Dishwasher v By Hand

[Norman Potting]

My wife had a bee in her bonnet about buying a dishwasher. I personally couldn't see the point of having one as I do all the washing up anyway and don't consume any electricity whilst doing it!

However, last week she bought one anyway and it now sits in our kitchen where it is currently chuntering away.

I have experienced nothing to change my view of these machines since it arrived although I am putting up with it and using it. However I still can't see that it saves much time as it still needs to be loaded and unloaded and the contents still need some attention from the tea towel to get them properly dry. And then there is the issue of how much the thing costs to run, both in electricity and washing tablets.

Opinions and comments please!

 

[binky]

Hideous amounts of water used.
some electricity, not as much as a washing machine.

Like you, I cannot see the point.

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

I don't have a dishwasher in this house!

 

[Il Duce]

I'm a miserable lonely bastard so I don't need a dishwasher. When I'm married to Maria Sharapova and have had lots of kids then it might come in handy.

 

[SNOOBS]

Im made to load and unload it A very laborious job indeed

 

[NMH]

I'm a miserable lonely bastard so I don't need a dishwasher. When I'm married to Maria Sharapova and have had lots of kids then it might come in handy.

Sharapova and handy ........hmmm, yes, I see the link

 

[fatboy]

I ran out of dishwasher tablets yesterday so tried to use washing up liquid instead.

I would not suggest doing this!

 

[Spider]

Dunno how I would live without a dishwasher. No point moaning about loading and unloading as it's only about the same time as it takes to put things, by the sink and put them away, which takes out the time it takes to wash rinse and dry if you were doing it by hand. I've never had to dry anything out of the dishwasher so that's not a problem either. I don't actually mind washing up plates/glasses/cutlery by hand, but the problem for me is the temptation is there to leave stuff lying round until I finally'get round' to washing up. At least with the dishwasher I can have stuff safely packed away even if it is waiting to be washed. Dishwashers are also great for cleaning annoying dishes and pans which would take ages to soak and scrub otherwise.

 

[Nemesis]

God bless dishwashers.

 

[m20gull]

Hideous amounts of water used.
some electricity, not as much as a washing machine.

Like you, I cannot see the point.

On BBC Breakfast (when they were covering the "low carbon" family) I seem to recall they showed that it was more environmentally efficient to use a dishwasher than to wash by hand.

 

[Starry]

Got one but very rarely use it. We have one of those shower taps in the kitchen and it's my new favourite thing so I like to wash by hand.

The dishwasher is currently full of confiscated toys that belong to the children, it's a built in dishwasher and they don't know how to open it.

 

[keaton]

On BBC Breakfast (when they were covering the "low carbon" family) I seem to recall they showed that it was more environmentally efficient to use a dishwasher than to wash by hand.

I read the same thing, i wash by hand becuase we don't use a lot and our's is tempermental but environmentally and cost wise a dishwasher is much better

 

[Gazwag]

On BBC Breakfast (when they were covering the "low carbon" family) I seem to recall they showed that it was more environmentally efficient to use a dishwasher than to wash by hand.

Yes dishwashers are far more efficient, probably a bit like having a bath instead of a shower, however, if you use them after each meal rather than once a day then they are probably not

 

[Badger]

the contents still need some attention from the tea towel to get them properly dry.

I've never had the need to dry the contents of the dishwasher, usually everything is dry already unless you leave a cup or bowl the wrong way round and it fills up with water

 

[Gully]

I guess it depends on your circumstances, if you have a large family it is probably a good way of saving time, regardless of the impact on the environment. However, if like a fair percentage of the population you live alone then there is no way that having a dishwasher can be justified, it would take several days to fill up before running it...personally I would find that dead clatty, like being back in shared digs again where you have to trawl through the festering pile in the sink to find a spoon to eat your cornflakes with. Also, I have yet to find a dishwasher that can do the job better than by hand.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Nobody more anal than a dishwasher owner. Ever tried doing them a favour by helping out with the washing-up? The dishes have to be stacked just SO, else all manner of terrible things might apparently happen. Best avoided.

 

[Badger]

One of my mates used to put plates in the dishwasher with half his meal left on them and then wondered why they didn't come out sparkly and clean

 

[Blackadder]

We have one. Glasses alway seem to come out cleaner (and shinier) from the dishwasher compare to a hand wash.

Having said that. If we have a roast it's better to wash some of the pots by hand. There is no point in putting the roasting tray in the dishwasher. It just won't come out clean.

 

[SULLY COULDNT SHOOT]

Try having a big family and NOT having a dishwasher!!!!

I think that's why women didn't used to go to work... because they had so much washing up to do.