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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:
SoMuchForSummerLove · 05/05/2021 11:29

If you love having people over I would go for two ovens instead of two dishwashers.

Floralnomad · 05/05/2021 11:29

We have 1 dishwasher , family of 4 , unless you don’t plan on putting clean stuff away I can’t see why you would use 2 . We put a wash on after dinner and then dh empties it in the morning before breakfast ready to start packing again and so on .

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 05/05/2021 11:30

If I could afford it I'd have one just for spoons, we seem to get through so many of them.

(Actually, thinking about it, I might be the source of the problem - I do drink a lot of cups of tea during the day.)

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Home improvement
AdventureIsWaiting · 05/05/2021 11:30

We (pre covid) did a huge amount of cooking and entertaining. One dishwasher only. With enough surface space and crockery (eg plates for cake if lunch plates are in the washer) you can just stack it up and wait for the wash to finish?

Literally the only time I have needed a second dishwasher was when we were clearing up after our wedding, which we part catered ourselves and we had a deadline to get the glasses and hired bits back. We still managed.

We also went for an induction hob with a water boost instead of a boiling water tap. Esp as you still need a kettle for some things - I worked out it was easier to wait for a kettle to reach boiling point than it was to wait for boiling water to cool down for certain recipes or uses (hot water bottles, coffee, green tea etc.).

Second oven is the best thing ever though.

Floralnomad · 05/05/2021 11:34

@TwoLeftSocksWithHoles

If I could afford it I'd have one just for spoons, we seem to get through so many of them.

(Actually, thinking about it, I might be the source of the problem - I do drink a lot of cups of tea during the day.)

It would be easier and cheaper to just buy more spoons 😀
Floralnomad · 05/05/2021 11:36

We have added an extra freezer this year , it’s lovely I have a separate shelf/ basket for different categories , I’ve never been so organised .

Woodlandbelle · 05/05/2021 11:36

We have two sinks and I find that extremely useful for stocking cloths or steeping pots but I don't think you need a second dishwasher to be honest.

Woodlandbelle · 05/05/2021 11:36

Soaking Grin

Delphigirl · 05/05/2021 11:41

We have two and a boiling water tap and I wouldn’t be without either of those things at the moment. But we are a family of six living in the country so (pre Covid) regularly have friends and family staying and it was a rare weekend when I was not cooking for 10-14 on the weekends for at least one meal if not all. Kids now mid-late teens and young adults so 2 are away from home but return regularly with partners in tow so still a meal is either 4 or 8 or more.

But if I only had 2 kids and not a big wider family/friendship group I regularly catered for I would probably not bother.

If you find yourself running the dishwasher constantly on weekends that might be a sign you would be better off with two I would say.

Scarby9 · 05/05/2021 11:46

I know one person with two dishwashers.

There were 6 in their family but 30+ in local extended family and their (very large) house was full every weekend.

Now all four kids have left home and with Covid they have hardly used the one dishwasher for some time.

In normal times, I could sort of see the logic of two dishwashers for them, but I suspect it had more to do with the fact that when they built the house they went for biggest and best of everything.

pleasetellmeitsfriday · 05/05/2021 11:47

We completed our kitchen and utility overhaul in 2019, we put in two and I'm so glad we did! It makes entertaining so much easier!

Go for it, you won't regret it!

sollythecat · 05/05/2021 11:47

I guess if money and space is no object then go for it. 1 is enough for us as a family of 4 though.

ChiefBabySniffer · 05/05/2021 11:55

There is 6 of us at home, ah the kids are teens and young adults and still live at home. We have two dishwashers , a13kg washing machine and two tumble dryers. The rumble dryers are upstairs in a dedicated huge walk in closet. I just wish my washing machine was upstairs in there!

Why do I love two dish washers? I bake. A lot. That can produce 4-5 various mixing bowls and tins/trays. If I bake and do a big roast dinner on the same day then even two dish washers aren't enough and dishes will be stacked at the sink ( which I LOATHE). My kitchen aid bowls are huge and two or three of those and a pan, tray/tin and it's full . Then dinner dishes and daily dishes and again the other one is full.

Get the dish washers. You won't regret it.

randomsabreuse · 05/05/2021 11:55

We had 2 in our old house, really miss it now we don't. Will do again.

We had a nice dishwasher in our rentals then bought a house with a built in.

