A Dishwasher. Is it worth it ?

[JDarvall]

Sorry. More kitchen questions.

On the weekends I'm sady the cleaning lady. Wife does tons of cooking for her little business, and I spend most of that time washing up and watching kids.

Doing a kitchen up at the moment. Thinking maybe its worth getting one. Never had one before. Are they more trouble than their worth ?

[jmk89]

Jake

If you have pots and pans with food stuck on, a dishwasher isn't much help - to get them clean you really need to wash by hand. Dishwashers do plates, cups and glasses and cutlery well and handle 'wet' cooking utensils (eg mixmaster bowls), but they struggle with anything that is 'baked on'. They also use qite a lot of water and power to do their job.

However, for the cutlery and crockery that a family generates during a normal day, they do a good job and so they cut down on the washing for the day.

[JDarvall]

Thanks Jeremy.

Too much baked on in her kitchen. Won't worry about it then.

[jmk89]

I would design a space for a dishwasher and install the electricity and plumbing, evenif I wasn't going to install one now. Put doors and shelves and a falso bottom in the space for the dishwasher and then you can install one easy-peasy if you change your mind (also is a selling point if you sell the house that the kitchen is set up for a dishwasher)

[JDarvall]

Ta. that makes sense. I'll run it by her.

[czzer]

A GOOD dishwasher using GOOD powder should have no problems removing baked on crud...I know ours gets everything off.

We never had a dishwasher until we rented a house with one a few years ago. It was a godsend! When we bought our first house it didn't have one, and going back to washing things by hand was a nightmare. One of the number one requirements when we recently bought a new house was that it absolutely had to have a dishwasher...we could never live without one now.

[bitingmidge]

yes.

It's worth it.

Although a good few years ago, I arrived home late one evening to see our aged dishwasher on the footpath.

Thinking it must have died, I enquired of my beloved.

"If they (referring to our three little angels) won't stack it, I've told them I'd get rid of it, and they can wash up from now on!"

And they did, for a good two years thereafter. Every dish and pan.

After that, we got a new one, and never had an argument about stacking it again.

It'll cut out 75% of your baking washing up anyway, but don't get a cheapie.

P
:D

[Ironwood]

I've always had one in the houses I've lived in for the last 18 years. Couldnt and wouldnt live without one. We use the 'Finish' powerball tablets (detergent) they seem to get most things clean.

For really baked on stuff, they just get a bit of a soak before going in, to soften it up a bit.

[munruben]

We have had 3 over the years and have mixed feelings about them. They definitely don't get some things as clean as hand washing and comparing to washing by hand, they are slow. If everyone did the right thing and washed up by hand immediately after using the crockery and cutlery it would be much quicker than the machine but that would be in a perfect world and it just doesn't happen. Dishwashers are here to stay but they are not the complete answer to washing up unfortunately. They are a plus when you are trying to sell your house, most people want a dishwasher.

[JDarvall]

Thanks....ok..... so which dishwasher brand should I get you think ? There's still some of that end of year bonus left.

So they need hot and cold water as well as power right......so, I'm guessing I should plan the plumbing for it as well. Do they hook up under the sink there where the sinks mixer connects........and I spose I'll have to put a power point in the dishwasher bay (or whatever that areas called) as well.

[bitingmidge]

Hook 'em up under the sink allow for hot and cold water.

The waste goes through the sink trap.

Don't put a power point in the recess, put it in the cupboard beside the dishwasher recess, so you can get to it if you need to, and also so you can fit the dishwasher in the recess!

Any of the weird European brands you've never heard of are terrific, AEG, Bosch, Smeg... basically anything you can't afford! :wink:

The Fisher and Paykel Dishdrawer has a great following as well, and lets you do two loads separately. I'd look to one of those next time based purely on rave reviews from customers who have them.

cheers,

P

[Clinton1]

I have one and never use it.

The water and power that they use and the stacking time kind of outweigh the effort taken to wash up.

just my opinion.... but they seem to be a waste of time compared to the "time saving" that they generate.

[jmk89]

I agree with BM - Bosch (and the other European brands) are very good. Our Bosch has done good service for the last 3 years.

[Bleedin Thumb]

Mate after a good meal, a couple of glasses of wine....who in their right mind would want to wash dishes?

We lived without one for 7 years until the kitchen reno.

Living without a dishwasher is like getting hit over the head with a bottle.....you can get used to it...but its nice when it stops.:D

[bitingmidge]

The water and power that they use and the stacking time kind of outweigh the effort taken to wash up.

just my opinion.... but they seem to be a waste of time compared to the "time saving" that they generate.

I'll race you to wash up after a dinner party for eight then eh?

You can load and unload the thing in shifts too, so that by the time you've finished dessert, all the main course dishes are done!

Years ago, the body of opinion was clear that you used much less detergent, power and water using a dishwasher. I haven't seen any latter day stats though.

I suggest using Hot water, if it's ok with your machine because it's cheaper to pump preheated water in, but the difference is marginal even over a year.

Cheers,

P

[Sir Stinkalot]

Don't put the GPO in the dishwasher bay ..... if there is a problem (invloving water) you want to be able to turn it off without going near the machine.

We have the dw next to the sink, the GPO is under the sink as well as the water connection (cold only). There is a tap of sorts so you can also turn off the water.

As for brands we have had ours for 6-7 years and its a Dishlex ..... works quite well as long as it is well stacked. There were 3-4 different models available in the range when we purchased. Each produced an identical wash however there was $800 difference in price. The top of the range had a display to show how long was left in the wash (not important to us) the other one had fold down racks instead of removable (again not important to us). When comparing models just check to see what you are paying extra for. Quite often you are getting the same quality machine with different cosmetic options, you are not actually paying for a better wash from the machine.

If you overload or incorrectly stack that is when the poor washing occurs, ie a bowl facing a plate so the water cant get to it.

[Pusser]

We have had four - oan old dishlex which we did not use much because it was noisy, replaced it with a new dishlex which was pretty good and cleaned most things. Moved house and inherrited a Blanco which was very good and cleaned nearly everything and built a new house with a new bosch. Water efficient and very quiet. Ran it three times on Christmas day and only had to handwash the large platters which would not fit in and the turkey baking dish. Use those tablets with balls in them. AGood diswasher is very good. We put everything in it during the day and generally only run it once a day. You use less water and get things much cleaner - just scrape off the loose crud before ging in to the washer.

[JDarvall]

Thanks for the tips. Must put the power point in the next bay !


The Fisher and Paykel Dishdrawer has a great following as well, and lets you do two loads separately. I'd look to one of those next time based purely on rave reviews from customers who have them.


Fisher and Paykel eh. Found this stainless steel number, to go with the oven.
http://www.appliancesonline.com.au/DW60CSX1.html
Might take a visit to Hardly Normal next family trip to Lismore if there's any money left after the kitchens done, and try and steal it.

Is the standard size indeed 600x600x850 ?..... So, I'll leave a bay say 610 wide and just put draws in it if we don't get a dishwasher.

But how much would you allow for the height of the dishwasher. Is 850mil a reliable number ?

[JDarvall]

- just scrape off the loose crud before ging in to the washer.

See thats the bit I don't get. I'm on the home straight after I've scraped off the loose crud with the pre-rinse.

Thinking if I have to still pre-wash it all before I load the dishwasher up, is it really worth it ?

[patty]

We have just done up pur kitchen and the first thing that was on the list was a dishwasher mainly because it was always me who was stuck washing up
and it is without a doubt the hardest working appliance We went for a Kleenmaid unit and i throw everything in baked on lasagne dishes you name it set it to power jet and a finish 5 in 1 tablet and its all done! A certain must have in all modern day kitchens my opinion anyway

[Eli]

I grew up with dishwashers and never really noticed, mostly because I wasn't doing dishes. I'd rather do them by hand. We had a washer in the last rental house, but didn't have one in the house we owned before that. I did provide power and an appropriate opening as suggested, when I did the remodel.

It may be because the rental had a cheap dishwasher, but we've gone back to this (http://cgi.ebay.com/High-End-Deck-Mount-Kitchen-Faucet-w-Pre-Rinse-Spray_W0QQitemZ260196382286QQihZ016QQcategoryZ85911QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) and the dishes are cleaner and we're happier. It uses less water as well, without taking six hours. This faucet has everything to do with my tolerance/enjoyment of doing dishes. I agree, if you have to mess around with them before you put them in a machine, what's the point, they're done before you know it. A pre-rinse faucet is the key, if you ever had a job as a kid washing dishes you'll recognize it.

[woodbe]

See thats the bit I don't get. I'm on the home straight after I've scraped off the loose crud with the pre-rinse.

Thinking if I have to still pre-wash it all before I load the dishwasher up, is it really worth it ?

Yes.

But you don't pre-wash, you just flip the worst of the crud into the rubbish. Pre-washing is a waste of time, and if you find you have to do it, you bought the wrong dishwasher.

By the way, we use a phosphate-free dishwasher powder called Squeek. Works well in our Bosch. It's available at our local Coles.

I'm sure Choice has done a dishwasher test. Worth checking before you part with your hard earned...

woodbe.

[peter_sm]

Miele.

Buy it now and enjoy for 20 years. LOL

17 Litres of water for a load. Not too bad!

[Pusser]

Yes.

But you don't pre-wash, you just flip the worst of the crud into the rubbish. Pre-washing is a waste of time, and if you find you have to do it, you bought the wrong dishwasher. ..

woodbe.

Yep, Christmas dinner, knock the crap off into the rubbish and stack straight into the dishwasher. With the Bosch we put it on and by the time desert was finished and a few drinks it is ready for an unload and load desert plates stright in. No harder than stacking the plates ready for a handwash.

[DavidG]

When I do the dishes, I use a dishwasher.
Not going to soak my woody hands in that sudsy water.

Only some baked on pans need a touch up after the dishwasher is finished and these would take ages to scrub clean if hand washing.

The best powder I have found is the ALDI 5 in 1 tablets. They leave the dishes and machine shining.

Would not be without the dishwasher. :U

[journeyman Mick]

Jake, for most dishwashers I allow a 605 space. The F&P dishdrawers really need a 600 space. They are also deeper than most other dishwashers at 580 plus the curve of the front face. Basically if you want to fit a standard dishwasher just leave a 605 space in your 550 deep cabinets and you're right to go. F&P ones need a bit more forward planning. I bought myself the cheapest one I could (very low on $ at the time), a $450 Simpson. Uses very little water (I'm on tank water) and washes cleaner than you can by hand. Pretty much everything that fits goes in, pots and pans etc. It definitely saves time, take it from someone who was working a 50hr week, studying a half load at uni and doing all the housework at the same time.
Services for most dishwashers need to come up through the bottom of the adjacent cabinet, rather than the side as this allows the unit to push back hard against the wall.

Mick

[ian]

Jake the only thing I'll add to what others have said is don't forget the noise some machines make.
When we did up our kitchen 9 yeras ago we got a Miele D/W because it was the quitest. You can sit in the kitchen and not notice that the beast is going.
Be warned, really quite D/Ws come at a hefty price

ian

[czzer]

We've had a Miele, a Dishlex and a Fisher & Pykel over the years, and the Miele was by far the pick of the bunch (that we've used). It always got everything clean.

We found the Dishlex often didn't clean tall glasses placed in the corners of the top rack, and our current Fisher & Pykel seems to be a bit "harder" on glasses etc (leaving more scratches), as well as not getting everything clean. It also doesn't seem to fit as much in it as the Miele did.

The Fisher and Pykel came with the house we just bought and I'm looking forward to it dying so I can replace it with another Miele! :)

[JDarvall]

thanks for the advice. So you don't have to pre-wash.

[woodbe]

No, you don't :)

Agree about the noise. The first two washers we had came with the houses we bought. They were both Indecit branded, and both made an indecent amount of noise. Since then we've had a Miele and a couple of Bosch, and they have been quite quiet, but all of them over $1k

woodbe.

[anawanahuanana]

We have a Fisher and Paykel double DishDrawer which came with the house (fortunately!) and we would never live anywhere without one now.
As said before, just scrape the plates into the bin, and stck it all in. Press the button, and go do your own thing. This whole business of them taking longer to wash up than doing it by hand is a moot point. All the while the machine is doing it's job, I'm doing something I want to, instead of grumbling to myself by the sink. I'd much rather spend 130 minutes (the longest, heavy wash on my machine, although I usually use the 56 minute quick wash) surfing the net or mooching around the garage than 30 minutes washing up. I guess if you have a passion in life to put dishes away as quickly as possible after using them, then maybe handwashing is the way to go for you!

