A dumbwaiter is a small freight elevator that carries things — never people — between floors at the push of a button. Groceries from the garage to the kitchen, laundry up to the bedroom level, firewood, dishes, restaurant supplies. If you’re tired of hauling loads up and down the stairs, or worried about someone taking a tumble doing it, a dumbwaiter is one of the most practical things you can add to a home or business. We carry residential models sized for everyday household loads and commercial-grade units built for restaurants, clinics, and multi-story buildings. Our team installs and services dumbwaiters throughout Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas, and we handle the permit paperwork where it’s required.

Dumbwaiter

SHC Hide-A-Waiter

The Hide-A-Waiter is a residential dumbwaiter built by Staying Home Corporation in Harrisonville, Missouri, designed to move laundry, groceries, firewood, and other everyday items…

200-275 lb load capacity
5-yr motor & gear, 2-yr parts
Travel to 50 ft / up to 4 stops

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Dumbwaiter

Inclinator Homewaiter

The Inclinator Homewaiter is a residential dumbwaiter that moves everyday loads between floors so you don’t have to carry them up and down the stairs.

120 lb load capacity
2-yr warranty
Travel to 35 ft / up to 4 stops

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Find the right kind first

Same goal, different tools. Start with the type that fits your home and how you live in it.

Homeowners who are done hauling groceries, laundry, and firewood up and down the stairs.

Residential Dumbwaiters

A compact cab — usually 20 to 24 inches square — tucked into a closet-sized shaft, moving everyday loads between floors. The residential models we carry handle 120 to 275 lb, run on regular 120V house current or battery power, and serve up to 4 or 5 stops. Hoistway doors can be built by your carpenter to match your home, or ordered commercial-grade. Ideal for garage-to-kitchen grocery runs, laundry, firewood, and wine cellars.

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Restaurants, clinics, hospitals, offices, and any multi-story business that moves supplies every day.

Commercial Dumbwaiters

Heavier-duty units built for daily workhorse service in restaurants, medical buildings, schools, and shops. Capacities run 100 to 750 lb across the lines we carry, with cabs up to 36–39 inches wide, fire-rated bi-parting or slide-up doors, and counter- or floor-loading so staff can roll a cart straight in. They cut back strain and stair trips.

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The brands we carry, and what you actually get

Standard features come with the unit. Upgrade options cost more — worth knowing before you compare quotes. Every number below comes from the manufacturer’s own documents (sources under each model).

Inclinator Company of America

Inclinator has been building residential lifts in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania since 1923. Its dumbwaiter line runs from the compact Homewaiter for homes up to commercial-grade units for restaurants, hospitals, and offices — all fully automatic, with the car sent or called from any floor.

Homewaiter

Residential dumbwaiter

Comes standard

Fully automatic controls — send or call the car from any floor
Winding drum drive with high-torque motor and enclosed worm gear
Door interlocks so the unit won’t run unless hoistway doors are closed and locked
Broken-rope instantaneous safety device and terminal limit switch
Openings on 1, 2, or 3 sides
Floor-loading or counter-height design
Runs on standard 120V house current

Upgrade options

Stainless steel or hardwood veneer cab
Commercial-grade bi-parting, slide-up, or swing hoistway doors
Builder-supplied custom swing door to match your home
Collapsible cab gate in various finishes (or 3″ lip, no gate, where code allows)
In-use lights, arrival lights, arrival gong, door-open alarm
Auxiliary car stabilizing rollers and removable adjustable shelves

Capacity	120 lb (54 kg)
Max cab size	Custom sizes up to 24″ x 24″ x 24″ (8 cu ft max)
Travel	Up to 35 ft (10.6 m)
Stops	Up to 4, with automatic controls at each landing
Speed	30 fpm
Power	120V / 20 amp, 60 Hz house current; 24 VAC control circuit
Drive / guide rail	Winding drum with galvanized wire rope (2,800 lb breaking strength); monorail guide rail

Manufacturer warranty: Inclinator’s published Limited Product Warranty: 24 months on complete units from factory shipment (extended plans available); 12 months on individual parts. Annual maintenance by a qualified elevator contractor is required; labor, consumables, and cosmetic wear are excluded.

