Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

To think a dishwasher will change our lives?

262 replies

Question285 · 10/06/2025 09:25

Never had a dishwasher before and never thought I needed one. But now, with two small DC, I think it would make a world of difference. DH, who does most of the washing up, disagrees.

So, does anyone have any input? Does having a dishwasher make life better? Is it worth the investment? Will it be so life changing that even my reluctant DH will be persuaded? 😄

Also, any brand suggestions? Is it better to spend more for a top brand? I’ve narrowed it down to two models, a Hisense and an AEG. It’s about £250 difference between them.

OP posts:
Groundhedgehogday · 10/06/2025 09:41

I love ours. If it broke I'd get it replaced immediately. It saves so much time and like PP have said the kitchen looks cleaner because the dirty dishes are in the dishwasher instead of on the side.

skyeisthelimit · 10/06/2025 09:42

I have had a dishwasher for 20 years and wouldn't be without one now. I only have a small 12 piece setting as my kitchen is tiny and there is just me and DD.

DD mostly does the loading and unloading as one of her chores, but I do it as well, and it takes minutes to load or unload and I don't have to stand at the sink with my bad back, washing dishes.

Make sure that you put a regular cleaner through it to avoid it getting blocked by grease. You can get ones that go in with a wash, or ones that you put in an empty dishwasher.

I never prewash anything, and mostly use the 45 minute cycle and everything comes out spotless.

Frostynoman · 10/06/2025 09:42

Life changing but he’ll have to find a different time out chore

Purplebunnie · 10/06/2025 09:46

Another advocate for one. Dirty dishes go straight in so kitchen is tidy. I would recommend extra teaspoons, I have enough now, in fact probably too many😂

As a newbie you may not know this to start off with but empty the bottom tray first, sometimes there is water in the top and then it goes over your nice clean dishes. Yes there are some things we still wash by hand, red mugs - colour fades, special glasses and DH won't put the pans in and hand washes those (I put them in when he goes away)

For a household of three it still goes off every other day

rainbowstardrops · 10/06/2025 09:46

We didn’t have one in our first house (and neither parents had one), so when we moved and they offered to leave the dishwasher, I was over the moon! I wouldn’t want to be without one again unless it was unavoidable.
Maybe sell it your DH that quickly loading a dishwasher means spending more time together?!

xILikeJamx · 10/06/2025 09:46

We just bought a Hotpoint Hydroforce one to replace our old one which broke after 12 years faithful service. It was about £400 from a large online appliances retailer and loving it - massive inside and has 3 racks where our old one only had 2. Also opens itself after the cycle to let the dishes dry - genuinely (and sadly) thrilled by that! 😂

GasPanic · 10/06/2025 09:47

I think to describe it as "life changing" is probably taking it a bit far.

It is time saving. The price you pay is the cost of buying it, the cost of running it and the space it takes up.

It depends how valuable your time is to you and whether there is something you would prefer to do with it instead of washing dishes.

CasperGutman · 10/06/2025 09:47

skippy67 · 10/06/2025 09:31

Yes it makes life easier. Ours is a bosch. Be sure to get one with a cutlery tray, rather than a basket. Adjustable racks a must too.

We also like our dishwashers (so much, we have two!) but disagree about the cutlery tray. Our cutlery drawer is a distance away from the dishwasher so we like being able to carry the basket over to the drawer. Plus we occasionally find things like serving platters and stemmed glasses are too tall to fit in the dishwasher as it is and a cutlery tray would reduce the height further.

CasperGutman · 10/06/2025 09:49

GasPanic · 10/06/2025 09:47

I think to describe it as "life changing" is probably taking it a bit far.

It is time saving. The price you pay is the cost of buying it, the cost of running it and the space it takes up.

It depends how valuable your time is to you and whether there is something you would prefer to do with it instead of washing dishes.

The cost of running it isn't really an issue. You were paying for hot water and washing-up liquid anyway. Energy and tablets for the dishwasher won't cost significantly more, and depending on the amount of hot water used in washing up, a modern dishwasher on an eco cycle may very well be more energy efficient.

