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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to stop using the dishwasher?

81 replies

gremlindolphin · 20/08/2013 00:06

We have just come back from hols where we took turns washing up or did it together and it just seemed so much better!

I have been told it is more efficient to use the dishwasher but I think it is a waste of effort to load and unload it especially as it invariably ends up with me doing it!

I am probably thinking nostalgically about this but I remember my parents and i would spend 15 mins together every evening washing, drying and putting away - job done.

Anyone want to join me in dumping the dishwasher?

OP posts:

livinginwonderland · 20/08/2013 09:23

Well, I can't afford one and won't be able to for some time. Doing the dishes takes all of five minutes and doesn't cost a small fortune. YANBU.

usuallyright · 20/08/2013 09:28

we went on holiday recently and I jumped for joy when I discovered our mobile home had a dishwasher. We had massive bbqs most night, using almost all the crockery between the lot of us and it was all bunged into the dishwasher. 2 minute job and came out sparkling! If my dishwasher died, I'd replace it the same day. I'm serious.

Crinkle77 · 20/08/2013 09:37

I don't understand either why people make a big deal of loading and unloading. It's not that much effort as you just do it as you go along. And as for emptying it then i don't see how that is a hassle. The dishes still have to go away even if they are on the draining board.

Crinkle77 · 20/08/2013 09:39

Plus you can just shut the mess away until it's full. If you have no dishwasher then you constantly have mess to clean up or the kitchen looks untidy

DameFanny · 20/08/2013 09:43

Yanbu , ours broke 4 years ago, DH has the part to fix it but I'm glad he hasn't. My dishes and glasses are shiny again, and I never have to wait a day for my favourite mug to come back.

Summerblaze · 20/08/2013 09:45

I love love love my dishwasher. I still say its the best thing I ever bought.

And all the dirty pots don't spend all day sat on the top making the place look untidy. Bang it in the dishwasher and everywhere looks great.

mikkii · 20/08/2013 09:51

Nottalotta, I have never rinsed before stacking the dishwasher.

We recently spent 4 days without when ours died, before getting the new one,DH whined incessantly. He claimed to have washed up 3 times during the day (I had left none when I went to work) yet the lunchtime saucepans were waiting for me because he was sick of washing up (btw, thanks for reminding me of that, I need some recompense for that one!).

Eventually, sick of his moaning, I told him to crack open the paper plates, I was at work and not about to take a day off to wash up for him

Jan49 · 20/08/2013 09:56

I've never had a dish washer and wouldn't want one. They seem a good idea for a hotel or restaurant but not really necessary in a household. To me it sounds like an extra chore. With the washing machine, I sort out a load, fill it, and have to make sure I'm going to be home for the next 1.5 hours whilst it runs, can't run it late due to neighbours and can't run it when anyone will want a shower as it affects the hot water. If I had a DW I'd have to consider all those things. Easier just to wash up and then leave it overnight and put the dry stuff away.

WilsonFrickett · 20/08/2013 10:00

Oh we've just got one again after 2 years without. YABVVVVVVVU. I love my diswasher and I hate washing dishes. And it's not 'quality time'. Fair enough, it might be like that in the holidays with a wee glass of wine and 'pass the Fairy darling' and a wee squeeze of DH on the way past.

On a cold dark November night when everyone just wants to cozy up on the couch? Not so much fun.

Morloth · 20/08/2013 10:21

You have to be home while your washing machine runs Jan49? Why?

How strange. I often just chuck a load in on my way out the door in the morning and deal with it in the evening. I have a washer/dryer now so if the weather is bad I just hit dry as well.

Same for dishwasher put it on of an evening and everything is clean and dry in the morning. I don't rinse anything if stuff is really baked on or whatever I run a prerinse cycle. Clean the filter once a week (though there isn't much in there) and run one of those dishwasher cleaber things throught once a month.

bootsycollins · 20/08/2013 10:26

I love my dishwasher, seriously.

Squitten · 20/08/2013 10:31

We have just got a dishwasher after 4yrs of not having one and if there's a fire here tomorrow, I'm getting the dishwasher out first!

We only have a small kitchen so it doesn't take many dishes to make it look really messy and start taking up space. I'm a SAHM so the VAST majority of dishwashing fell to me and it was so dull and repetitive having to do the same job three times a day, over and over again. Also a total nightmare any time we had parties of cooked larger meals - dish chaos!