Where these details come from

HOMEWAITER SPECS.pdf, inclinator.com/assets/pdf/specifications/
Inclinator Dumbwaiter Owner’s Manual 85310923 Rev D (inclinatordealeraccess.com) — warranty text
Inclinator_Dumbwaiters_Brochure.pdf (Drive)
Inclinator_Dumbwaiters_Brochure.pdf (Drive); HOMEWAITER SPECS.pdf, inclinator.com
Inclinator_Dumbwaiters_Brochure.pdf (owner’s Drive)
https://inclinator.com/residential-dumbwaiters/
https://www.inclinator.com/assets/pdf/specifications/HOMEWAITER%20SPECS.pdf

Commercial Dumbwaiter (200 / 300 / 500 lb)

Commercial dumbwaiter

Comes standard

Fully automatic controls from any level
Winding drum drive with enclosed worm gear and magnetic brake
Door interlocks — car won’t move unless doors are closed; doors open only at a landing
Painted steel cab; openings on 1, 2, or 3 sides
Counter-loading or floor-loading configurations
Monorail C-channel guide rail
Emergency hand-crank retrieval on 300 and 500 lb units

Upgrade options

Stainless steel cab
Bi-parting, slide-up, or swing hoistway doors with call buttons
Bi-parting, slide-up, or collapsible cab gates (where code allows)
Car light, in-use lights, arrival lights, arrival gong, door-open alarm
Key-switch operation and time delay relay
Removable adjustable shelves, stabilizing rollers, laminate floor

Capacities	200 lb, 300 lb, or 500 lb
Max cab size	Custom sizes up to 36″ x 36″ x 48″
Travel	Up to 27 ft on 200 lb model; up to 47 ft on 300 and 500 lb models
Stops	Up to 6
Speed	40 fpm (300 lb model)
Power	220V electrical (300 lb model: 208/220V, 30 amp)
Drive	Winding drum, high-torque 3 hp motor with enclosed worm gear (300 lb model)

Where these details come from

80207334 300LB DW SPECS Rev A, inclinator.com
Inclinator Dumbwaiter Owner’s Manual 85310923 Rev D (inclinatordealeraccess.com) — warranty text
Inclinator_Dumbwaiters_Brochure.pdf (Drive)
Inclinator_Dumbwaiters_Brochure.pdf (Drive); 80207334 300LB DW SPECS Rev A, inclinator.com
Inclinator_Dumbwaiters_Brochure.pdf (owner’s Drive)
https://inclinator.com/commercial-dumbwaiters/
https://inclinator.com/content/uploads/2019/11/80207334-300LB-DW-SPECS-Rev-A.pdf

Staying Home Corporation (SHC)

Staying Home Corporation builds its lifts in Harrisonville, Missouri — right in our service region — and ships dealer-direct. We carry SHC home elevators and stair lifts as well, and the Hide-A-Waiter is its battery-powered dumbwaiter, designed for fast plug-and-play installation.

Hide-A-Waiter

Residential dumbwaiter

Comes standard

Rack-and-pinion drive — no cables, chains, or drums, and no slack-cable lock-ups
Battery powered with charger, so it can keep running in a power outage
Car and drive pre-mounted to the rail for plug-and-play installation; no machine room or pit
Automatic operation with RF call stations
Onboard diagnostic indicator light for troubleshooting
Residential door interlocks, overspeed governor (Type A), machine access switch
RAL powder-coated steel car on aluminum rail
ETL listed to ASME A17.1-2019 / CSA B44-2019 and ASME A17.5-2019 / CSA B44.1-2019

Upgrade options

Brushed stainless steel car
Extended travel beyond 10 ft, up to 60 ft
3-stop and 4-stop packages with interlocks and call stations
Key switch and ‘car here’ indicator on call stations; call-and-send station upgrade
Automatic car lighting and automatic homing
Custom car sizes (up to 15 cu ft) and custom sill heights

Capacity	275 lb per dealer order form; SHC’s site lists 200 lb on 20″ and 24″ cars, 275 lb on the 30″ car
Car sizes	20″x20″x30″, 24″x24″x30″, 30″x30″x36″; custom up to 15 cu ft
Travel	10 ft standard; optional up to 60 ft
Speed	20 fpm
Stops	Up to 5
Drive	Rack and pinion
Power	Battery powered with charger
Code compliance	ETL listed: ASME A17.1-2019, CSA B44-2019, ASME A17.5-2019, CSA B44.1-2019

Manufacturer warranty: Per SHC’s 2025 dealer order form: 1 year batteries, 2 years parts, 3 years drive train/circuit board (finish and labor not covered). SHC’s website states 5 years on motor & gear and 2 years on all other parts — confirm current terms with SHC at order.

