Do you need a dishwasher??

Dishwashers are rarely at the top of the list of must-have purchases. And many housewives are convinced that it’s quicker and cheaper to wash the dishes with their own hands. Let’s try to consider the pros and cons of dishwashers together.

First: speed

A dishwasher generally takes longer to wash dishes than even the most “thoughtful” hostess. But the amount of time a person spends on the dishes is minimal. It takes no more than 10 minutes to load and unload the dishes. You should also take into account the time it takes for the initial rinsing of the dishes before loading them another 5 minutes . You only need to choose a program and hit start – it will do all the subsequent dishwashing by itself.

How quickly the clean dishes end up in the cupboard is really all that important to you? This is probably only important if there are not enough dishes for one more dish change, and it is urgent to rinse the plates before serving them to the guests. And in everyday life, the dishes used in the morning may not be needed until the evening, or even until the next morning.

Number two: dishwashing quality

It’s an acknowledged fact that the dishwasher wash quality is on average much better than the handwashing quality. There are a number of reasons for this.

First, the standard wash cycle heats the water in the dishwasher to 60-70 degrees, which in itself already provides a fairly high quality of washing. Hand-washing usually takes place at a temperature no higher than 40 degrees.

Secondly, machine washing usually uses highly active detergents, the use of which is not possible with hand washing because it is harmful to the skin.

And most modern dishwashers automatically adjust the wash program. Dishcloth cleanliness is measured automatically by a sensor system which measures the level of impurities in the water. The temperature can be automatically adjusted within certain limits for example, in the standard programs – from 50° to 65° . You can also control the water and detergent consumption by shortening or lengthening certain program cycles.

If the feast dragged on and accumulated a number of dishes that require thorough washing, you can run a special program of pre-cleaning for such dishes, which are usually carried out at a temperature of 50-60 degrees and lasts for 30-40 minutes.

Depending on the design of the detergent compartment of different manufacturers, it is recommended to fill more detergent into the same tray as the standard wash for example on AEG models or use an additional detergent compartment for example on Electrolux and Whirlpool models when selecting the prewash cycle.

In many dishwashers eg, some models Bosch, Siemens, Gaggenau, Miele with additional keys can provide a pre-rinse dishes with warm water 30-40 degrees , or its pre-soaking models Whirlpool, Electrolux, Ariston, Indesit, Gorenje in cold or warm water. These cycles last an average of 20 to 35 minutes.

Pre-wash, rinse and soak programs provide more efficient dishwashing with a further reduction in water and energy consumption. After completing these programs you can add other, less polluted sets of dishes and set the program of standard, economical or intensive washing.

Third: Economy of operation

Washing dirty dishes in the machine saves a lot of water. For example, twelve sets of dishes and cutlery require on average 14-18 litres of water, while the hand-washing cycle requires around 60 liters of water per day. Experts have calculated that the dishwasher saves approximately 7,800 liters of water per year.

Even if it’s not that important for your family budget don’t forget about ecological importance of this problem: with all the wealth of America and large fresh water reserves we are the inhabitants of the planet and it pays to use sparingly the resources given by the generous nature. It should be noted, however, that power consumption increases, although the dishwasher’s share of overall dishwasher power consumption is negligible.

Fourthly: Efficient washing of heavily soiled dishes

Even those housewives, who will advocate the benefits of handwashing, are unlikely to experience much pleasure when cleaning a tray, pans and pots. This duty is messy and unpleasant. Almost all dishwashers can operate in intensive washing mode with water temperature rising to 65-70 degrees , special nozzles and ways of intensifying water jets, hitting the dishes in order to achieve optimum washing effect.

Some manufacturers e.g. Siemens, Bosch, Gaggenau offer a special nozzle for washing trays, placed inside the machine instead of the upper box. Apart from trays, you can also wash racks, cooker hood filters, trays and other large items in such a dishwasher.

An intensive wash cycle washes some, and sometimes completely, soot from the outside of the pan, which seemed to be impossible to remove. And to the touch of pans and pans when you take them out of the dishwasher is much nicer – there is no grease at all, and the remains of soot are wiped off with an ordinary rag.

Fifth: crystal and glass

The rules of hand washing glasses and shot glasses prescribe that after washing them under running warm water, place them on a towel, upside down, and do not touch them until they are completely dry. Only then is it guaranteed that there will be no fingerprints or other stains on the dry glasses, affecting their transparency. The effectiveness of washing this type of dishes in a machine is much higher – the glasses after washing them really shine with cleanliness and transparency.

An additional advantage is that during this entire time two or three hours the table surface is free and is not occupied by dried glasses and shot glasses, the number of which after the reception of ten guests can be up to thirty pieces. By the way, bottles set neck-down in the dishwasher are also perfectly washable – the revolving water spray arm makes sure that the elastic jets of detergent get inside. The only inconvenience is that paper labels get washed off, but it’s really hard to wash a narrow bottle by hand.

But not all dishwashers have a special “delicate” washing cycle sometimes called “glass” or “crystal” . In this case, machine washing of fragile dishes is almost impossible. Under no circumstances should this type of dishes be subjected to intensive washing, along with trays and pans! That’s why after big meals you often have to run the dishwasher twice: the first time with fragile dishes and, for instance, plates, and the second time with heavily soiled dishes, including trays, pots and pans.