We could only fit a slimline one in so it's really dinky but it works very hard and that plus the occasional hand wash of something I don't want to leave out is just wonderful. I love it the most

OverTheFieldsAndFarAway · 20/08/2013 10:31

Sleepy wombat......your aunt is soooo right. I have two, its brilliant, nnever have anything hanging around....I bake a lot and we use lots of everything during the day and I would never go back to washing up...life's too short.

TheYamiOfYawn · 20/08/2013 10:36

I would love a dishwasher. I spend so much time washing, soaking, rinsing and putting away dishes, and I loathe doing it. I am building an extension to the house, ostensibly so that we get a third bedroom, but actually so that I can fit a dishwasher into the kitchen.

youmeatsix · 20/08/2013 10:38

you think loading and unloading is a wasted effort and it takes you 15 minutes to wash up dry and put away??? rose coloured specs much?

Titsalinabumsquash · 20/08/2013 10:41

I'm in love with my dishwasher, I'd replace it same day if it broke, I loath washing dishes.

It's great because I don't end up with dirty dishes stacked on the sides looking messy, they all go I the dishwasher until its full then I turn it on overnight and voila! They're all clean for the next day. Mine is a cheaply Currys own brand one but I still love it.

McNewPants2013 · 20/08/2013 10:41

Not a chance it takes me 10 minutes after a roast dinner to do my kitchen. Before used to take me 1/2 hour.

WhereBeThatBlackbirdTo · 20/08/2013 10:46

Our old dishwasher broke a few months ago so I fondly thought we could manage without - and I work from home so how hard could it be?

Day one - quite fun.
Day two - okaay
Day three - down to the dishwasher shop
Day four - 'WHERE'S MY NEW DISHWASHER!'

So YABU and rose tinted

MrsMook · 20/08/2013 11:00

Dishwashers are amazing. In our old house when there was two of us and no space for one, there always used to be washing up lurking and getiing grim. When I was pg, I couldn't stand at the sink to do the washing up as my back ended up in agony after a few minutes.

We aquired an ancient one with our new house, and life was much better. We upgraded when we did the kitchen up and have one very quiet that you barely notice when it's running.

My SiL got rid of hers as she never used it when there was two of them- now there's 4. When they were over at the weekend, the dishwasher was quietly taking care of the after effects of 7 people having dinner while we had pudding. At her house she'd be slaving away at washing up for half an hour. I wouldn't be suprised if they do get one when they do their kitchen up...

I love that I don't have to worry about how many pans etc I'm using.

peggyundercrackers · 20/08/2013 11:13

when we bought our house 4 years ago a new kitchen had been installed and one of the things it had was a dishwasher. We have never ever used it so it is sitting under the unit with all the documents inside it. its still brand new.

dont see the point in them as they take so long to do dishes. washing up takes so little time, dishes are all done and away in 10 mins.

kinkyfuckery · 20/08/2013 11:16

YANBU.

Never had a dishwasher here - have coped just fine!

GinOnTwoWheels · 20/08/2013 11:23

What sort of food do those people who think dishwashers are a waste of time eat?

Ours is on full nearly every day and there's no way I'm taking a turn in doing that amount of pot washing. It would take forever, not 5-10 mins as is often claimed.

slenderman · 20/08/2013 11:26

we just don't have room for one but i would blardy love one! (sob) i have never ever had a dishwasher so i guess what you don't have etc but dishwashing is so boring and messy and not fun.

ShakeAndVac · 20/08/2013 11:29

I've just come back off holiday too, and quite enjoyed being 'dishwasher'less for the duration of the week.
I hadn't washed anything up in absolute ages, so was a kind of hark back to nostalgic times.
I was also aware though that on holiday, I have far, far less washing up than I do at home.
A few breakfast dishes and glasses, and sporadic bits throughout the day.
At home though? It's bloody never ending and I don't know where it all comes from!
I would seriously get the rage if faced by the washing up mountain at home with no dishwasher!

Titsalinabumsquash · 20/08/2013 11:30

I use my slow cooker most days and that can be a real pain in the bum to scrub, especially if I've had porridge in their overnight. The dishwasher always gets its clean and shiny ready for me to bung dinner in it first thing in the morning.

Also, grill pan, roasting dish are both things that made me gip whilst washing up by hand so that's no longer a problem.

AND I sterilise all DS's nebulisers and physio equipment in there.

you can also make flavoured vodka quicker in them, and fish

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