Dishwasher cutlery baskets

madame_cholet

I'm being driven bananas by plastic cutlery baskets in my dishwasher because they always disintegrate at the bottom (from movement of sharp cutlery I presume) and then bits fall through and stop the washer arms doing their thing. Does anyone manufacture metal baskets? I asked in my local shop where I purchase plastic baskets on an alarmingly regular basis and they said, no - they would get hot and be too dangerous. About as hot and dangerous as saucepans, cutlery, etc. I presume.
I've thought about lining the plastic basket with stainless steel mesh but can't find any of that locally either.
Is there a solution out there?

Madame Cholet

wallbash

Buy cheap ( plastic ) ones on ebay and replace.Mine last at least 2 years

squeaky

There are a few possible options. You can use any plastic as a lining for the bottom of the baskets. (As it happens I found a strong plastic mesh that I'd set aside from a very old printer that I knew would come in handy one day). Although a mesh will drain better, any cut out from a hard plastic, even with no holes in will be fine - though the very tip of cutlery may (but not necessarily) have the odd drop of water on it.
I also make a point (no pun intended) of always putting the sharp kitchen knives in the one section that is reinforced and no other.

My machine, btw, is now eighteen years old and I'm still using the original basket. There's just the one hole in it - which is what prompted my search of my loft for some reinforcement

Another option is cutlery drainers. The sort of stainless mesh "tins" that you can find to go with standard kitchen top washing up drying/draining sets. You might just find one the right size that will fit in a section of your basket. I've actually got a wire frame pencil holder that isn't too far away from being a perfect fit too! Thinking out of the box you see

Finally, maybe the good old plastic milk bottle solution... either a milk container or some other plastic "squareish" bottle the right size with the neck cut off and a lot of holes punched in the bottom (and sides). In fact - he sez, thinking aloud... if you make the bottom "tray bit" only one cm or less high you should be able to punch holes in it relatively easily with pretty much any hole punch. Quick and easy to make and an endless supply available as they wear out.


HTH

madame_cholet

Thanks, squeaky, I hadn't thought of using plastic. My baskets probably wear out more often then others' because I like to keep knife blades pointing downwards after a close shave (!) when I nearly got a sharp knife in my eye when loading.

cuca

madame_cholet wrote: »

Thanks, squeaky, I hadn't thought of using plastic. My baskets probably wear out more often then others' because I like to keep knife blades pointing downwards after a close shave (!) when I nearly got a sharp knife in my eye when loading.

I have had mine for a while too and havent experienced this problem. As per this post, just a word of warning. DO NOT place your big knives in the top rack of the dishwasher where they can lie down. Your slightly inebriated hubby might come home, eat his dinner then whack the rack out to put in his dinner plate. Following on from the tumbling meat cleaver landing straight thru his foot, two surgeries and 4 months in plaster...

Sorry for the ramble, but the milk bottle is a great idea. :T

ariba10

We always put cutlery in the baskets Handles first.