Dumbwaiters in London


Installing Dumbwaiters for Busy Kitchens in London

Dumbwaiters have been a staple of busy kitchens for more than a century now. They’re ideal for getting hot food to diners efficiently, whilst also avoiding slips on the stairs as busy staff try to rush between the kitchen and the dining room. Tower Lifts is an established installer of dumbwaiters in London where we work with hotels, restaurants, cafes, and pubs.

What are Dumbwaiters?

Dumbwaiters, also known as food lifts, service lifts, small goods lifts, or micro lifts are designed to enhance service in the hospitality sector. Dumbwaiter lift systems were first introduced in New York in the late 1800s, as a system of transportation for goods in restaurants between floors and up from the kitchen areas. The initial design involved a shaft, a cart and a manually operated system of ropes and pulleys.

The sleek 21st century dumbwaiters in London kitchens are sleek and efficient, cabinet style lifts that are normally positioned at waist height, but can custom designed at floor level, for example. Modern dumbwaiter lifts carry loads of up to 100kg and have a stainless-steel interior finish for easy cleaning.

Key features include:

  • Size and cabinet design can be customised to kitchen requirements.
  • Removable shelves for ease of access when cleaning.
  • Control panels at each landing.
  • Audio and visual indicators.
  • Heated dumbwaiters to keep hot food at an ideal temperature.
  • Rise and fall shutters.

Other Uses of Dumbwaiters in London

A good idea will inevitably find new applications as time goes by. We have recently installed dumbwaiters in London residential properties and retail:

1. Residential Dumbwaiters

The dumbwaiter got its name when aristocratic families needed to find a way to keep servants out of the room so they could gossip over afternoon tea with friends. Now, two centuries later, the dumbwaiter is back. There are a number of benefits for families of all shapes and sizes:

2. Retail Dumbwaiters

Over the past two decades Tower Lifts has been approached by a number of leading retailers all of whom need a way to keep staff on the shop floor, rather than having to retrieve stock from a storeroom. In each case the Tower Lifts team has been able to design a bespoke, on brand solution, using dumbwaiters as the basic model. Whether it’s shoes, small goods or spectacles this small, unassuming workhorse has proved a retail star.


About Tower Lifts

We’re a leading provider of lift design, installation, and maintenance for dumbwaiters in London. Over the past two decades, we’ve created bespoke dumbwaiter lifts for hotels, restaurantsretail and residential properties. Tower Lifts is an ISO9001:2015 Lift Cert and UKAS approved company adhering to all current Lift Regulations.

Our designers and installers have experience working across a range of sectors and are as comfortable working in a variety of private and commercial environments. We understand the need to schedule pragmatically when working in a busy kitchen or retail setting and we work closely with clients to achieve this.


If you would like to know more about the dumbwaiters in London we have designed and installed, call us today to speak to one of the Tower Lifts team on 01525 601099


Look what else Tower Lifts can offer:

Bespoke Platform Lifts • Food Lifts • Passenger Lifts • Dumbwaiter Lifts • Step Lifts • Goods Lifts • Scenic Lifts  • Car Lifts  •  Low Pit Lifts  •  Service Lifts