Why isn't two washing machines a "thing" like two dishwashers is becoming?

[Fluffycloudland77]

Two washing machines would mean two lots of drying and putting away at the same time! Why create extra work for yourself?

If I had the space for two dishwashers and two washing machines I'd probably have the money for housekeeper. I'd rather have the housekeeper!

I don't think it would eliminate the backlog, no more than a machine with a higher capacity would anyway. Because you still have to put things in and out.

The point of two dishwashers is that everything you own fits into one or the other. As you use things, you place them into the first one, for now known as the "dirty" dishwasher. When it's full you switch it on and the second dishwasher becomes the "dirty" one. So you put things into it as you use them. When the first one is finished it becomes the "clean" dishwasher. As you need things, you take them directly from the first dishwasher, and when you've finished using them you place them into the "dirty" second one. When the second one gets full or the first one gets empty (hopefully, this happens at roughly the same rate) you switch on the second one and the first one becomes the "dirty" one again. When the second one is finished you can use it as the "clean" one and take things from here when you need them, and they keep rotating like that in a constant cycle.

It's brilliant because it means you don't use any cupboard space to store things, you don't have to deal with the putting-everything-away phase, and you don't have dirty dishes sitting on the counter waiting for the clean stuff to get put away before you can fill up the dishwasher.

n.b. I don't actually have two... just definitely see the point and would love to in the future!

I have 2 fridges and 2 freezers but only 1 DW & WM.

We looked at the zoned drawer type dishwashers when we redid our kitchen 2yrs ago and decided against because of the capacity for large items. We knew we'd end up using it as we do our trad layout DW rather than running a 'half load' (which is what the drawers amounted to). We have enough plates/cups/cutlery etc to run the DW when it is full - every day, every other day. Plus we hand wash things that can't go in - stuff like chef's knives, pans with special coatings or just bulky stuff that isn't that dirty and so takes seconds to wash but will take up loads of room if it went in the machine.

We never have the problem of the putting-everything-away phase. DH empties it in the morning while he's waiting for the kettle to boil and the tea to brew or if he can't the DC do it. Then it gets filled all day and put on in the evening.
Unless you use exactly the same ammount of pots and pans every day I imagine a cross over with two where the dirty one is on or full and the clean one has clean things in so you have nowhere to put the dirty dishes.

bertie - but surely that could only work if you had 2 sets of everything and used the same things every time. my dishwasher contains almost entirely different things after eg pasta and salad versus a roast dinner.

Errol Exactly! Our "clean" dishwasher would be half full of stuff that isn't needed right away, which we'd either have to put away (defeating the purpose) or leave it in to be washed again...but what if I need it when it's now in the "dirty" dishwasher?!?!

ours is also emptied whilst waiting for porridge/tea in the morning.

I'm seriously considering two washing machines if only to avoid the hassle and days off work when one dies suddenly. I've panic bought the last two machines that way. Both mistakes.

Also because having young adult DC means I've lost control of easy scheduling. They stick washes on at strange times or come home from uni and monopolise it.

Second dishwasher as an extremely expensive kitchen cupboard is just weird though. Some people just look for things to spend money on.

I suppose it depends how much stuff you use over a day or so but we always have roughly the same in ours. I don't think you'd need two sets because it wouldn't take any longer than using one dishwasher would.

Cheapest built in dishwasher in ikea is only £200 though Manumission. You just need to attach a door to it. A base cupboard of the same size from Ikea, including legs, hinges etc would be £30 or £40, plus it'd take longer to assemble/fit (so either more time or more money depending if you are fitting it yourself or not). I can see how in some circumstances, it's not that much more expensive. Different if you're looking at more expensive dishwasher though.

We have two dishwashers but only because the previous owners put a slimline one in the utility. I have to admit it does come in handy on occasion if the kids have friends round but we don't use it often, as we have 6 children and I already worry about the impact of that on the planet. Two washing machines is the stuff of dreams but a.) we have no space and b.) again I would worry about the energy used.

My friend with 4 children has two washing machines and said it was life changing but I think for most people it's overkill. Just get one which takes bigger loads or does shorter cycles

I have 2 washing machines because for me it doesn't quite work out the way you've suggested one machine could. I also have 2 dishwashers because a family lunch and afternoon at home just with my children and grandchildren at the weekend means a main course, desert, assorted drinks, then snacks later on means catering to 18 people. Pots etc get done in the sink.