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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

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Original poster

Are dishwashers any good?

63 replies

skydance · 04/01/2011 14:51

We don't really have room in our kitchen for a dishwasher, but I'm wondering if we should see if we can somehow sqeeze one in as the washing up really seems to be taking up a lot of time and it looks so messy, it's silly but we have 3 children and there just always seems to be so much of it.

Do they really save you any time though, or do you find it takes ages to load and unload, and then half the dishes are dirty anyway. Do you have to rinse everything off first? I really haven't got a clue, never had any experience at all of dishwashers.

What do you think, is it worth losing cupboard space in our tiny kitchen for one.

OP posts:

purpleturtle · 04/01/2011 14:54

I would hate to live without one now. Also have 3 DC and know what you mean about there being a lot of it.

Loading/unloading takes much less time than all the washing up/drying up to make room. No need to pre-rinse. Rarely need to wash anything that's been through (occasional pan).

If I were you, and if I could actually fit one in (have had kitchens in the past where it wouldn't work), I would go for it.

BelleDameSansMerci · 04/01/2011 14:54

I wouldn't have a kitchen without one. I think they're fantastic.

They save loads of time; you only have to rinse off very lumpy/messy/potato-y things; they make everything really shiny.

LBsmumblingxmascarols · 04/01/2011 14:57

Another yes here, moved into our first non rented house last year and made sure we got one, can honestly say I couldnt be without

Washing up sucks

DaisySteiner · 04/01/2011 14:58

Yes. They are fucking brilliant. You don't realise just how brilliant until it breaks and you have to start washing up again! I can get pretty much get mine unloaded while my morning cup of tea is brewing and stacking dirty stuff takes a couple of minutes max. Unloading doesn't count anyway because you have to put it away regardless of whether you wash it by hand or in the machine, right?

I don't rinse, just scrape plates. 99.9% of stuff comes out clean. Definitely worth the loss of space IMO.

mousymouse · 04/01/2011 15:02

they save a lot of time. we just got a table top one a couple of months back and it really makes a difference.
big pots and pans don't fit, but it saves us about half an hour a day of washing up.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 04/01/2011 15:05

There is no need for rinsing, just scrape off any remains as you would before washing up.

We didn't have space in our last house, and the day we moved in here we went out and bought one.
They save stacks of time. Loading takes no longer than stacking everything up to wash up, and unloading takes 5 minutes while you make a cup of tea.

HughRinal · 04/01/2011 15:08

I'm a no! Had them for 6 years, one broke, lived without it for 3 months decided it was much les hassle without. Had a new kitchen 2 years ago without one in, never regretted it for a mo.
imo far quicker to wash up, things are cleaner, you don't have to buy stuff, no noise, looking for teaspoons etc
but that's just my preferencegrin]

Original poster

skydance · 04/01/2011 15:59

Lots of yes votes then! Think I'll be getting the tape measure out later, I have a vague idea of where we could move some drawers to, then it could go in the space, but need to make DH move them see what DH thinks.

A table top one might be an idea actually mousy didn't realise they were worth considering, we have plenty of space for one of those and could definately fit one on the worktop.

Very good point about unloading daisy I do have to put it all away however it's washed, so that time doesn't count.

Although hugh I am listening and will bear that in mind if it really is going to be a nightmare to get in.

It just seems to be the job that is taking the most time up and looks so messy and I really hate doing it, I don't mind washing clothes as you just stick them in the machine, so am thinking that a machine that does the same for the washing up would be great.

OP posts:

mosschops30 · 04/01/2011 16:01

yes couldnt live without one

ChippyMinton · 04/01/2011 16:02

Get one.
You will need a water supply and a drain, so next to the sink or washing machine may be the easiest option.

Needanewname · 04/01/2011 16:03

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES

I think you can gather I am very pro dishwashers - saved my marriage!

