Why Dumbwaiters?

Thomas Jefferson brought dumbwaiters to the U.S. during the time the founding fathers were plotting the revolution. (Hint: that is why there is “dumb” in dumbwaiter, meaning mute. You cannot repeat that which you haven’t heard. Dumbwaiters eliminated the need for waiters or servants to provide food and drink.) Ever since, dumbwaiters have been used to vertically transport goods or material between the floors of any types of buildings including: commercial, industrial, institutional and residential. Dumbwaiters solve the dual problems of space and convenience, utilizing 50%-75% less floor space than an elevator and allowing material to move vertically throughout a building unattended. Matot dumbwaiters also solve the problem of security by keeping expensive or hazardous material out of the reach of the general public. Allowing access to only specific groups.  Over the years, the dumbwaiter has lent its name to a group of products known as vertical material handling systems – systems that have proven adaptable to any situation in which goods of any kind – but not people – are moved from floor to floor in multi-story buildings.

Dumbwaiters v Elevators

Dumbwaiters are more sustainable than elevators: they use less energy, have a smaller carbon footprint and last the lifetime of the building in which they operate. They are more economical than elevators. They have a much longer life span and require one half to one quarter of the maintenance of commercial or freight elevators.