Dishwasher vs manual

daveyjp

For a single person choose a slimline model, they hold plenty. Wouldn't be without ours, we hate washing up (drying more so) and it can be emptied while the morning kettle boils. It's also brilliant for washing our removeable oven door glass, glass vases, gas hob metal fittings etc.

Jonesya

As other posters have mentioned - make sure you don't over-pay for the detergent tablets. Homebargains sells some standard ones ('Clean & Fresh' - basic generic tablets) for less than 6p/tablet, if you you go in the supermarkets some of the Finish range are priced at almost 40p each.

Paul_the_Painter

Mine uses 11L of water & 1.1 Kwh of electricity on a 'normal' 50 degree wash. I use the cheap tablets, rinse aid lasts for ages and no salt needed as soft water where I am so 40p per load all in approx (I'm on a water meter)

11 litres of water (cold) @ 0.3p/litre - 3.3p
1.1 KWh of elec @ 12.5p / KWh - 13.8p
dable of rinse aid - 2p
tablet - 10p

under 30p if not using salt - might get up to 40p if using expensive tablets and salt.

Against this hand washing will use 5-10 pence worth of Fairy, and assuming about a couple of sinkfulls of water @ 10 litres each. 6p for the water, and 10p to heat it so comes to about 25p if you are a frugal hand washer - I know I'm not that good, tend to leave the tap running!

So cost wise - no real difference

Need2bthrifty

I am also a single person household and have never got used to using the "thing" - it was already in the kitchen when I bought the property 6 years ago).

It took me 2-3 days to use up enough dishes etc to fill it, therefore making it worthwhile putting it on, also I don't like the idea of dirty dishes sitting in the "thing" for 2-3 days, so I end up rinsing them to remove food - so I'm practically washing the dishes anyway!!

I'm thinking of having it removed to make space for another cupboard where I can store lots of bulk bought bargains and/or other kitchen gadgets that are of more use.

Taking 10/15 mins to wash & dry dishes is a sort of luxury/chill out time for me, when I'm on auto pilot listening to the radio or having some "thinking time"

daveyjp

Our last tablets were 4p each, 600 will last years!

CKdesigner

daveyjp wrote: »

For a single person choose a slimline model, they hold plenty. Wouldn't be without ours, we hate washing up (drying more so) and it can be emptied while the morning kettle boils. It's also brilliant for washing our removeable oven door glass, glass vases, gas hob metal fittings etc.

Hi

I am sorry but I don't agree with this advice about a slimline model for one or two people.

Slimline models generally cost more to purchase, use the same amount of water, detergent and electricity if not more than the full size equivalent models. This is because a lot more full size dishwashers are sold than slimline models so generally slimline models have older technology and have higher production costs.

So there is one reason only to have a slimline dishwasher and that is because you physical haven't enough room for a full size one.

CK

MX5huggy

Another vote for avoid slimline, in addition to CK's points, you want your DW most when you have guests, with a full sized one you sling it all in, with a slim one you have to stack and wait.

craigsville_2

way i see it is a dishwasher is like a washing machine. In the stone ages people were happy to make do with doing laundry by hand. now we have moved past the 18th century, why on earth would you choose to use the time and energy to acheive an inferior result when we have amazing inventions like the wheel, clay pottery and dishwashers?????

lollipopsarah

Yes I do miss it now that i've downsized, but then I remember washing half of it by hand anyway - tins too big to fit in and anything wooden which breaks.
now though I have to bleach cups and cutlery - grrr.
xx

VoucherMan

As a single person I went for a counter top dishwasher (mainly to to lack of space)

I use it about twice a week but still wash pans by hand as it's not big enough for them and the crockery.

My boiler is in the attic so it takes a while for the water to come through hot. If I do have any pans or other big stuff I'll rinse it out then when I'm ready to use the dishwasher I'll wash them up as well. It saves on the amount of water being wasted though I've not tried costing it.

And as others have said - I'd hate to be without it now.