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Original poster

Do you have 2 dishwashers? Or regret not having 2 dishwashers? Come and talk to me!

226 replies

GappyValley · 05/05/2021 11:04

First world problem alert 🚨

We are currently doing a once-in-a-lifetime kitchen extension and redesign.
This is the last part of the refurb of our forever family home which we bought as a bit of a wreck so very keen to get it right so I never have to have builders set foot in the house again..!

We have seen quite a few kitchen companies, and half of them have suggested getting 2 dishwashers, suggesting it’s up there with a boiling water tap as a family essential.

The company we’ve ended up going with for the kitchen was Team OneDishwasherOnly but I am now having buyers remorse and wondering if I should ask them to incorporate a second one into the design.
It would mean sacrificing some cupboard space, but I’m wondering if that’s worth it?

We are a family of 4, and love cooking, having people over, doing big roasts, so can envisage times when we would need both
But can also see that for the majority of the time, we wouldn’t

Arghhhh

OP posts:
NatMoz · 05/05/2021 11:10

2??? We don't even have 1!

vodkaredbullgirl · 05/05/2021 11:12

1 is enough, only dishwasher I have is me.

BernardsarenotalwaysSaints · 05/05/2021 11:13

We're a family of 7. I cook from scratch the majority of the time. We regularly have people over to eat (well we don't currently but did pre covid). You don't need 2 dishwashers.

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Home improvement
CRbear · 05/05/2021 11:13

My parents recently got two (one outside and one inside would you believe it!) and they wouldn’t be without. I’m envious! So handy for overflow - they host a lot too. Would also be great to unload the repeat every day stuff straight out onto table and almost have a dirty / clean.

Original poster
GappyValley · 05/05/2021 11:14

Fair enough!
Like I said, this is a truly first world problem and I’m well aware of how silly it is to be stressing over this Grin

I had always dreamed of the day I could go into a kitchen shop and get the nicest of everything, after a lifetime of terrible falling apart kitchens, and now it’s happening, it’s more stress than I envisaged

OP posts:
changeruset2748 · 05/05/2021 11:14

I've never known anyone have 2, the only time we'd benefit from two are the likes of Christmas Day. Whilst I can see some benefit I really don't think it's very common!

Nordstrom · 05/05/2021 11:16

Family of 6 here with 2 dishwashers. Very handy!

MarmaladeBumpkin · 05/05/2021 11:17

I think 2 microwaves would be more valuable more often than 2 dishwashers. We wish we'd incorporated a 2nd microwave in our kitchen - we went with 2 ovens instead and the only time both get used is Christmas. Our 1 dishwasher seems fine though.

PanamaPattie · 05/05/2021 11:18

When our 4 DC lived at home, having two dishwashers saved years of arguing over who was responsible for emptying it and putting stuff away. Like all families, we used the same plates/dishes/glasses etc over and over. Take a plate from “clean” dishwasher A, use it and put it in “dirty”dishwasher B. Then swap. Simple.

changeruset2748 · 05/05/2021 11:18

@MarmaladeBumpkin I think that goes to show how personal it is to the family, we barely use our one microwave, can't think of a single time I'd have benefited from having 2!

Northernsoullover · 05/05/2021 11:19

If I had two dishwashers whichever one had the clean stuff in would become my cupboard Grin

LudoBear · 05/05/2021 11:20

Why would you need 2?! I don't have one, and have never had one.

Cormoran · 05/05/2021 11:21

@changeruset2748 a friend of mine had two when we were growing up. Very strict Jewish family and they had two sets of everything in the kitchen so that milk and meat would never touch. So two dishwashers, two fridges, two ovens, two sets of plates, knifes, ....

LudoBear · 05/05/2021 11:21

And what the hell is a boiling water tap?

pollyannaperspective · 05/05/2021 11:21

We did two dishwashers and a Quooker 13 years ago, when both were fairly novel in a domestic setting. All going strong. Wouldn't change the decision.
If you have the space I would recommend.

Confusedaboutlots · 05/05/2021 11:22

do it! yes it’s a first world problem but who cares - if you think it would be handy and it’s once in a lifetime and you would get buyers remorse, do it!

life is short, why not. and if you host a lot i actually think it would be very helpful

Bells3032 · 05/05/2021 11:23

We have two as the previous owners left them. It was useful when having people over but i don't think its a necessity. i'd probably prefer the extra space for storage

yikesanotherbooboo · 05/05/2021 11:24

DSis has 2; family of 5 .it's only needed on high days and holidays . It hasn't made me hanker for one. Ha ! Re 2 microwaves. I have one but haven't yet found it useful at all. I would, however love to have a boiling water tap.

idontlikealdi · 05/05/2021 11:24

If you've got the space then why not? I've got a slimline, bane of the life, it's on 4x a day on average, can't wait until our extension is finished and we have a full-size.

I dishwash everything apart from y knives though.

pollyannaperspective · 05/05/2021 11:25

Ludo depending on the brand, a tap that dispenses boiling, rather than just under boiling temp, water. Makes tea - we don't have a kettle, water ready to boil pasta, veg etc so saving on cost of heating water from cold. The boiling water tap is more economic in the way it heats and stores the water.

BahHumbygge · 05/05/2021 11:25

Why would you need 2 dishwashers Confused Unless you're Jewish and need to keep a kosher kitchen, have 14 children or run a small hotel?

ZacharyQuack · 05/05/2021 11:25

We have a double dish drawer. It’s great, and holds so much more than a standard dishwasher. I usually use the top drawer for plates, glasses, cups and cutlery, and the bottom drawer has the racks folded down so it holds pots and pans, mixing bowls and serving dishes.

pollyannaperspective · 05/05/2021 11:26

It's a first world 'opportunity'! It's not need but choice.

Triffid1 · 05/05/2021 11:27

I know people who have two and absolutely love it, especially if they are keen entertainers. I would quite like two, but not enough to justify the removal of additional cupboard space. And ultimately, I think that's what it comes down to - two is fantastic as long as it doesn't involve compromise in some other way. A friend has a huge kitchen with more than double my storage space so a second dishwasher is fantastic for her but I have very limited storage so can barely justify one.

BarbaraofSeville · 05/05/2021 11:27

The idea with two is that you use the clean dishes out of one and put the dirty ones in the other and switch them on when they are full. I can definitely see the advantage with a family that cooks from scratch routinely, so will always have a lot of washing up on the go.

Of course, at Christmas or other bigger gatherings you can use both at the same time, but the main advantage is that it more or less makes the task of emptying the dishwasher go away.

You could probably also get away with less cupboard space for crockery, because the dishwashers also serve this purpose.