dishwasher or hand wash?

catoutthebag

If the plumbing and affordability is there, is it more energy and cost and water efficient to install a dishwasher than hand wash? Just wondering if initial outlay would be worth it in a single person apartment.

Thanks

martinsurrey

A full size dishwasher can be as efficient as 6 liters per cycle and use 0.9Kwh of electricity, thats for 13 place settings (and thats not even on the eco setting).

If you are the worlds best hand wahser-upper, and your hot water source is really close to your sink, you can beat it, but you would have to really try.

as a single person though, you are going to have to pile dishes in there for weeks to fill it, and it uses the same water and energy regardless of how full it is.

northernsoul

My about 15 year old dishwater used 1.55Kwh to 1,92Kwh depending on wash setting according to my plug in monitor. That's 20-25p at my tariff.
To fill my sink cost 0.082 metric gas units, about 4p. My combi boiler is next to the sink. I wash in the sink, I guess, about a third of the full load in my slimline dishwasher.
So therefore, in the tests and calculations I have done, to do a equivalent full load of sink washing will cost about 12p as opposed to 20-25p for the dishwasher. Newer dishwashers probably will be more efficient.
I am single and costs do not include tablets or washing up liquid (tablets can be very expensive). Dishwasher just broke recently but cannot afford a new one so have to hand wash and miss my dishwasher.

Ebe_Scrooge

Depends a lot on your family circumstances. For me, family of 5, the dishwasher goes on once a day maximum - some days it won't go on at all. Compare that with doing at least 3 lots of handwashing, 3 bowlfuls of hot water per day, it works out cheaper. Plus easier !! Downside is you may need to buy extra cutlery etc., as you can find yourself running out while the rest is waiting to be washed.

I use either Lidl or Aldi own-brand tablets, salt and rinse aid, which perform perfectly well and are a fraction of the price of the big brand names.

Overall, there's probably not an awful lot in it for most people, but personally the convenience is well worth it. I was one of these who never had a dishwasher for years ( "Why would anyone want one, I can't see the point ?" ), but I wouldn't be without one now.

EssexExile

Don't forget that having a dishwasher doesn't do away with washing up completely. Some things are too big, not dishwasher safe, have wooden bits, you need it again before the machine goes on, etc.
Wouldn't be without it though.

Yorkie1

I agree with the comments about considering how long it takes for your hot tap to run hot. Mine takes a long time - at least 1 washing up bowl's worth of water / gas wasted before you can even start filling the washing up bowl properly.

VoucherMan

martinsurrey wrote: »

A full size dishwasher can be as efficient as 6 liters per cycle and use 0.9Kwh of electricity, thats for 13 place settings (and thats not even on the eco setting).


as a single person though, you are going to have to pile dishes in there for weeks to fill it, and it uses the same water and energy regardless of how full it is.

A counter top or slimline version could be an option. I have a counter top washer. It normally takes a week to fill, so I just run it at the weekend. As my boiler is in the loft I'm sure it will be saving me money, but I haven't done any tests. For me it's worth it just not having to wash up every day.

good_deed

For a single person if you think about it in a way is no point in having a dishwasher, but if you prefer one, then go for a slimline or one with 2 drawers.

DRP

We have a slimline which is fine for 3 people.

Personally my time is worth more to me than any marginal gains/losses in ££ of dishwasher versus sink washing!

andrewf75

Makes no sense as a single person I would say. Unless you use loads of stuff or have guests very often, it will be more efficient to hand wash.

Bigphil1474

We hand-wash everything in our house, no room for a dishwasher. If it's a cost issue, the initial outlay plus running costs of the dw need to be compared to the 'running costs' of hand washing. If its pennys per day, how long before you recoop the outlay costs of a dishwasher plus fitting. Suspect it's marginal either way. Which is the more pertinent point - if there's not much in the costs, but you value not having to spend time stood at the kitchen sink washing piles of dirty crockery and having to empty and refill the washing up bowl every now and then and then have to stack everything up carefully so that you don't have to get the t-towel to make some room for more stuff, all the time wishing you didn't have to do this, then maybe a dishwasher is worth it. You might have guessed, but I'd love one. Even if you only put it on once a week, you've got somewhere to put the dirty plates and cups until you wash them, rather than having them laid around the kitchen sink. Go for it.