Where these details come from

Order Form_DUMBWAITER.pdf (Drive, Rev 07/2025)
Order Form_DUMBWAITER.pdf (Drive, Rev 07/2025); stayinghome.com/hide-a-waiter-dumbwaiter/
Order Form_DUMBWAITER.pdf — SHC Hide-A-Waiter dealer order form, Rev 07/2025 (owner’s Drive, SHC order-forms folder)
https://stayinghome.com/hide-a-waiter-dumbwaiter/

Matot

Matot builds commercial-grade dumbwaiters. Its lifts serve restaurants, hospitals, retail, and industry.

Matot Commercial Dumbwaiters (light, medium & heavy duty)

Commercial dumbwaiter

Comes standard

Winding drum or traction drive systems
Manually operated bi-parting, slide-up, and swing UL Fire Rated doors with UL-listed locks
UL-approved microprocessor controls
Architectural-grade stainless steel or primed finishes
Elevator-type precision guide rails
Counter-loading or floor-loading; openings on single, opposite, or adjacent sides

Upgrade options

Power-operated doors and gates with automatic operation
High-speed drives and extended travel
Self-supporting tower (up to 700 lb)
Variable-frequency/vector drives
Security options: keypads, key locks, external interfaces
Designated Clean and Soiled units for healthcare
Explosion-proof builds and automated delivery systems

Capacity	100 to 750 lb
Max car size	39″ deep x 39″ wide x 48″ high
Car configurations	10 suggested sizes, from 18″x18″x24″ up to 38″x38″x48″
Speed	50–200 fpm
Travel	Minimum rise 18 in; optional travel up to 300 ft
Drive types	Winding drum and traction (traction on cars 30″+ wide)

Manufacturer warranty: Ask us for the current written warranty terms.

Where these details come from

Matot-Brochure.pdf (Drive); matot.com/products/dumbwaiter
Matot-Brochure.pdf (owner’s Drive, Dumbwaiters folder)
https://www.matot.com/products/dumbwaiter
matot.com/products/dumbwaiter

Our Promise

Two warranties on every install

Each unit above carries its manufacturer’s written warranty — terms vary by model, and we put the exact terms in your quote.

Every installation also carries our 6-month workmanship warranty, on top of the manufacturer’s warranty: if our work was not done right, we come back and fix it at no cost to you — as long as the issue was not an act of God or misuse of the machine.

Questions families ask us

Can people or pets ride in a dumbwaiter?

No. Dumbwaiters are built for things, not riders. Inclinator’s owner’s manual says it plainly: the dumbwaiter “is not designed to move people or animals.” If someone in your home needs a lift between floors, look at our home elevators, stair lifts, or vertical platform lifts instead.

How much weight can a dumbwaiter handle?

It depends on the model. Inclinator’s residential Homewaiter carries 120 lb, and SHC’s Hide-A-Waiter handles up to 275 lb. Commercial units go bigger: Inclinator builds 200, 300, and 500 lb models, and Matot’s commercial line runs from 100 lb all the way up to 750 lb.

Can I add a dumbwaiter to an existing home, or only in new construction?

Both. Inclinator designs the Homewaiter for existing homes as well as new builds, and SHC’s Hide-A-Waiter needs no machine room or pit — the car and drive arrive pre-mounted to the rail for a quick plug-and-play install. The main question is where to run the shaft, and that’s exactly what our free home visit figures out.

Do I need a permit for a dumbwaiter in the Wichita area?

Cities and counties across our Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas service area have their own rules for dumbwaiter installations. We handle the permit paperwork and code compliance as part of the job.

What kind of power does a dumbwaiter need?

Residential units are easy on your electrical system. Inclinator’s Homewaiter runs on ordinary 120V house current, and SHC’s Hide-A-Waiter is battery powered with a charger, so it can keep working during a power outage. Commercial units, like Inclinator’s 200–500 lb models, need 220V service.

Does a dumbwaiter load at the floor or at counter height?

Either one. Counter-height loading is handy for hand-loading groceries or dishes; floor-level loading lets a business roll a cart straight in. Inclinator and Matot both build counter-loading and floor-loading versions, and openings can be placed on one, two, or three sides of the car.

How many floors can a dumbwaiter serve?

More than you might think. Inclinator’s Homewaiter serves up to 4 stops and travels up to 35 feet. SHC’s Hide-A-Waiter serves up to 5 stops with optional travel to 60 feet. Inclinator’s commercial models serve up to 6 stops, and Matot’s commercial units can be built for travel up to 300 feet.

Not sure which one fits your home?

That’s the point of the free in-home assessment. We measure, we listen, and you get a straight answer — with a written quote and no pressure.

Call (316) 361-6220 Book a Free Consultation

Manufacturer documents

Straight from the manufacturers — brochures, owner’s manuals, and planning guides you can read or save.

PDFInclinator Dumbwaiters — BrochureOpen / download →