Is it true Dishwashers use more electricity/gas than washing up, or just a myth?

moonrakerz

Cardew wrote: »

Apart from washing better - glasses that sparkle
No contest in my book.

:eek: don't put good quality lead crystal in a dishwasher - it ruins it !!!!

Only the other day I saw some wine glasses in John Lewis (not even crystal) claiming to be "dishwasher safe" - closer examination of the box revealed "only wash below 40 deg, only use liquid detergent"!

We've had a dishwasher for years - best device in the kitchen !

Cardew

moonrakerz wrote: »

:eek: don't put good quality lead crystal in a dishwasher - it ruins it !!!!

Absolutely!

When the kids were young, I once had to rescue some from the dishwasher(before it was turned on) - my kids still talk about the incident as a capital offence!

moonrakerz

Yet ALL the adverts for both dishwashers and powder/tablets show wine glasses !!!

property.advert

amcluesent wrote: »

>I guess the cost is way over 27p.<

Well, mine's cold fill so those worries about draining the hot-tank aren't a problem, that 27p covers all the electricity.

As for other costs, say it was £300, used twice a week and lasted 6 years before scrapping = 49p depreciation per run. I'll ignore opportunity costs of investing that £300.

Sundries (salt/rinse aid/'value' detergent tablets) = 10p per run

I'll assume water costs are the same as handwashing.

= 86p per run.

Even if you're on minimum wage, £1.72/week to save 3 hours of washing up by hand makes sense as you could earn £17.40 instead!

So you're saying you only run the DW 2 times a week ? And the alternative is 3 hours of washing up, so 90 minutes a go ?

You would need a machine the size of a garage to hold all the items you can wash in 90 minutes. To wash 12 plates, 12 bowls, 12 side plates, 6 cups, 6 beakers, 6 mugs, 12 sets of cuttlery, 6 knives plus assorted pots, pans and stuff would only take 10 minutes or so going slowly and I don't know anyone who has 9 times that (108 plates, 108 bowls etc.) to cover your 90 minutes !

Wickedkitten

moonrakerz wrote: »

But with dishwashers you don't have all those dirty, smelly tea towels to wash - more hot water, more electricity, more detergent !

How on earth are your tea towels dirty and smelly, you do actually rinse the dishes off after you wash them, yes?


For us a dishwasher would be massively more expensive than washing them by hand because we have an immersion heater that has already boiled all of the water needed for everything. It would be nice having a dishwasher but take the initial cost of buying the thing and then maintenance in the forum of dishwasher tabs and the like, and I'll just stick with washing up by hand.

wallbash

Come Xmas day , cooking for a dozen I dont care about the cost :eek:

Life is too short to get out the marigolds:D

While those that stand at the sink , with a virtuous smile , think of me
sitting down with another mince pie:rotfl:

Wickedkitten

wallbash wrote: »

Come Xmas day , cooking for a dozen I dont care about the cost :eek:

Life is too short to get out the marigolds:D

While those that stand at the sink , with a virtuous smile , think of me
sitting down with another mince pie:rotfl:

I'll have a think for you cooking for a dozen, we're going out for Christmas this year so I won't have to worry about the washing up :T

sallyrsm

I've just bought a Miele dishwasher from Ebay for £50.
Never had one before but the place we stayed at on holiday had one and I was hooked. I have a dodgy back and standing washing up really makes it hurt.
As luck would have it there is a dishwasher-spaced gap next to the washing machine in my utility room, and the plumbing is there.
Can't wait to pick it up!!
I will of course be using Lidl's dishwasher powder, or cutting normal ones in half.
Any other tips?

CrashUK

I use cheap diskwasher powerder and vinager as rince aid. eco is 1kw to run it.. so about 10p

moonrakerz

Wickedkitten wrote: »

How on earth are your tea towels dirty and smelly, you do actually rinse the dishes off after you wash them, yes?

Don't you wash ANY of your towels then ? :rolleyes: