To ask is your dishwasher worth it?

[Backscratchesforever]

We don’t have a dishwasher, but I’d really like one. Are they worth it, are they expensive to run and do they do the job better?

I wrote mine a valentines day poem of love and appreciation on Facebook a few years ago :D "You make every day better, I don't know how I lived before I met you, you're always there for me..."

I don't have a dishwasher in my current house because of space. We're moving in a few weeks time and a dishwasher is top of the list of things to buy for the new house.

Yes, totally worth it for a family. They don't cost much to run either - about the same as a washing machine cycle I think. And you can get all in one dishwasher tablets for about 10 p each.
Other benefit is it acts like a store cupboard for dirty dishes until they can be washed. And again when it's finished until they can be put away, making your kitchen much tidier than having stuff in the sink or on the draining board.

Didn't have one for a year, finally got one before Christmas and still get excited turning it on 😂

Looks like I’ll be buying one then, thanks.
Let’s hope they aren’t expensive to fit!

It’s obvious I’m pretty tight with my money, but I think it is also because no one in my family has one, so it’s the great unknown (plus my mother is bound to call me lazy!).

Our very first dishwasher is being delivered tomorrow. I'm beyond excited!

What do I need? I bought all in one tablets at Lidl but I noticed dishwasher salt too?

Hell yes.

You need rinse aid and dishwasher salt too.

plus my mother is bound to call me lazy

It's ridiculous isn't it. I don't see any men getting called lazy for minimising household labour.

dishwasher salt depends on the hardness (is that a word?) of the water of your area. You can find the exact number on your local water company, and how much salt - if any - you need on your instructions manual

Dishwasher salt? I need to season it?

Am I the only one considering a second dishwasher? So when the first is running you don’t have to pile in the sink or heaven forbid wash up by hand? Definitely won’t be happening anytime soon as don’t have the space but I feel like that would be the ultimate dream!

lorna dishwasher salt & rinse aid. The dishwasher will have handy lights to tell you when they need topping up.

back (amazing name), it’s like water softener salt. Stops limescale building up in the pipes and is a must to ensure your new dishwasher friend lives a long and happy life.

Oh god yes. I'd sell everything if I had to just to get one if I didn't have one.

My first was a table top model and it was 1995. I was beyond excited.

I've never been without since.

It frees you from domestic drudgery (mostly).

Am I the only one considering a second dishwasher? So when the first is running you don’t have to pile in the sink or heaven forbid wash up by hand?

We got a second one, it's brilliant. We work on a 'one clean, one dirty' basis, so you unpack the clean one at your leisure, as and when you need crockery, while the other fills up.

I like mine but after a few years it does take the surface off everything I wash in it.

yes yes yes!! what they all said, when ours died we were beyond distraught - but got a new one the next day.

Yes. The biggest argument DH and I ever had was when the dishwasher threatened to stop working.

Another trip to the supermarket for me! Thanks

Laurie I am green with envy! But what on earth would the OP’s mother say?!

Just don't put your loo brush in it like some do.

What do I need? I bought all in one tablets at Lidl but I noticed dishwasher salt too

Unless you have mega hard water, you don't need separate salt or rinse aid. No need to buy expensive tablets either. Both Aldi and Lidl do excellent own brand all in one tablets that cost around 10 pence each.

I don't know why people think dishwashers are wasteful. They actually use a lot less water than washing up by hand and do a better job.

Ours uses about 11 litres of water on a full cycle, which is about half a sinkful. No way could you wash up a full dishwasher's worth (ie 12 dinner plates, pans, cutlery, side plates, cups, glasses, cereal bowls, knives etc) in half a sinkful of water.

I don’t really know if it’s expensive to run because I’ve never lived without one so I can’t compare, but it must be worth it for what it saves in time and effort. I believe they use less water and are more hygienic than doing them by hand but even if they weren’t I’d still have one. When we were having our kitchen fitted, it took about a month as we moved it to another room and had to knock walls down and replaster, we ate off paper plates and plastic knives and forks so we didn’t have to wash dishes!

Laurie I am green with envy! But what on earth would the OP’s mother say?!

She'd probably go NC in horror

My own MIL loves telling people (in a horrified fashion) that I have two dishwashers. And note that they're always 'mine' not her son's, even though he was the driving force behind the purchase!

Yes, we use the dishwasher for nearly everything. Some dishwasher tablets already contain salt and rince aid so check the packet.
I have read a money saving tip that said to only use half a tablet and it works well thta way too.