Serious Q - do you use your dishwasher?

[[DHT]Osiris]

I'm not even sure how long my dishwasher takes to run, I'm pretty sure it's over an hour or two. It doesn't really matter, because I'm probably not putting the dishes away until the next day anyhow.

It's 2 hours for ours without drying, an extra hour with a drying cycle.

 

[MrSquished]

I'm not even sure how long my dishwasher takes to run, I'm pretty sure it's over an hour or two. It doesn't really matter, because I'm probably not putting the dishes away until the next day anyhow.

Get the great Cascade pods and you can use the 1 hour wash! Less time, and what I would guess is less energy since it's quite a bit less time.

 

[nisryus]

I don't understand this criticism at all. Why does it matter if it takes 1-2 hours to go through the cycle for standard items?

The wife wants it done in less than an hour, like 20 to 30 mins, which was not possible with my dish washer.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Dishwasher is set and forget, I don't tend to care too much how long it takes because I'm not the one doing the work. I just go do something else while it does it's thing. Kind of like a laundry machine.

 

[Muadib]

Mines is almost 13 yo, and it has worked almost every day since.

 

[dullard]

I don't understand this criticism at all. Why does it matter if it takes 1-2 hours to go through the cycle for standard items?

While I agree with your thoughts in general, there is one reason to want shorter cycles. My wife and her family are the anxious types. They worry about everything. They would not be able to accept having a dishwasher run when they sleep or are away. Somehow they think they'll be able to stop a leak that develops if it runs while they are present and awake--so quickly in fact that no damage will be done. I would counter argue that they likely will not see any such leak in time to avoid damage, but that isn't any comfort to their worries.

Not a great reason, but at least there is a reason why some people care.

 

[nisryus]

While I agree with your thoughts in general, there is one reason to want shorter cycles. My wife and her family are the anxious types. They worry about everything. They would not be able to accept having a dishwasher run when they sleep or are away. Somehow they think they'll be able to stop a leak that develops if it runs while they are present and awake--so quickly in fact that no damage will be done. I would counter argue that they likely will not see any such leak in time to avoid damage, but that isn't any comfort to their worries.

Not a great reason, but at least there is a reason why some people care.

Agree with dullard. My wife just doesn't has the patience and worries if something happens while the washer was running.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

While I agree with your thoughts in general, there is one reason to want shorter cycles. My wife and her family are the anxious types. They worry about everything. They would not be able to accept having a dishwasher run when they sleep or are away. Somehow they think they'll be able to stop a leak that develops if it runs while they are present and awake--so quickly in fact that no damage will be done. I would counter argue that they likely will not see any such leak in time to avoid damage, but that isn't any comfort to their worries.

Not a great reason, but at least there is a reason why some people care.

You've got bigger problems than washing dishes, then.

 

[nakedfrog]

Get the great Cascade pods and you can use the 1 hour wash! Less time, and what I would guess is less energy since it's quite a bit less time.

During the summer months my electric bill is $34, I'm on renewable power, and I don't particularly care how long the dishwasher takes

 

[MtnMan]

Ours went out during the COVID lockdown, and with all the supply chain issues, it took 6 weeks to get one.

Washing dishes for 6 weeks by hand sssuuuuuuucccccckkkkeeeedd.

 

[Red Squirrel]

While I agree with your thoughts in general, there is one reason to want shorter cycles. My wife and her family are the anxious types. They worry about everything. They would not be able to accept having a dishwasher run when they sleep or are away. Somehow they think they'll be able to stop a leak that develops if it runs while they are present and awake--so quickly in fact that no damage will be done. I would counter argue that they likely will not see any such leak in time to avoid damage, but that isn't any comfort to their worries.

Not a great reason, but at least there is a reason why some people care.

I get that but I just make sure to run mine when I'm home. If something catastrophic happens I'll most likely hear or see it. Same with laundry I don't tend to let that run and leave the house. Dryers are especially risky. Even if you clean the lint trap there's always a chance of lint being in a place it shouldn't, like inside the exhaust pipe or whatever. My rule of thumb is I don't leave the house if there's anything going on that has a chance of failing catastrophically. I don't really stress about it though it's mostly just precaution.

 

[mugs]

Very expensive (on electricity) to run. Hence don't have one. When I was a child my parents got given one for free, but never used it because of the cost of running it. It just sat there for years.

It’s like $40 per year and saves a lot of water

 

[MtnMan]

Very expensive (on electricity) to run. Hence don't have one. When I was a child my parents got given one for free, but never used it because of the cost of running it. It just sat there for years.

