If you are 50 or over...

[TheStudioWasFilled]

(light hearted!)

do you own (and use) a dishwasher? DP and I were looking at self-catering properties and he's happy to pick one without a dishwasher. For me there's no way I'll be washing the dishes by hand. We've both over 50 and there's no way I'll do any 'manual work' unless it's absolutely necessary! Especially while on holiday. I love our dishwasher and I put pretty much any kitchen item in it unless it's electrical or wooden (although wooden spoons and spatulas do go in).

If you're 50 or over, how keen are you on your dishwasher? Would you be happy to live in a home without one? Or go on holiday where you have to do the washing up?

I would never, ever be without my dishwasher at home.

Having said that, even though I don't like washing up I quite like pottering about a holiday cottage kitchen tidying and washing up. It's satisfying (mostly because they are usually small and nicely decorated when my own kitchen is a messy shithole)

Oddly I would rather wash dishes by hand , it’s a quick job , and we normally have dinner dishes washed , dried and away in 10 mins . I wash as I go while cooking , and anything that needs soaking will be doing it while we eat .

Im very impatient in life though , and like jobs done and dusted , so the idea of filling a dish washer and then having to come back later to unpack , and often dry because water gets stuck in odd places would annoy me . I will use one if we are on holiday , but it’s definitely not on my list of must haves though .

My parents have a dishwasher. It’s been brand new and fitted in their kitchen for about 10years. Never used. They’re much older than 50..

I'm 55. I've never owned a dishwasher.

I'm 65. Never had a dishwasher, don't want one. I live alone and washing up is maybe one plate and one bowl a day. I don't have enough crockery to fill a dishwasher and I'd feel utterly stupid running it with a couple of plates in.

Also live in a small house so nowhere to put it unless I lose a cupboard. I really don't see the need for one.

why do you swill the plates before putting them in the dishwasher?

I am well over 50 and regard my dishwasher as an essential. had one since early 80's

Surely the whole point of a holiday is less work, not more.

Im 52. I’ve never owned one

Depends. If it's just the 2 of you on holiday and you're eating out most of the time then I don't think it's an issue. If there's a gang of you and you're doing cooked breakfasts and gourmet meals every day, then that's different. I wouldn't be without my dishwasher at home however.

I’m 65, never had a dishwasher. Cook from scratch for five of us every day. Massive wanky foodie chef type. Clean up as I go, dishes done within ten minutes after eating.

I’ve had a dishwasher all but 3 of the last 34 years.
We were renting short term but cooking for 4 so plenty of plates. I cursed the dishes every time I had to do them by hand and set up a system of “wash in soapy water, rinse in extra hot clean water, air dry and put away”. So as close to DW style as I could get.

Self catering without a DW I might consider compostable paper plates for what little I’d cook. And one mug and water glass per person per day!

Hahaha, my DC left home when I was 46 and I downsized and got a dishwasher. They've still not forgiven me! I don't do washing up anymore 😆

I've never had a dishwasher and always hand wash. Don't have space for one anyway, but unless I get bad arthritis in my hands I wouldn't even consider one.

I wouldn't want to be without one at home. I'm not a plate swiller though, everything just goes in as it is.

I don't really care on holiday though. Even in self catering we eat out or cook simple things. Plus doing some dishes feels less of a chore when you haven't had to do a day's work first.

I'm late 60s and have one. We go on holiday in a touring caravan mainly so no dishwasher there but no worries as DH doesn't mind doing it.

I don't wash up at home, absolutely not doing it on holiday. If your husband isn't bothered, presumably he's happy to wash and dry whilst on holiday.

We chose a dishwasher over a tumble dryer. It makes such a difference after meals, literally saves about 20/30 mins each evening.

You don’t mention your husband’s ability to do dishes, only your own. Does he have a disability?
Otherwise it’s every other day each to tidy up a minimum amount of dishes cos you’re on holiday right? Defo no pots and pans.

& tbf the tumble dryer is hard on the dishes.

@TheStudioWasFilled , nope absolutely not! No way I’d go self catering without a dishwasher. I’m 62 by the way and I have two in my kitchen at home.

I have always had a dishwasher when I lived on my own and now with a family.
I don’t wash my clothes in the sink, I have a machine to do it, same for a dishwasher.
They are way more hygienic as well.

also they are said to save water and energy although I haven't checked this recently.

You probably would if it's the only type of holiday you can afford. When our kids were little all our holidays were self-catering, in the UK and then when the youngest was about 8 we start doing a villa/gite abroad for a week. We maybe had one lunch or one evening meal out as that's all we could afford. Still enjoyed our holidays but I must admit it felt like a lot of time was wasted going to the supermarket or cooking or cleaning up. Abroad was better for self catering in the sun as we could do bbqs and it's no hardship tending to an evening bbq with a glass of wine or beer in your hand looking at a beautiful view.I would NOT have wanted somehwere without a dishwasher though.

Now in my 50s, yes, I prefer to be looked after and I'm glad we can afford a hotel now, or a B & B.

Got one at home, it’s a must.

When kids were young and we were skint we would stay in cheap places with no dishwasher but I wouldn’t now.