Dishwashers and tumble dryers - yay or nay?

andypandy86

Just buying a new house - it comes with an integrated dishwasher - we are a couple with no kids. Is it worth using it or would it perhaps be better to simply manually wash as we always have done?

Furthermore, we are considering buying a tumble dryer? Should we simply use clothes horses and our washing line (large yard) and save the environment?

Thoughts please

tanith

Dishwasher is a yes without doubt if cost and space aren't an issue then why waste time washing dishes? , tumble dryer no.. if you have outdoor space to dry and airers for bad weather days then you can adequately dry stuff without a tumble dryer.. they cost a lot to run too.

rach_k

I wouldn't be without a dishwasher again. If you have enough crockery and cutlery to fill it before putting it on, I think they use quite a bit less water than the average person hand washing and do a better job than I can ever be bothered to do!

I wouldn't be without a tumble dryer either, although I try to air dry when practical for environmental reasons. They are handy when you realise something is needed quickly and they fluff up things like towels nicely. I have a washer dryer to save space but they are probably not as efficient as separates. Time wise, I can easily wash and dry three loads of washing in a day in the washer dryer so I don't find one machine to be particularly restrictive as I know some people find them. If you're just moving to a new house, I would wait and see how things dry where you are first. You may find the house is already damp so probably wouldn't want to air dry inside in the winter or you may find it fine so a tumble dryer could be a waste.

RavingMad

I've found the dishwasher saves us water as we only have to wash every couple of days and there's no need to run the water to get a hot bowl of water.

Plus we don't argue who's turn it is to do the dishes

daveyjp

Yes to both. It is a myth that tumble dryers are very expensive to run. Tens of pence per load. You can use the same power boiling a kettle 9-10 times a day.

SamDude

RavingMad wrote: »

Plus we don't argue who's turn it is to do the dishes

We don't argue over who has to load the dishwasher either.



(always me) :rotfl:

andypandy86

OK great - I think I'll definitely be using this dishwasher - we probably just need a little more crockery to be sure to fill it before running out of things to eat off of!

And we'll prob evaluate the situation first before we go ahead and buy a dryer - it'd be nice to have the option though - our homebuyer report did mention minor damp issues in the downstairs chimney breasts so I would be a little wary of constantly air drying stuff in the house

stator

Dishwasher yes, it uses less water but more electricity. However you are buying precious minutes of your life, that's priceless.
Tumble dryer is a matter of preference. I believe they wear out your clothes faster. They're not very eco friendly. But they don't cause damp problems like drying clothes indoors might. Drying clothes outdoors is the best option, free and eco friendly. But when it's crap weather outside you might just want to use a tumble drier

Smiley_Dan

daveyjp wrote: »

It is a myth that tumble dryers are very expensive to run. Tens of pence per load. You can use the same power boiling a kettle 9-10 times a day.

Yeah, only 20x as much...

http://www.sust-it.net/energy-saving.php?id=41
http://www.sust-it.net/energy-saving.php?id=19

And those are the best performers!

techno12

A tumble dryer is worth it for the speed of drying. I use mine for 80mins and the clothes are lovely and warm ready to be worn again.

Costs about 25p a cycle and no condensation issues due to drying them indoors (I have no outside space), waiting for days for them to dry out fully.

macman

Since the dishwasher is already installed and paid for, and will use less energy than washing up by hand, why would you not use it?
Tumble drier is a different argument.