Excuse my southern drawl... but bullshit!

Dishwasher vs Washing By Hand: Which Is Cheaper?

When it comes to using the dishwasher vs washing by hand, there’s a clear winner.

www.kiplinger.com

 

[WilliamM2]

Simply untrue. It's a big collection of parts bolted to the frame connected by hoses and wires. It's no more complicated than an average PC build. Now whether it's worth it to repair is another story... A few failed parts and you reach the cost of a new one which is pretty damned annoying. That has more to do with economies of scale though.

The same goes for washers and dryers btw. Microwaves are about the only things not actually worth repairing since anything other than the fuse dying is likely going to cost far more than a new one will.

That's just not true. The most common part to fail in a microwave is the magnetron, the most expensive part in it. Usually they are $40 to $60. I fixed my Panasonic Inverter microwave last month with a $35 new magnetron off Ebay. The microwave cost $250 new. Well worth fixing.

Fixed my dryer last year, new belt, idler wheel, and rollers. Turned out I didn't really need the rollers, but the total was under $35 for all.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

That's just not true. The most common part to fail in a microwave is the magnetron, the most expensive part in it. Usually they are $40 to $60. I fixed my Panasonic Inverter microwave last month with a $35 new magnetron off Ebay. The microwave cost $250 new. Well worth fixing.

Fixed my dryer last year, new belt, idler wheel, and rollers. Turned out I didn't really need the rollers, but the total was under $35 for all.

Fair enough, I've never seen a megnetron fail, I have seen the fuse fail, so anecdotal on my part. Glad to hear they're worth repairing too!

 

[Fanatical Meat]

This is how my dishes go in:

I typically rinse for seconds per item, for the spatula I briefly used the sponge this is before its brief cleaning:

It is wet because it was sitting in the plate below with water in it before the picture.

 

[Muse]

My folks had one but I have NEVER lived in circumstances with a dishwasher since moving out of their house. I wash my own dishes. Also, in all but the coldest weather I don't turn on the hot water. I also almost all the time dry my clothes outside (I have a dryer but seldom use it). My utility bills are pretty tame.

 

[Muse]

Dishwasher uses way less water than doing the dishes in the sink. And a nice one can do a load pretty fast. Dishwasher is a must have appliance in my opinion.

I don't have proof but I suspect this is entirely dependent on your dish washing style. I live where drought has been a fact of life for many decades, and it's likely to only get worse in spite of this last drenching winter.

Saying a dishwasher is a must have appliance strikes me as absurd. There really is no must have appliance.

 

[Muse]

Who dries dishes? They go in the rack, and air works it's magic.

I compromise this. I towel mostly dry and let the air do the rest.

We removed the dishwasher when we remodeled kitchen, so we could fit two more cupboards instead. It's a small kitchen, I'd rather have the space.

Yeah, the space is a thing. If I put in a DW, one of my below counter cabinets would disappear.

 

[BudAshes]

I don't have proof but I suspect this is entirely dependent on your dish washing style. I live where drought has been a fact of life for many decades, and it's likely to only get worse in spite of this last drenching winter.

Saying a dishwasher is a must have appliance strikes me as absurd. There really is no must have appappliance

It was hyperbole, obviously if you are a hermit that uses a few dishes a day this will not apply.

 

[Muse]

3) Dishwashers, like all modern appliances, are essentially unrepairable.

I repaired my Amana bottom freezer fridge, almost 2 years ago. It's 22 years old now. From its behavior I figured that the thermostat had failed, bought a replacement cheap on Ebay (appliance outfits had rip-off prices) and replaced the bad thermostat myself. Works great now.

 

[zinfamous]

The dishwasher is my drying rack.

It is indeed mildly useful after a big party, but even then it doesn't do real work.

 

[IronWing]

This thread is enlightening about what gets folks amped.

 

[zinfamous]

Now that is pretty fascinating, I've never heard of those before. Definitely going to be on my radar for our next purchase, whenever that will be.

interesting. "Dryrite" we call it, and is used in nearly all molecular--and other--labs for keeping shit dry. Usually blue when dry, turns red when saturated, can leave in sun to return to dry/active state.

this stuff (or similar), also works as a passive de-odorizer if you leave a bag of the stuff, well exposed, to whatever environment you find to be a bit smelly. It actually works pretty well, but it does take time. Far superior to drenching your rooms with noxious perfume scents sold by Glade or whothefuckever is trying to sell you crap that never actually solves the problem of why your shit stinks. Again, can recharge in the sun so you have an effective single-purchase, lifetime room space de-odorizer.

 

[lxskllr]