Dishwasher verses Washing-up

rosy

There's the initial cost of the DW + repairs + replacing it when it finally dies to take into account too, and the extra cupboard space that is available if it isn't filled with a machine. I decided not to get a DW when we did our kitchen. I have a set of wooden handled pans which couldn't go in and those being the dirtiest things meant I had to wash the worst stuff by hand anyway - same goes for glasses as they were going cloudy. So I reckoned that for the sake of the extra handwashing of some plates and cutlery it wasn't worth it. It does take ages but I quite like after our evening meal when I wash, the boys dry, OH puts away and it's extra family time & good training for the DSs( that's the theory - when they are rushing out somewhere and I'm left to do it on my own that's a different story - but I still like the chance it gives me to let my mind wander then when I 'm standing at the sink). Overall, I wouldn't go back to having one, though I do miss it for the convenience of sterilising jam jars and getting into all the awkward bits of the food processor bowl.

Bernie

We have a dishwasher for the same reason we have a washing machine, dine-out often, buy bread and potatoes from shops. Life's too short to waste doing everything by manual effort.

If you enjoy doing these things personally, good for you, have fun! For us, no way! Roll on the invention of an automatic ironing machine...

larmy16

I am not sure if I read this on Flylady, but I have made a space under my sink to put my washing up bowl and place the things used during the day there.

Come evening and doing dinner, I put some hot water in the sink with washing up liquid, let the stuff soak, then as I do the dinner, put used articles into the same water to soak. Lastly I put the whole load in the dw and use the short cycle - works fine. Splash of weak washing up liquid in the pre-wash and 1/2 tablet in the drawer. Oh yes and vinegar as the rinse aid.

I only have a slimline dw, so there are things I still have to handwash like larger saucepans and bigger plastic items etc.

astonsmummy

I'd love a dishwasher, i have eczema on my hands and it would help ease it if i did, even if i use rubber gloves they irritate it too

Glad

swizzle wrote:

Hi

I have done a search but could not find anything.

I use my dishwasher every 2-3 days and use supermarket own powder.

However would it be cheaper to wash up once a day? I have instant gas heated hot water.

Thanks

Ps My Dishwasher is cold fill only, so electric to heat it up.

there is a thread here

with some useful info

recovering_spendaholic

hollydays wrote:

I like that you put the dishes in it,and they are not sitting around cluttering up the worsurfaces.Leaves me more space and time for cooking Old- style.

That's why I like mine too - I can tidy the kitchen in about 2 minutes!

Lyndsay_21

cant wait till i get a big enough kitchen to have a dw i hate hate hate washing up, i get dw envy when i go to peoples houses and all they have to do is load it up and press the button and its done!!!

maow425

I love my dishwasher, and wouldn't be without it! We're a family of 5 (DH, me, and 3 little boys) and it really is a godsend. If I had to do the dishes by hand, I'd never get out of the kitchen! DH bought me the DW when I was pregnant with DS2, and it saved us money on the water and gas, and it really doesn't make an impact on the electric. We're on a key meter as well, so we monitor our electric consumption meticulously!

The only thing the DW has trouble with, is dried porridge (or weetabix) or egg. scrambled, poached, it has to be soaked or prewashed, but that's it. Everything else goes straight in. I use shop's own rinseaid and salt, but i don't use tabs. I use washingpowder. Just shop's value brand, about 50p for a 1kg box. Does the clothes, and it does the dishes. I've never needed dishwasher cleaner, and no glass has ever gone cloudy. And best of all, it gives me a space to bung the dirty dishes when we get company...

After we got ours, DH's parents got one not long after, and now DH's sister got one just two weeks ago. Bitten by the DW bug!

poppielia

I am having my kitchen ripped out and replaced in the next few months and i am absolutly, getting a dishwasher once it's done. I hate washing up and even though there is only my daughter, myself and the two cats living here i spend about half an hour a day washing up and i think its just a big waste of time that i could spend being more productive elsewhere in the house. After all if you work it out i am spending roughly 14 hours a month just washing up! Lifes too short and i will dance a merry dance once i have got the dishwasher.
lol.

apple_mint

We don't have a dish washer so can't compare. In our house, the washing up process is part of the way we catch up on each other's day. OH washes up the knives, chopping board etc as I cook the evening meal.

After the meal OH washes the pots and I dry and put them away. We chat to each other all the time as we do this (or OH mutters at the radio :rolleyes:). We are in a routine with this now and it doesn't take us long to have the kitchen clean and tidy again. A bottle of Fairy liquid lasts us a month - so it's just the hot water to factor in on top.