We take every opportunity we can to revisit the great dishwasher debate. It always seems to stir controversy, and everyone clings tightly to their allegiances. The hardcore hand washers huddle in one corner -- the energy efficient machine washers in the other.
Where do you fall? Well, some new numbers might change your mind.
According to a short bit in the New York Times, "the federal Energy Star program estimates average savings of $42 a year from using an efficient dishwasher rather than washing dishes in the sink."
OK -- so saving $42 a year isn't really going to put the kids through college; however, the water savings are more significant. According to the article, "efficient machines use only about four gallons per full load, aimed in a fine stream at the dishes and used over and over. Hand washing the equivalent of a full load typically uses 27 gallons of hot water for washing and rinsing ..."
In other words, it might be time for some of us (yes, we fall into the hand wash camp) to think about investing in an efficient dishwasher. What do you think?
image via Dollface-1; sxc.hu
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Dishwasher all the way. I can't fathom how my handwashing would be more economical then my dishwasher. I put almost everything in except my pots and pans. Plus my husband is terrible at hand washing, so I would rather it go in the dishwasher.
view Maffei's profile
I love my dishwasher, but I question the 27 gallons. Fill a plastic dishwashing tub with soapy water. Wash. Re-fill tub with clean water. Rinse. I don't think that equals 27 gallons!
view SoSue's profile
I question your method of washing dishes. I've never seen any one wash dishes in their home in that manner. Also, I'm not convinced that rinsing a sink of soapy dishes in one single tub of water would get the soap off.
Most people do not use plastic dishwashing tubs to hand-wash, but rather wash under a stream of running tap water. I have no idea why I would even wash dishes in a plastic tub when I have a sink, anyway.
view Jezebella's profile
I was looking at dishwashers for my small kitchen and the drawer type and 18 inch wide type (I live alone) both seemed to cost around $800.00. I use a tub to wash and a stream to rinse. No where near 27 gallons, more like 3. So how many years do you figure it would take for that dish washer to pay for itself. I'm sure I and the dishwasher would be long gone by then.
view citizengreen's profile
OK, they're calculating the 27 gallons because you are washing *the equivalent of a full dishwasher load.* You probably don't wash that many dishes all at once; you fill your sink several times over the days, and that's how it adds up.
My biggest gripe about dishwashers is that so few seem to be very efficient. Unless you prewash (waste of water, may as well do an all-out hand washing) none of the ones I've used get the dishes very clean.
view whytephoenix's profile
We just got rid of our dishwasher so we could have a spice drawer and more food storage and because a bunch of stuff that we use either can't go in the dishwasher or takes up way to much room to justify it.
If I'm going to wash 3 or 4 cutting knives, wine glasses, several pots and pans, why not throw in a few more plates and silverware. It takes a few more minutes in the evening, but there's no dishwasher to unload (which I HATE) in the morning.
That said, I only cook dinner at home; if I cooked multiple meals throughtout the day, I would have a dishwasher.
view tarah's profile
Jezebella: The plastic tub is used because it is smaller than a sink and uses less water!
Try rinsing with a sink of clean water then, and see what you think. You might be surprised.
view SoSue's profile
re: rinsing before loading a dishwasher -
I generally run a sink full of soapy water, which I use to rinse off dishes before loading in the dishwasher - after which I use the same soapy water to wash my pots, pans and other hand washables, rinsing in another sink full of clean water. I figure I'm going to be making a sink full of soapy water anyways to do the hand washing - might as well make the best use of it.
view Delairen's profile
When I wash by hand, I fill one sink up about halfway with hot, soapy water. The other side of the sink has hot water with a splash of vinegar in it for rinsing. The vinegar cuts the suds and they dry spot free. I can do a LOT of dishes with a quarter sink of rinse water, and it gets all the soap off.
view Blueleaf's profile