It's great as it saves putting away the constantly used stuff just to get it out again and there's always somewhere to put dirty washing up, even while the other one is running, because they generally take ages!

user1497787065 · 05/05/2021 11:55

I have a friend who has two dishwashers as she couldn't manage with just one. She has four children and regularly and effortlessly does lunch for 20 and more and will often have a dozen people staying for the weekend.

I think she is the exception and most people can manage with one!

ChiefBabySniffer · 05/05/2021 11:58

I do also have two freezers too and two separate fridges . Maybe I'm just greedy 🤷🏼‍♀️😂

iknowimcoming · 05/05/2021 11:58

@AdventureIsWaiting

We (pre covid) did a huge amount of cooking and entertaining. One dishwasher only. With enough surface space and crockery (eg plates for cake if lunch plates are in the washer) you can just stack it up and wait for the wash to finish?

Literally the only time I have needed a second dishwasher was when we were clearing up after our wedding, which we part catered ourselves and we had a deadline to get the glasses and hired bits back. We still managed.

We also went for an induction hob with a water boost instead of a boiling water tap. Esp as you still need a kettle for some things - I worked out it was easier to wait for a kettle to reach boiling point than it was to wait for boiling water to cool down for certain recipes or uses (hot water bottles, coffee, green tea etc.).

Second oven is the best thing ever though.

What 'things' do you still need a kettle for? Genuinely curious - I haven't had a kettle for over 2 years, am I missing something vital?

I have 2 boiling water taps (one quooker, one insinkerator) just because of the layout of my kitchen, technically I have 2 microwaves (one cheap bog standard, lives in utility room and one built into the oven) but rarely use either, BUT I only have one dishwasher and don't regret that, I know if I had two I would spend too much time faffing over which is clean/dirty and no doubt my DH and Ds would put dirty stuff in with clean etc and drive me batty. If the dishwasher is full and we have stuff that doesn't fit, it just gets put next to the sink and goes in later, no biggie for me! Also OP can we see your kitchen layout plan in case we've got any ideas for you Grin

SpnBaby1967 · 05/05/2021 12:03

I have one large dishwasher, most days it only goes on once however at weekends it can sometimes go on 3 times.

I've often thought that 2 washing machines and 2 tumble driers would be super handy (we're a family of 5, but the amount of clothes my kids get through would have you believing we're a family of 20) but i would cry at the electric/water bill each month I think.

1forAll74 · 05/05/2021 12:06

I don't have a dishwasher, and don't even want one. But two is a bit extreme. I have heard of people who say that they wash some dishes, before they load up the dishwasher, which sounds a bit odd.

There are often posts on here, from people who seem to have issues, as in who's turn it is to load,or unload a dishwasher, as though it is an almighty problem, and causes some discontent in some homes.

Woeismethischristmas · 05/05/2021 12:10

I’d love a second dishwasher. I’m lazy though and often set the table from the dishwasher. If I had two the most used stuff would never make it to the cupboard.

saraclara · 05/05/2021 12:15

My jaw almost hit the floor when I read the OP. But now I've seen how many posters actually do have two dishwashers, I'm stunned. And the one with two boiling water taps as well?!

Seriously, MN is a window into how the 0.01% live.

FixTheBone · 05/05/2021 12:20

Family of 9. 7 kids (one adult) and we often had sunday / christmas lunch with inlaws etc, so could be 17 people.

No dishwasher, not even sure how it would be useful, takes a couple of us mucking in about 30minutes to wash, dry and put away all the pots pans, crocks and utnesils.

BigSandyBalls2015 · 05/05/2021 12:20

I would love this .... in my mind you would never empty the dishwasher really - you take clean out of one to use as and when, then put dirty in the other ... and on it goes. Whether this would actually work in practice I'm not so sure! But if it did then you obv need less cupboard storage space.

mayblossominapril · 05/05/2021 12:22

I’m going to have two dishwashers when I move, one for clean pot and one to stack dirty ones in. Or one for crockery and glasses and one for pans and oven trays.
Two washers are very useful but my old one broke and can’t justify a second at the moment!

nightswimming1 · 05/05/2021 12:25

We have a bigger family (and - covid permitting - also grandparents who visit regularly) and I will always be thankful I decided to get two dishwashers. Absolute game changer. I know someone who has 3 Grin