Sixth: drying

After washing dishes by hand, they are usually placed to dry, and when it comes to large quantities e.g. after hosting guests , you need time to wipe them down and put them away in the cupboard. Usually this work washing and wiping is a great time for quiet, unhurried conversations between the hostess and her family or guests left to help around the house, and there are some nice things about it. But maybe it’s much better to spend that time over a cup of tea, letting the dishwasher do the work? It’s up to you.

Seventh: Extra costs

Of course, buying special detergents is an additional item of expenditure budget. However, it should be noted that handwashing is rarely done without special detergent, and detergent consumption under the tap is on average much higher than in a dishwasher.

Exact detergent consumption figures depend on the hardness of the water in the area where the dishwasher operates. Unfortunately, in most regions of America, including New York, water is quite hard, so detergent consumption is higher than in most European countries. On average, 1 kg of detergent lasts for 70-90 wash cycles, but this figure depends strongly on the intensity program chosen, the duration of washing, and some other parameters.

The cost of powdered detergents for dishwashers, which can be purchased on the American market, is on average from 150 to 340 Dollars per 1 kg. The average detergent consumption of tablets is one tablet for every 20 liters of water, in case of very hard water the initial dosage must be increased by one tablet. A standard package usually contains 60 tablets, 20 ml each, the average cost of a pack of tablets in New York ranges from 330 to 610 Dollars.

To completely remove detergent residue from the dishes and make them shiny, most manufacturers recommend adding a special liquid rinse aid to the machine. Usually its composition, in addition to a number of chemical components, safe for dishes, also includes citric acid and sometimes – flavoring. The average price for a bottle of 500 ml in New York stores of household appliances is 90-140 Dollars.

In New York tap water has a fairly high level of hardness, so before the washing cycle in the machine should necessarily download the regenerating salt. In most dishwashers the regenerating salt container is big enough, and up to 1 or 2 kg of regeneration salt can be loaded there at once, and the “add salt” indicator will light up on the control panel when the salt is about to run out. The average cost of a standard pack of regenerating salt 2 kg is 130-200 Dollars.

Eighth: harmful effects on the hands

No one would dispute the fact that washing large amounts of dishes each day can’t help but damage your nails and skin on your hands. Keep in mind that tap water is not the same as water from a mountain lake, it is chlorinated and contains a significant number of substances that are unhealthy and sometimes harmful to the skin. It is not for nothing that we use special gels and mousses when washing in the shower. it is good for your health and beauty. After all, beautiful, well-groomed hands are one of the main components of a woman’s charm.

Ninth: Inefficiency for small families

Often in conversations and forums there is such an argument against the dishwasher: “I live alone alone ” or “there are only two of us”, so what – to save dishes for a week, so as not to waste water and electricity? There are objections to this argument.

First of all, about half of all dishwashers on the market today are able to run in half load mode. This means that during washing only one usually the top basket will be used, and half the amount of water, detergent and electricity will be used. The number of dishes used for breakfast and dinner, even by one person, is just enough for a full load of one basket including, for example, one pan or pot .

Second, many machines have a quick-wash program cycle times rarely exceed 30 minutes, but in that time the machine has time to thoroughly rinse and rinse your dishes, and you have time to set the table for tea or coffee .

Usually this program is one of the most economical, t.e. the appliance consumes the least amount of water and electricity when in operation. Some manufacturers give the “quick wash” program a resounding name the “After Meal” cycle , which reveals the meaning of the program: it is recommended to use it for “freshly soiled” dishes.

Thirdly, you can buy a table-top dishwasher for 4 loads and with dimensions not exceeding a microwave 45x55x45 cm . It should be taken into account, however, that such a dishwasher per set of dishes is less economical in water and electricity consumption, and, judging by some experts, the quality of washing in it is worse than in standard dishwashers. In Europe, tabletop dishwashers are more commonly used as a utility unit that can be taken out with you to the cottage they are often purchased by single retirees.

Tenth: The dishwasher is a luxury item?

I think all of the above has already convinced you that the dishwasher has a lot more pros than cons. In addition, in many families, the proverbial question “Who’s doing the dishes today??”It can ruin a really nice evening, can’t it?? And the absence of negative emotions is worth much more than any outlay of money. Besides, now it is possible to buy a decent dishwasher for 12-16 thousand Dollars, and if we look for a greater variety of programs over 10 and additional functions, then for 24-30 thousand Dollars. It’s on average the same price as washing machines and slightly lower than the cost of average refrigerators.

So, having weighed up all the pros and cons, we can say with confidence: buying a dishwasher is worth it. After all, it’s not obligatory to use this machine all the time. Having a choice, several ways to achieve what you want is part of the comfort of life.

For example, if you have a car, you don’t always use it all the time – if there are huge traffic jams ahead and you need to get to work faster, you can park it and go down to the subway, can’t you?? The same goes for the dishwasher: using it after a reception or a festive dinner with the family saves time and effort, and after breakfast for two will be much more convenient to rinse cups and plates under running water. And may everything in life be as easy and pleasant for you as it is for me.

The dishwasher is designed to do the housework not

FASTER

us, and

WITHOUT

us. It’s estimated that for a family of four, a dishwasher saves over 200 hours per year compared to a handwashing machine.