial use).
There is a third option: The 350mm Commercial Glasswasher.
It is the industry’s best-kept secret. It gives you the 2-minute cycle of a big machine, but fits in a gap just 41cm wide.
The “Domestic Trap” Calculator
Check if your glasswashing setup is illegal or costing you revenue.
The “Domestic Trap”: Why You Cannot Use a Home Dishwasher
I see this in new small bars all the time. You buy a Bosch dishwasher because it’s slimline. Here is why that is a business-ending mistake:
- The Law: Commercial hygiene regulations require a rinse cycle at 82°C for a specific time to kill bacteria. Domestic machines often don’t hit this or hold it long enough. EHO (Environmental Health) can shut you down.
- The Speed: A domestic rapid cycle is 30-40 minutes. A commercial 350mm cycle is 2 minutes. On a busy Friday, you cannot wait 30 minutes for 12 glasses.
- The Warranty: As soon as you put a domestic machine in a commercial premises, the warranty is void.
You must buy a commercial unit.
The Best 350mm Glasswasher for 2026
Since this is a niche size, there are fewer options than the standard 400mm/500mm market. However, there is one clear winner that balances price, build quality, and size.
The “Pocket Rocket”: 350mm Premium Commercial Glasswasher
Affiliate Link: Check Price on Amazon
This machine is the standard for small UK venues. It is stripped back, industrial, and designed to work all night.
The “Need to Know” Specs:
- Basket Size: 350mm x 350mm.
- Capacity: Holds approx. 9-12 Pint Glasses (or 16 half-pints/spirit glasses) per cycle.
- Throughput: capable of doing 30 cycles an hour (that’s 300+ clean pints an hour).
- Construction: 304 Grade Stainless Steel. This isn’t plastic; it’s proper catering grade.
Why We Recommend It: It solves the “Small Bar” problem perfectly. It fits under low counters and narrow gaps. It has automatic detergent dosing (so staff don’t have to measure liquids), and crucially, it is simple. Fewer fancy electronics means fewer things to break in a humid micro-pub.
⚠️ The Engineer’s Warning (Read This): This specific model is usually a Gravity Drain machine.
- What this means: The waste water flows out by gravity. The machine must be placed higher than your drain pipe.
- The Fix: If your waste pipe is higher than the floor, you will need to build a small plinth/shelf to sit the machine on, or install a separate external pump. Do not ignore this, or it will not drain.
Installation Tips for Small Spaces
When you are fighting for space, “Standard Dimensions” are dangerous.
1. Watch the Depth (The Handle Trap) Manufacturers list the “Depth” of the machine casing. They often forget to include the handle sticking out the front or the water pipes sticking out the back.
- Advice: Allow at least 5cm extra depth behind the machine for the water inlet and waste hose. If you don’t, the machine will stick out and trip your bar staff.
2. Ventilation Even small machines generate heat. If you box it in completely tight with wood, the element will overheat. Drill some ventilation holes in your cabinetry.
3. The 13-Amp Advantage The beauty of 350mm machines is that they almost always run on a standard 13-Amp 3-Pin Plug. You don’t need to pay an electrician £200 to hardwire it. You just plug it in.
Small Bar, Big Margins?
Running a micro-pub or mobile bar is all about efficiency. You don’t have the space for waste—whether that’s wasted space, wasted time washing glasses by hand, or wasted stock.
If you are operating on tight margins, you need to know exactly how much profit is in every keg. A 350mm glasswasher solves your hygiene problem, but it won’t solve your GP problem.
Stop guessing. Start knowing. Track your stock, calculate your margins, and run your micro-pub like a PLC. 👉 Use the Roast Forecaster Tool
Summary
If you have a gap narrower than 45cm, you have one solid option.
- The Pick: 350mm Premium Commercial Glasswasher
- Best For: Micro-pubs, Coffee Shops, Mobile Bars.
- Don’t Forget: Check your drain height!