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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask is your dishwasher worth it?

165 replies

Backscratchesforever · 06/03/2018 16:06

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?

OP posts:
Oysterbabe · 06/03/2018 21:36

When you've had one you can't go back. Love my dishwasher.

Garmadonsmum · 06/03/2018 21:58

Does it need to go next to the sink?
Is a slimline one only for couples size wise?

Theworldisfullofidiots · 06/03/2018 22:00

Yes, yes, yes
Absolutely yes.

brownelephant · 06/03/2018 22:20

Does it need to go next to the sink?
that's the easiest. but you can also have it installed next to the washer.

FlatKraken · 06/03/2018 22:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

speakout · 06/03/2018 22:34

I love how a dishwasher keeps the kitchen and sink tidy. A place to keep dirty stuff out of sight and gives you more space to cook. I stack as I go, then all I have to do after a meal is pop in the plates and cutlery and put my feet up.

Garmadonsmum · 06/03/2018 22:37

Thanks elephant

buttonmoonb4tea · 06/03/2018 22:39

God yes, apart from the fact it washes your dishes, it also helps keep the kitchen looking tidy when all the dishes are rammed in there

2018SoFarSoGreat · 06/03/2018 23:02

I adore my dishwasher. Last house I chose a really crappy (expensive) model, and never liked it. Here we 'inherited' an amazing one. I am so in love! It can do dinner service for 18. Yes, 18. Dinner plates, bread plates, glasses, silverware, the lot. All neat and all come out sparkling clean. Heaven. I'd sooner lose DH than my marvelous dishwasher.

Only two of us here mostly, so it goes on every other day normally. I do a rinse each night so that nothing stinks.

OP I bought extra everything so that I can happily wait until it is full enough to run. That way it is never going on half empty; so no waste.

Ariela · 06/03/2018 23:02

Depends. There are only 3 of us, and most of the washing up gets done by hand, I only tend to use ours if I've been doing a lot of cooking/have visitors or the sun is shining (we have solar).

FranticallyPeaceful · 06/03/2018 23:05

Oh my god. I think it’s the most important thing in my house. I’m not joking, I’d rather have a dish washer than have a bed. It saves so much life

JaneEyre70 · 06/03/2018 23:07

I'm going to be honest - yes it's an asset, but it's also another thing to maintain. We go through mountains of salt (hard water area) and rinse aid - without them, you may as well not bother. We've got a fairly reliable Zanussi but you also need to regularly clean the filter out from grease (not pleasant) and take the arms out and clean them...random things like rice and sweetcorn can get trapped so your stuff doesn't come out clean.

Sometimes, I can honestly say it's quicker to wash up!! And when you come down in the morning to a mountain of stacked dirty crockery all over the worktop because no one has bothered to unload it, it can make you very cranky. Be warned. Ours is very unique as apparently it's coded to my hand only and no one else can open it to see if it needs emptying Hmm

Flomy · 06/03/2018 23:23

Tesco salt, rinse aid and value tablets, probably works out about £2.50 a month. Sparkling dishes & oven racks, everytime.

BarbaraofSevillle · 07/03/2018 05:05

Is a slimline one only for couples size wise

I think it depends more on how you cook and eat. There are families on this thread who say that they wouldn't fill one in even a few days so don't see the need or there are many couples like us who fill a full size one at least 4 or 5 times a week so definitely worthwhile.

Regarding filters etc, we very rarely bother doing anything with the filter, a few times a year really. Nothing is rinsed even if it doesn't go on for a couple of days, doesn't stink either. Maybe once a quarter run a cleaning programme, running an empty dishwasher with special cleaning fluid. All tablets etc come from Aldi, work fine, much much cheaper than branded finish etc.

But we do only use the standard programme, which is quicker and only uses slightly more energy than the eco programme, which doesn't seem to wash as well.

namechange2222 · 07/03/2018 05:43

I ran a house with six people in it for 25 years before I got one. Honestly can say it's the single machine I could never get rid of now

Flomy · 07/03/2018 19:48

I run the filter under the sink tap every other wash, it takes 5 seconds.

MuffinMad · 07/03/2018 20:07

I'm in two minds about it.

Yes it keeps your kitchen looking tidy and it does do a good hygienic clean, but on the other hand,I can't wash my baking tins in there (silverwood), or sharp knives, apparently the detergent dulls them.

I have always had Tefal pans and even though the instructions say they can be put in the dishwasher, they were ruined over time. I have replaced them all and now hand wash them.

It is great for plates,cups,glasses and cutlery, though.

If I had to get rid of one appliance in my kitchen, I think the dishwasher would be first to go.

Idontdowindows · 07/03/2018 20:08

Hehe, it's funny, cause we moved house and for the first few weeks we didn't have the dishwasher connected up at all.

Then when it came to plumbing it in, we realised we didn't mind the 10 minutes it takes to do the washing up by hand and we actually enjoy having a chat over dinner, and then continuing it over the washing up.

So we sold it and we have no regrets :)

Idontbelieveinthemoon · 07/03/2018 20:08

I love ours because I cook often and hate all the palaver of cleaning up afterwards. It is my favourite thing on a Sunday afternoon, cooking a huge dinner and lobbing everything into the dishwasher so the kitchen looks all tidy and sparkly.

MadSister1818 · 07/03/2018 20:17

If I had to get rid of one appliance in my kitchen, I think the dishwasher would be first to go.

I’ve been thinking about this comment, scratching my head trying to understand it beyond the obvious — ie it’s the appliance least “necessary”. 🤔

Kitchen appliances being washing machine, fridge, freezer, oven, hob...

Well, yes, I would be surprised if anyone wouldn’t choose a dishwasher to go first.

But, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t hugely beneficial.

It’s like choosing between shoes and socks in cold weather.

TheKitchenWitch · 07/03/2018 20:22

No cups, glasses or dishes piling up in the sink or hanging around on counter tops waiting to be washed - how can that not be a fab thing?
Do those who don't have/use one do all the washing up straight away? I'd never be out the kitchen, what with all the snacks, drinks, cups of tea/ coffee etc all day, and that's without the 3 meals too.
Ours goes on every single evening after dinner, and if I've been baking or cooking a lot then sometimes twice a day.
Clearing it takes about 2 minutes in the morning, and then you're good to go again.
Best. Thing. Ever.

elQuintoConyo · 07/03/2018 20:31

We have one, we hate it, we never use it.

There are 3 of us. Between the scraping and the stacking "properly" and the unloading (and it was always wet, stuff never came out dry), it is easier and quicker the wash by hand.

BertieBotts · 07/03/2018 20:33

Half an hour?? I must have been doing dishes wrong Confused

I love my dishwasher. It's probably kept us married.

trojanpony · 07/03/2018 20:33

It’s Life changing
Do it!!!!

InThisTogether · 07/03/2018 20:45

Yes yes yes! I love mine so much that I didn't even have a draining board put in to the kitchen when we had it designed, just a gorgeous Belfast sink.
Get one OP you'll never look back.