First Dishwasher

[grannycake]

They are delivering my very first dishwasher today (I am the grand age of 59). I swore last Christmas wold be my last without one. I am stupidly excited and it won't even be fitted until next week. What do I need to know - tablets,salt etc. What do you put in it apart from dishes? It's a slimline Bosch - no room at all for a full sized but mostly it's just me and DH.

[rogueantimatter]

You'll love your Bosch. They're fab. I'm on my second - had the first for thirteen years.

The best tablets by far are fairy platinum. Nothing else comes close IMO. They are more expensive but they're often on special offer.

You don't need to put salt or rinse aid in as the tablets have enough in.

[Etak15]

Asda quite often have the big packs of fairy platinum on offer stock up when they do, but Inbetween times I find aldi ones really good too but most other supermarket own make are not so good. I always use salt and rinse aid too as I do notice a difference without but once you've filled them up lasts a while anyway. Another top tip is to put the tablet at the bottom of the dishwasher near the filter instead of putting it in the drawer/flap thingy because somethings when the lever releases and throws the tablet out it throws it somewhere it shouldn't like in a corner or in a cup and so it doesn't get used in the wash!

[mrsmeerkat]

Also would like to know this. I am planning on using aldi tabs. How often do you use rinse aid/salt.

[MaynJune]

I don't use salt but this is a very soft water area. You probably need it if the water's hard.

I do use rinse aid though. The dishes seem to dry better with it. Just top it up when needed. There will be an indicator or something to let you know.

I got my first dishwasher at a late age too. Love it.

[Etak15]

Salt probably every couple of months, rinse aid maybe once a month the indicator light will come on when empty. A bag of salt will probs last you a year or more and a bottle of rinse aid a few months.

[QforCucumber]

I use the aldi magnum tabs - and I actually break them in half as they left residue using whole so technically double the amount of washes for the same price.
No rinse aid/salt required if you get the all in one tabs.
I've been known to run lego/plastic toys through ours too.

[reallybadidea]

I think you're supposed to use salt anyway, even if you're using all in one tablets. I live in a very hard water area and I do notice a difference when the salt is running low. On some models you can adjust how much salt is dispensed depending on your water softness.

I buy Fairy all in one tablets from home bargains because you don't have to open a little packet, you just bung it in. Aldi tablets are also good though. I don't think it's worth paying extra for super-duper platinum or whatever.

Enjoy! I wouldn't be without my dishwasher.

[Roussette]

I have a water softener fitted for the water in the house so my water is super soft, but I still put in salt and wouldn't dream of not. When a d/w goes wrong it can be horrendously expensive so I use the best tablets, regularly top up with rinse aid and salt. The bloke who fitted the water softener said that I should still use salt, the machine would just judge it and use less.

If you let rinse aid get low you can ruin glasses as I know to my cost

[rabbit123]

The Aldi tabs are great. Don't bother with the more expensive all in one tabs, the classic ones are just fine. We're in a soft water area but use both salt and rinse aid. The rinse aid and salt are set at the levels for the water for our area. Rinse aid needs topping up every 6 weeks or so, salt lasts longer.

[grannycake]

Thank you for all your tips. It has arrived and is currently sitting in my living room where it will stay until DH can remove cupboard and fit. Will buy salt, rinse aid and tablets this week and decide later what can be dispensed with. We are in a very soft water area. Tried reading the booklet but think it's making it sound more complicated than it is. So will leave until I can try it out

[rabbit123]

Salt isn't essential in soft water areas but it does help with cleaning. Rinse aid is essential though, otherwise your dishes will still be wet at the end of the cycle

[wowfudge]

We're in a very soft water area in the NW. I don't put salt in - there was a testing kit with the machine that gave a reading that translated as no salt needed. We use Aldi Magnum tablets in ours.

[e1y1]

I've pretty much always had a dishwasher, and would never, ever be without one.

I'm in the NW too, so very soft water, and after having learnt to my cost just once: I will NEVER put salt in the diswasher again.

For some reason after years of being fine with no salt, I decided to put some salt in, from that moment on, i was finding rust spots on cultery. I never had that before, and did check it was dispensed correct and no spills/leaks etc, also made sure the machine was set to correct salt dose level etc.

This was a few years ago and have changed dishwasher twice since then, and the manuals for those two dishwashers said NOT to use salt if in soft water areas.

However, see how you go and you'll find the results you're happy with.

Oh, also agree Fairy Platinum is the best. However, I have used others and they have been fine.

[FinallyHere]

Another always had a dishwasher here, can't recommend too highly. Once, in a very small kitchen, i had only one space and decided to put the dishwasher there,with a hob on top, instead of an oven. Totally worth it.

Im strongly of the rinse plates under the tap and clear debris before loading the machine. DH claims to be happy to not rinse and just clean the filter more often never been seen to actually clean filter, just rinse

Enjoy.

[gingerdad]

I find fairy leaves an awful after taste so tend to use with Aldi or various finish ones depending on what's on offer.

[rogueantimatter]

Going to try Aldi tablets now.

[rabbit123]

I disagree with FinallyHere. Our dishwasher manual actually stated not to rinse things under the tap before putting them in the dishwasher. Just scrape off any food and put straight in. Dishwashers pre-rinse before the main wash anyway, so there is no need to do so and, according to a few online sites, it can do more damage than good.

[wowfudge]

Agree with gingerdad - I once bought Fairy ones as they were on special offer and they tainted everything plastic or silicone with a horrible soapy/perfumed taste. It was awful and was difficult to get rid of.