That's it, we are getting a dishwasher or I'm smashing every plate in the house and buying disposable ones.

[Sleep404]

After years, and I mean years, of failing to convince DH that we need a dishwasher, I have come to the end of my tether.
Having spent the week dealing with a nasty bacterial infection in 9month old ds, returning to work, playing taxi to dds hectic calendar, I have returned home tonight to find DH sick and the kitchen an utter pit yet again. So I have decided it is no longer up for discussion, we will be buying one ASAP.
I do however need some best buy advice and tips on what to look out for.
Thanks in advance.

[Twoandtwohalves]

I am a bit rubbish on the advice front but would like to say "DO IT!" I always say if nothing else it functions as a cupboard for dirty dishes. DH didn't think we needed one until we moved into a house with one and after about a year it broke and he learned we did.

Ok I can offer some tips: if you live in a hard water area even if you get all-in-one tabs you still need salt. And Aldi tabs are great. They don't take everything (we have wooden things, good knives and hard anodised pans) so they don't completely obliterate washing up, manage your expectations about this.

Good luck!

[Suddengeekgirl]

We have a Bosch one. It's fab! :)

BTW Pampered chef do bamboo spoons (instead of wooden) they can go in the dishwasher! :)

[MorrisZapp]

Hello. Are you me? My relationship cannot take another dishes related barney. I can do no more.

DP mithered for years that we can't get a dishwasher as we don't have a gap to put it in. But events are on my side. I was offered a barely used Bosch for a hundred quid so we're getting a joiner in to remove cabinets.

My new life begins next Tuesday.

[VerySmallSqueak]

I had a dishwasher once and I don't miss it.

No one wants to load or unload it.
You often have to rinse before you put really mucky stuff in.
Sometimes you have to dry stuff.
You have to dose them with salt and clean the filters and seals.

I don't think they're much of a time saver.

Buy yourself a two storey drainer and use that.

[MrsPnut]

Our dishwasher broke down and OH said that we didn't need to replace it, he'd do all the washing up.
I disagreed and went on strike. He cracked in less than 24 hours and we went to buy a Bosch dishwasher which I love a lot.
He still has to load and unload it when he's here but I prefer it to washing up.

[runningonwillpower]

Obviously a dishwasher is not an essential. But it comes close.

And another vote for Bosch.

[Chubfuddler]

Do it. The dirty plate cupboard is my favourite appliance. I'd rather do without a washing machine than a dishwasher.

[Sleep404]

Thanks everyone. Off to research Boschs.

[stargirl1701]

Bosch or Miele.

You won't regret it. It saves so much time and the dishes are so much cleaner.

[ivykaty44]

mine broke and I had to do it by hand for a while - after washing up three times a flipping day and drying up I was so glad to get a dishwasher again, it is cheaper than handwashing and easier - everyone just put thier plates in and I shove the pans in as well have a beko

[LaundryLegoLunch]

I could not live without mine which is also a Bosch. Was about £450 but with a 4 yr guarantee.

The things I find most useful are a quick 30 minute option for when you're using every dish in the place just to make dinner. And also a countdown timer as I hate having to guess how long is to go.

[JugglingChaotically]

Miele. Not cheap but last so long that end up being great value. No basket in bottom so much better for fitting pots in!

[BrownSauceSandwich]

We have a small kitchen, and wouldn't part with the dishwasher for anything. Keeps kitchen tidy, and I HATE dirty dishes lying around waiting for the washing-up fairy to appear. We have a slimline one (45cm), which is right for us, because we don't have enough plates/pans to fill a big one, so we'd be eating sandwiches off books while we waited for it to run. Ours is a Bosch, and has been running for 5 years without a hitch. I recently replaced the filter, which was a bit clogged with limescale, but even that wasn't causing us any problems.

Ps. It was husband talked me into getting it. He was right.

[BrownSauceSandwich]

Oh, and I put nearly everything in it. Including wooden spoons. Ok, it doesn't improve the spoons, but considering you can replace them at three for a pound anyway, I don't mind them going a bit dark. Alternatively, there's nothing a wooden spoon will do that a silicone spatula won't.

[delasi]

I long for a Bosch dishwasher

I don't know how anyone doesn't find them easier for the day to day stuff - plates, bowls, cups and especially cutlery. Loading and unloading is no more difficult than putting stuff into the sink and then putting dry stuff away Plus you get to hide all the dirty stuff

Like some others have said, maintain it well. Run salt through, descale/use anti-limescale product if you're in a hard water area, and rinse plates before putting them in. Again I don't see this as any harder than by hand - I always scrape and rinse plates after use, as I don't always wash them straight away and I don't want to deal with stuck on food later.

I am assuming that it will not be integrated as that's usually done with the kitchen, but regardless - don't have an integrated dishwasher! Do find out about run times of each cycle - in a holiday let the regular cycle took nearly 3 hours it seemed, it ran for ages Check the energy efficiency of the appliance as it will impact on your utility bills.

However, when I did have a dishwasher I never washed big pots, pans or food containers in it. The food containers never seem to dry in dishwasher, which annoyed me (unreasonably, I realise), and I found it easier to get a pot or pan properly cleaned by hand as the dishwasher didn't always fit it adequately. Plus big things can get in the way of the spinning arm jet thing (technical term) on the upper shelf and so prevent proper washing of other stuff. But I would still buy a dishwasher if I had somewhere to put it - all of my stuff versus a pot and a wooden spoon to scrub? No contest.

[delasi]

PS when DH is ill, I use disposable plates just to reduce the amount of stuff to wash. So I can totally see where you're coming from!

[Fairylea]

I couldn't live without ours.

Anything dirty goes in it straight away, no loading as such.

Then whoever sees its done unloads it. Easy. As long as your family is fair!

My favourite gadget :)

And Tesco value dishwasher tablets are really good.

[KatieScarlett2833]

I was in between dishwashers for a few months last year.
It was not a good experience

[VerySmallSqueak]

I don't think they're any harder delasi - I just honestly don't find them much easier!

[ChippingInNeedsSleepAndCoffee]

I don't have one - I don't like them (I hate unloading them, I hate the bits that are still wet & they often don't get things clean enough for my liking) & I have too many things I wouldn't put in there (glasses, pots, certain cutlery, sieves/colanders, sharp knives) - I'd sooner wash up by hand - and do.

However, if for some unfathomable reason I was going to get one, I'd only consider the ones that have the 3 layers, with the one on the top being a thin one for cutlery. This would be completely non negotiable.

[ChippingInNeedsSleepAndCoffee]

Oh & that horrible taste you get on cups when they have been washed in a dishwasher - bleurgh.

But each to their own