Dishwasher real world costs

[Pulsedriver]

Hey folks, our current dishwasher is on the way out and I am looking at a replacement and have come across one that uses 6 litres per wash (in eco mode) and is A++ Energy rated.

By its specifications it uses;

• Eco 50 programme: 262 Kwh per year, based on 280 standard cleaning cycles
• Eco 50 programme: 0.92 Kwh
• Water consumption Eco 50 programme: 6.5 litres
• Water consumption in Eco 50 programme: 1820 litres per year, based on 280 standard cleaning cycles

So, 280 cycles is around 5 times a week and it uses 1820 litres (or thereabouts) per year

I am pretty sure our water meter rate is around £1.50 per cubic meter which is 1000 litres? So say £3 per year use for be dishwasher in water? That seems impossible, I must have it wrong? I know there are sewerage costs etc but even if you say it’s £20 a year, that is pennies of water use ?

Is that realistic or have I botched the figures completely? As at this rate it would seem using a dishwasher full every day is far more efficient than hand washing in the sink ...

 

[bremen1874]

Using a (full) dishwasher will use less water than hand washing. It's one of the claimed benefits.

 

[Rotty]

never understood dishwashers, surely in the time you spend loading and unloading you could hand wash them anyway

 

[w1ze1]

Had one 20 years (not the ex wife either) and rarely use it, far quicker and cleaner job to do by hand.

Those shopping channel vids of a dried on baking tray coming out like new are BS.

 

[wesimmo]

never understood dishwashers, surely in the time you spend loading and unloading you could hand wash them anyway

Not really.

I assume you unload your drying rack after hand washing, so that's the same amount of time.

And you load it as you use stuff, which keeps the place tidier between washes and takes little to no more time than putting it on the sideboard to be washed.

But I do agree for certain things it's not practical, sometimes you just need a good old scouring pad and elbow grease.

Plus, if your other half is like mine, at least the dishwasher rinses the bloody pots and doesn't leave them full of soap residue that you can taste.

 

[theone8181]

Using a (full) dishwasher will use less water than hand washing. It's one of the claimed benefits.

Ive never believed this, im sure i dont use 6 litres in the bowl. I will admit tho that i have a hot water tank so it takes time for hot water to come thru which as a work colleague pointed out, the dishwasher would be cold fed and would heat it up itself.

 

[Daaaavvveee]

Had one 20 years (not the ex wife either) and rarely use it, far quicker and cleaner job to do by hand.

Those shopping channel vids of a dried on baking tray coming out like new are BS.

Ours is brilliant, and does get any mess off.

Wouldn't be without one now.

 

[peige]

Water in real terms is cheap so the the number doesn't surprise me, don't forget that your also charged a percentage of that back for waste so real charge per litre is higher.

Would never be without a dish washer, family of 5 ours get run every night and sometimes a short wash in the early evening to cover the stuff teenagers have used during the day.

 

[Semple]

Remember to add your leccy bill to the costs.

far quicker and cleaner job to do by hand.

Can't see how you'd ever handwash cleaner than a dishwasher, they wash at much higher temps etc.

 

[darkgen]

never understood dishwashers, surely in the time you spend loading and unloading you could hand wash them anyway

I confess I'm kind of with you and have never understood the real need for them. My American wife was aghast at the fact that my house did not contain a dishwasher but over the years she has come around. There's just two of us so washing up is regular and kept minimal anyway. (Don’t tell her but .. ) I actually find it quite therapeutic daydreaming out of the window onto the garden when I'm on duty.

 

[topgun06]

Ive never believed this, im sure i dont use 6 litres in the bowl.

Next time you wash up measure out 6L using measuring jug. Let me know how get on. Id imagine you will be using more than 6L per wash.

 

[a1ex2001]

Next time you was up measure out 6L using measuring jug. Let me know how get on. Id imagine you will be suing more than 6L per wash.

Most washing up bowls are near to 10L in capacity and if your doing it properly you will need to use multiple bowls as one bowl of water for a family of 3's dishes for the whole day is a) unlikely to work and B) is going to be pretty grim plus you should be rinsing the soap from the plates. Modern dishwashers are incredibly efficient and I very very rarely have anything come out anything other than spotless. M

 

[TheVoice]

I live on my own and have one, it's great. I usually run it every 2-3 days on an eco wash overnight. I hate washing up so before I had a dishwasher I'd probably be leaving stuff piled up next to the sink for the same amount of time anyway.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

Hand washed almost impossble to match normal items getting dishwashed for cleanliness. Unless the person doing the handwashing has 1) asbestos hands 2) uses loads of hot water rinsing each item by hand.

You may use 6L to handwash thats not impossible, but if your doing a dishwasher full of washing that bowl of water would look more like soup at the end.
I am pretty stunned how they manage to get stuff so clean, but they do.

Some really heavily baked on things do require a little intervention some times. Either a minor hand scrub or another trip through.

I rekon having the dishwasher saves time and money.

 

[hornetstinger]

Use a dishwasher at work, they certainly are great, and if you're cooking a family meal saves time. Great if you have greasy pots and dishes.

No different to washing machines, why don't you clean your clothes in the sink, saves water and doesn't take long?

Because the washing machine does it for you, bung them in, put powder in and let it do it's thing.

Plus if you're busy last thing you want to do is more housework.

 

[theone8181]

Is there much difference between brands with dishwashers as i am looking to go for a bosch one (and also replacing the washer with a washer/drier to accomodate).

 

[ttaskmaster]

never understood dishwashers, surely in the time you spend loading and unloading you could hand wash them anyway

Whatever the wife cooks, it seems to require far more pots, pans, oven dishes, spoons, blenders, mixers and other weird kitchen thingies than anything I rustle up. As a consequence you can lose most of the evening to hand-washing... and sinks are seemingly built for short-arses, so add crippling backache to the mix.

I'm not exactly the poster-boy for any technology built after the 1700s, but a dishwasher is pretty high on even my ranking.... just below the belt-fed machine-gun, in fact!!

 

[johnny6]

never understood dishwashers, surely in the time you spend loading and unloading you could hand wash them anyway

I can safely say I spend less time loading and unloading the dishwasher than the time spent hand washing items before we had a dishwasher in the house.

Also two dishwashers is the future....

 

[jpaul]

if you are cooking from scratch, often need soapy hot water to wash utensils up mid process (unless you have massive duplication) eg. wooden chopping board / favourite knife / measuring jugs / sieves / saucepans + hands.
so wash up as you go ? ... giving negligible wasted time.
If you use Pb wine glasses too, these don't go in dishwasher.

How often do you need to clean dishwasher filters to keep them efficient ?

 

[Psycho Sonny]

i never believed dishwashers were any good until i had one.

washing by hand will almost certainly leave stuff caked onto plates and glasses. little things you can't see whilst washing but when dry they stand out.

we use ours maybe 2 times a week. you just keep on filling it until it's full. mine also has 3 levels. bottom for large dishes/items. middle for smaller/medium sized dishes and cups / glasses. the top for cutlery.

everything comes out spotless. if there is something that looks like it will be a handful (mainly roasting trays/dishes). i'll fill it with some hot fairy water and let it sit for a couple of days until the machine is full then put it in the machine. the pre-soak will have softened the grime up for the machine.

i can now tell when i eat at other peoples homes if they have handwashed or used a dishwasher. it's easy to tell which just shows you how good dishwashers are in comparison. if my dishwasher broke tomorrow i'd definitely buy a new one. tablets cost buttons too from B & M (finish powerball). think i got a 3 year supply for £10.