CharlotteBronteSaurus · 04/01/2011 16:04

i had one in my old flat, but oddly no room in current 3 bed house.

i'm not so bothered though - by the time you've washed the stuff that won't go in, like wine glasses, scraped everything else, stacked, rewashed what gets missed, and put away, you don't spend any less time in the kitchen. the thing i liked most was hiding the dirty dishes behind a closed door.

but if they invent one that wipes the sides and cleans the floor as well, then i'd interested.

ChippyMinton · 04/01/2011 16:04

It's the first thing I plug/plumb in when I move house! A full size one is best but a small one is better then nothing.

queenofboak · 04/01/2011 16:05

I love my dishwasher so much that if i had to choose between DH and it there would be no contest.

Ohh and if you open it mid hot cycle you get a nice facial steam

ChippingIn · 04/01/2011 16:09

I hate to disagree with our Mousey, but I'd avoid the counter top ones! They are very small so you end up doing half of the dishes anyway. I wouldn't get a slimline one either.

They aren't good for your glasses in particular and can be quite hard on the rest of your dishes/cookwear, but if you aren't too fussed about that then go for it.

With 3 kids it certainly saves on that constant mess on the side!! and if they aren't already old enough, they soon will be, to load/unload it!!

You quickly learn what your machine will and wont cope with, for example, the pan you have made mashed potato in is unlikely to come out clean unless you give it a bit of a scrub first, but you don't have to be meticulous.

TheHouseofMirth · 04/01/2011 16:10

oh yes. They are like wonderful magic cupboards! You can shove away all the dirty stuff as you go so it doesn't clutter up your worktop and your kitchen always looks tidy and the bonus is it comes out clean too! Having one has totally cut down on the daily amount of time I spend tidying and cleaning up the kitchen. We have a slimline one as that was all we could fit in.

If we ever have an enormous kitchen I'm going to have two dishwashers!

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 04/01/2011 18:01

See we put glasses and everything in there and it all comes out sparkly. No rewashing, no scratched glasses, no smears - nothing. All perfect and shiny.

And, they are great for washing bath toys.

Catsmamma · 04/01/2011 18:05

buy extra teaspoons and mugs and only buy cheapo glasses as they do get ruined

but otherwise i'd sooner have a dishwasher than almost anything else!

house of mirth...i am going to have two washing machines one day!

hermioneweasley · 04/01/2011 18:08

we didn't have one for ages and then got one last year in advance of 2nd DC. i love it now (and i didn't mind washing up). when it broke and it took 10 days to be repaired, i really missed it! would def recommend.

RachelHRD · 04/01/2011 18:22

I had 3 years and 2 months without one (no room in kitchen) and have now had one again for the last 4 months. With 2 DC's it is a godsend and I am never, ever, ever buying a house without room for one again!!

So that's a YES in case you hadn't guessed it from me! I would go for a full size one if you can - with a family of 5 the small/slimline ones wouldn't be big enough.

MrsThisIsTheCadillacOfNailguns · 04/01/2011 20:23

I never had one until last year,and thought I didn't need one.We got a free one with our new kitchen and I'm a complete convert.It is fab,having it makes keeping the kitchen tidy and clean so much easier.I had no space either and moved the washing machine out into an outbuilding so we could fit the dish washer in the kitchen.The other good thing about it is that when the dds were ill with a d&v bug,I put the beakers they used in the dishwasher and they were sterilized as they are washed.I have enough spare time now to take up a hobby,I'd never be without my dishwasher now.

Get one,I promise you won't regret it.

PorkChopSter · 04/01/2011 20:26

Get one. Get two.

Don't get anything that isn't dishwasher proof.

Meglet · 04/01/2011 20:36

I would rather live without my car and tv than lose my dishwasher.

My mugs never get tea stains on them anymore, everything sparkles, it gets all the gunk out of the DC's beakers and cleans things like whisks / blender attachments properly.

whomovedmychocolate · 04/01/2011 20:40

Yes. Get a Miele if you can afford it.

Remember you can afford to lose a cupboard because all the stuff in the cupboard can live in the dishwasher and it'll be magically cleaned.

WherecanIhide · 04/01/2011 20:56

You can fit quite a lot in even a slimline sized one.

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