Hobart vs Jackson vs CMA
Operations · Warewashing Equipment
Commercial dishwasher choice is one of the most consequential back-of-house decisions an NYC operator makes — wrong call adds 30-60 minutes to dish-pit turnaround during peak service, and the wrong NYC service network turns a 4-hour repair into a 4-day shutdown of plate flow.
Three brands dominate the operator-grade conversation. Hobart is the household name with the broadest NYC service network — every Heritage Foodservice tech and most independent service shops are certified on AM/CRS series. Jackson WWS is the value-quality champion — Tritan-grade construction, simpler service, ~20% lower acquisition price at equivalent throughput, and a fast-growing NYC dealer network. CMA Dishmachines is the operator-priced underdog — California-built since 1976, lowest unit cost in the tier-1 segment, and excellent for tight build budgets that don't want a bottom-tier import.
The 5-year TCO is dominated by chemical contracts, service calls, and rinse-water consumption — not the headline price. Get the chemical contract review right (Auto-Chlor or Ecolab tied to a specific machine model) before the unit ships.
Hobart is the default specification for NYC full-service kitchens — the AM Select door-type alone outsells every other door-type machine in the five boroughs combined. ITW backing means the deepest US service network and the deepest dealer parts inventory: Singer Equipment, TriMark, and Kesco all stock every Hobart SKU at all times. Premium pricing buys you energy recovery as standard, ventless DERA configurations for tight NYC spaces, and the lowest service-response time in the category. If you want one machine to think about for the life of the lease, this is it.
- AM Select (door-type)Up to 60 racks/hr · energy recovery std$8,000-$15,000
- LXe (undercounter)24-30 racks/hr · ENERGY STAR$3,500-$6,000
- CL44e / CL54e (conveyor)208 / 266 racks/hr · energy recovery std$30,000-$60,000+
- FT900 (flight-type)12,000+ pieces/hr · custom-engineered$80,000-$150,000+
- +Largest NYC service network — same-day tech response
- +Broadest portfolio: undercounter through flight-type
- +Energy recovery + ENERGY STAR standard on most models
- +Ventless DERA option solves NYC hood-permit problem
- −Premium pricing — 30-50% above CMA, 15-25% above Jackson
- −AM Select lead time can stretch to 4 weeks in peak buildout season
Jackson is what operators pick when they want Hobart-grade service infrastructure at 25-40% lower acquisition cost. Hoshizaki backing brings Japanese build quality and a strong NYC parts pipeline. The DishStar door-type is the sensible mid-volume default; the RackStar 44 conveyor handles serious hotel banquet volume at materially lower cost than the Hobart CL series; and the 10A/10AB glasswasher is purpose-built to survive nightclub abuse. Available through every major NYC foodservice dealer.
- Avenger (undercounter)24-30 racks/hr$2,500-$4,500
- DishStar (door-type)Up to 60 racks/hr$4,000-$8,000
- RackStar 44 (conveyor)202 racks/hr$20,000-$35,000
- 10A / 10AB (glasswasher)Standard bar volume$3,000-$5,000
- +Hoshizaki financial + service backing
- +Strong NYC dealer + parts network (rivals Hobart)
- +25-40% lower acquisition cost vs Hobart equivalents
- +10A/10AB glasswasher built to survive nightclub punishment
- −Lower brand recognition with consultants than Hobart
- −Energy recovery not standard across the line
CMA is the budget call for NYC delis, pizza shops, small cafes, and pop-ups. The CMA-180UC undercounter processes 30 racks per hour at $2,000-$3,500 — the lowest cost-per-rack on the market — and chemical sanitizing eliminates the booster heater entirely, cutting installation cost. The trade-off: less sophisticated wash technology, no energy recovery, no IoT, and shorter durability under high-volume abuse. For a 20-seat deli washing 40 racks a day this is the right call. For a 150-seat restaurant doing 200+ racks nightly, spend more.
- CMA-180UC (undercounter)30 racks/hr · chemical sanitizing$2,000-$3,500
- EST-66 (door-type)Small-restaurant door-type$3,500-$6,000
- GL-X (glasswasher)Compact bar glasswasher$1,500-$3,000
- +Lowest cost-per-rack in the NSF-listed market
- +Chemical sanitizing eliminates booster heater + install cost
- +Compact footprint fits the tightest NYC spaces
- +1-2 week lead times — the fastest in the category
- −No energy recovery, no IoT, no advanced features
- −Shorter lifespan under sustained high-volume use
- −Service network thinner than Hobart or Jackson
The right pick depends on the use case.
Hobart AM-Select and CL-series flight-type handle 3,000+ dishes/hr at peak. Every NYC service tech is Hobart-certified — same-day parts at Heritage and Tri-State Refrigeration. The premium pays back in uptime during dish-pit emergencies on a Saturday night.
Jackson Avenger HT door-type at $5,500-8,500 hits 60% of Hobart performance at 70-75% of the cost. Tritan construction, simpler tech, and the NYC dealer network has caught up to Hobart for door-type service. Best balance of cost + service + reliability for mid-volume.
CMA L-1X16 and similar undercounter units at $2,200-4,500 are the lowest-cost tier-1 commercial dishwashers in NYC. California-built since 1976, simpler service, and parts inventory is improving. Don't over-spec for low-volume cafés.
Hobart flight-type (FT900/FT1000) is the banquet standard for a reason — 7,000-10,000+ dishes/hr, modular hood/conveyor add-ons, and the entire banquet-staff training ecosystem in NYC is built around Hobart workflow. Jackson and CMA don't play in the flight-type tier.
Jackson DishStar/Avenger glass-wash series has best-in-class rinse temperature consistency for Riedel/Zalto/Schott stemware. Hobart works but is over-spec'd at 60% of the cost; CMA glass-wash is acceptable but rinse-temp variability shows in stemware spotting.
For a first-time operator on a tight build budget, CMA is the best balance of price + reliability + service availability. Saves $2K-$5K vs Hobart equivalent. Upgrade to Jackson or Hobart at year 3-5 when revenue allows.
Default for most NYC F&B: Hobart for 150+ covers or where uptime is mission-critical; Jackson WWS for 50-150 covers where TCO + value matter most; CMA for cafés/fast-casual or first-time operators on tight build budgets.
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