Handwash or Dishwasher

[Washerup]

Discussion in our house - non-engineer versus an engineer so i accept I’m potentially going to lose this argument but just want a resolution.

So feel free just to vote but if you can back it up with data figures that would be very much appreciated.

Google is just giving an answer when the dishwasher is full but the question I want to know the answer to is:

One place setting of bowl cup plate knife fork and spoon

Would it be cheaper to wash by hand or dishwasher (inc water, heating component (gas boiler), electricity, washing up liquid, dishwasher tablet)?

AIBU Dishwasher
AINBU Hand

No one is ever going to wash up one place setting at a time in a dishwasher so this is an absurd argument

They may also have guests from time to time. Or are they only ever allowed to eat by themselves

They may also just want a dishwasher.

Surely, though, even if they are hand washing the pots/pans/etc. (although, why??) there would still be three place-settings' worth of stuff by the end of the day, not one? Because there's the breakfast stuff, lunch stuff, and dinner stuff?

I would still want a dishwasher if I lived alone, personally.

Two reasons really - if you don’t the machine has annoying red warning lights that glare reproachfully at you every time you open the machine, and I definitely find that adding rinse aid gives a better result. Salt I haven’t noticed making much difference, but then salt is cheap.

Well I still wash my hand and moisture after wearing rubber gloves, because the smell of them is weird. And yes, cleaning down the kitchen after cooking is needed. But that’d be done usually after the messy bit, which is prep, and before actually eating. So there would be an additional use of gloves / moisturiser if hand washing up I think, at least in my kitchen :)

When I moved into a home by myself I bought a slimline dishwasher - smaller, more economical, used about 8-9 litres per cycle. I would put it on every 2-3 days.
Washing up a bowl, cup, plate, knife, fork, spoon by hand will use less water than running dishwasher for only those items, but a dishwasher every few days for a build up of items will use less water overall.

Ah now it’s interesting re the other bits such as pans and the like because the individual always washes them up by hand so they didn’t even feature in their point of a dishwasher.

So, if the person were filling a bowl to wash up the saucepan(s), then it would make sense just to wash the crockery and cutlery they used in the same water before they put the pans in.
Otherwise, I would just put the bowl in the dishwasher and then add the next plate and bowl at the next meal, the mugs and glasses used inbetween etc etc and run when full.

I would not run a washing up bowl of water for one bowl and spoon anymore than I would run the dishwasher. The argument doesn't make sense.

We had to empty our dishwasher into a bucket when having some renovations done. I fully expected to have to change bucket a few times during a cycle. However it was one bucket only for a full dishwasher, definitely less water than if I'd washed by hand. I was quite pleased as I thought it was about of a luxury.
However for one place setting that would be not economical unless you saved up your breakfast, lunch and dinner things.

We've had a dishwasher for more than 20 years and completely ignored the lights, although maybe it's easier because we run it overnight on Economy 7. We're also in a soft water area so that may make a difference to the results.

Me too, and I turn it on during the daylight when I can run it on solar.

I now live alone and have a slimline dishwasher having yearned for one for years and years. It goes on maybe every 3 days. I have a good stash of plates, cutlery etc. I have just started a new thing where when I boil the kettle for a coffee I will use the rest of that water for washing up all the bits and bobs that don’t go in the DW and wipe down the worktop.

No one will ever wash just bowl, cup, plate, knife and fork....😐 Unless that is really only dishes they own...
Slim disheashers are perfect for small households.

If your friend is planning on washing just the above, there are bogger issues than whether or not to get a dishwasher

Quite. They'd also need to wash

Saucepan
Lid
Frying Pan
Kitchen knife
Chopping board
Spoon/utensils/colander or strainer
Teaspoon
Storage containers
Peeler/small kitchen knife
Scissors
Glass
Jug
Baking sheet or tin
Microwave turntable plate
Pan supports on the hob and oven grills
Grill pan
The washing up bowl

All of which can be done in a dishwasher.

I also bung in recycling to fill loads up on occasion.

And you can make dishwasher vodka

Dishwasher needs to be full so they need to buy more crockery and utensils to run it