MoreDangerousThanAWomanScorned · 10/06/2025 09:49

Our dishwasher broke about three weeks ago and we got a new one delivered on Friday. 'Life changing' is perhaps a bit strong, but gosh I'm grateful to have a dishwasher again and it felt like a real chore not having one!

2ndbestslayer · 10/06/2025 09:49

I agree with everyone who says the best bit is your kitchen stays clean and tidy. It's not even time saved on doing dishes, it's that they're not all piled up waiting for you to find time to do them.

Our current dishwasher we got for £40 on Facebook marketplace. A decent one that was as new really but the seller was doing out her kitchen and the colour didn't go with the new units. Might be worth keeping an eye out to see if you can get a bargain - once you've had one I bet he won't want to go back..

Antiperspirant · 10/06/2025 09:49

100% life changing but here’s a tip… teach the kids from young to scrape and place ALL their dishes straight into the dishwasher. That way no one ever needs to load. Switch it on after dinner, unload it before bed or while making breakfast and dishes and kitchen are always clean.

BIossomtoes · 10/06/2025 09:50

CasperGutman · 10/06/2025 09:49

The cost of running it isn't really an issue. You were paying for hot water and washing-up liquid anyway. Energy and tablets for the dishwasher won't cost significantly more, and depending on the amount of hot water used in washing up, a modern dishwasher on an eco cycle may very well be more energy efficient.

Edited
Show quote history

This. A dishwasher uses less water than washing by hand. The cost of electricity is minimal.

GoatGoatGoat · 10/06/2025 09:51

It's one of the few things I own that I would replace immediately if it broke. Saves so much time and faff.

Sidebeforeself · 10/06/2025 09:53

I love mine. I even chat to it .. same with my washing machine and microwave..They all sing a little tune when they are finished and I reply “ Thanks! I’m on my way!”

Yes, I’m slightly bonkers

BeachRide · 10/06/2025 09:53

Yes. Get one yesterday. Get two.

MermaidMummy06 · 10/06/2025 09:54

We had to wash by hand for three weeks last year as ours broke & had to wait for the new one to arrive.

I almost cried with happiness when it was installed. The time saving & hiding dirty dishes not worth a sink full ... priceless.

RickiRaccoon · 10/06/2025 09:55

We haven't had one with two small kids and have never missed one. I mostly like the thinking time while washing the dishes. The only thing that really appeals to me is the cleaner look of not having dishes and dish rack on the bench all the time. I would get one if we redid the kitchen for that alone.

babybabytime · 10/06/2025 09:55

Completely life changing!
we have fortunately always had a dishwasher but had a period of 9 months a few years ago where due to drainage issues we had to hand wash dishes - the sheer relief and extra time when we were able to use the dishwasher again was immense!

Springadorable · 10/06/2025 09:55

I had a similar thread. I didn't want a dishwasher as I thought that you still had to rinse anything and they made glasses smell funny. We got one that actually worked (unlike my childhood one) and I then voted that I was being unreasonable on my own thread. It's brilliant.

RealEagle · 10/06/2025 09:56

You will not regret it ,

BuddhaAtSea · 10/06/2025 09:57

If I were you, OP, I’d go ahead and have one installed without any hesitation.
I have a Bosch series 6. It’s just me and DP (but doesn’t live here), and yet I wouldn’t be without one. I put it on every other day.

FluffykinsTheFerociousFeralFelineFury · 10/06/2025 09:57

I wouldn't be without mine. I have no desire to put my hands into a bowl of dirty dishes and floating food scraps, even wearing gloves. Don't bother getting a three-tier model with a cutlery tray though, it's an expensive gimmick.

Beachhutgirl · 10/06/2025 09:59

Yes, definitely worth it. It's great not to have to wash up after a meal, but the best bit for me is that the odd mugs, plates etc that I use through the day just disappear into it, no bother, and no sitting about in the kitchen waiting to be washed

JellyAnd · 10/06/2025 10:00

Get the dishwasher, you won’t regret it! We have 2 and I don’t think I could go even go back to 1 now.