One thing to remember though: The resultant wash will only be as good as your stacking. It's a bit of an obsession for me, stacking the washer. My wife, on the other hand, well I'm sure she stacks it by throwing the dishes in from the other side of the kitchen. That or she just pours them in from a washing up bowl. Then she complains when she takes stuff out and it's not clean! The only time I've had stuff come out with food on it has been when I've not noticed that something is hanging through the bottom of the plate/cuttlery rack, and it's stopped the spray arm going round. :doh:

[seriph1]

As mentioned, check decibel ratings .... I have just recommended a client to buy an AEG dishwasher from Clive Peeters as they are offering a 'double-warranty' deal until January. the dB rating is very good, with I believe only one Miele model coming in quieter. One more thing to consider is that I have read that that more recent dishwasher actually use less water than manually washing up .... I don't claim this is correct, but I have read it in a range of journals. In our area, less water is better always, so it is a real consideration.

[Bleedin Thumb]

Jake I have had a change of heart....I was recalling some photos you posted and noted the state of your hands and fingernails!

Mate fill up the sink...... break out the dish washing liquid...Palmolive of course...and get scrubbing.

To finish of the picture make sure you are wearing a frilly apron, wipe your brow with the back of your hand....leaving some suds....whilst calling out to the missus ..........."Darling would you like me to do the ironing when I finish?"

God invented dishwashers to prevent scenes like this transpiring in homes through out the world.

[Brickie]

Dont listen to them Jake, dont buy one.

Save the planet and hand wash, save power, save all those horrid chemicals from going down the drain and into the sea.

Only used 17 litres of water per load X 3 if you do, dinner plates, dessert, odds and sods.

How did the oldies get by without one has got me beat? :roll:

PS. never had one, never want one.:)

PPS, the quotes about using less water are sponsored by, wait for it, the dishwasher manufacturers...

[markharrison]

I'm not sure what Brickie is on about but there you are. Clearly you don't spend too much in the kitchen. :p

Anyway, I would also recommend ASKO dishwashers. They are extremely quiet and are very efficient with energy and water.

I would not recommend a Fisher and Paykel anything. F&P have a reputation of not being able to service what they sell.

I was working in an office in Sydney that had three F&P fridges. One of these broke down. The serviceman came while I was in the kitchen and told the facilities manager that they didn't have any parts to fix the fridge. It was less than a year old.

I've also had many problems with my F&P washing machine. When it finally dies I can guarantee that F&P will not get my business again.

Also note, the Dish Drawer dishwasher cannot take the larger dinner plate sizes. I know because I considered one.

[echnidna]

Hey jake, just remember that brickie don't need a dishwasher.

If the goin gets tuff he just loads it all inta his cement mixer :D

[atregent]

I can certainly vouch for the Miele. We bought one a couple of years ago, and haven't looked back.

It's whisper quiet, the only time it makes noise is at the start of the drain where you get a bit of a gurgle from the drain, but most of the time it's pretty hard to tell when it's running.

The big selling points were the shelves felt really solid, and, this is what got the missus hooked, a cutlery drawer.

Only uses 17l for a full wash, and about 12c worth of electricity. The only down side is the Universal wash cycle takes 2 hours, but the last 55 mins is drying time.

[Brickie]

I'm not sure what Brickie is on about but there you are. .

He was on about giving Jake another opinion, like he asked for..:?

[Eli]

..........sure she stacks it by throwing the dishes in from the other side of the kitchen. That or she just pours them in from a washing up bowl. Then she complains when she takes stuff out and it's not clean!.......


This is exactly why I don't mind a few minutes washing up, it saves me a fortune in new dishes. :U


Just because you can't hear the thing doesn't mean it uses less energy than washing by hand. I don't need everybody on the planet to do their dishes by hand, but don't up my back and tell me it's a sunshower. And two hours by machine, thirty by hand? It takes me MAYBE ten minutes to do the dishes, dry them, and put them away. About the same amount of time it does to scrape them, arrange them correctly for optimum machine cleansing, put in soap, and start the machine. And it's done. I don't have to wait for someone to unload them in two hours. Nothing pisses me off more than sending clean dishes back through the dishwasher to justify a full load because the convenience extended to never removing them from the dishwasher. :doh:

[Waldo]

G'day Jake,

Are they worth it? Ruddy oath!

You got kids? :yes:

Like me you hate washing up and if you have to dry up then you let them drip dry and put away hours later? :yes:

Want more time for more important things in life? :yes:

Then get one. :2tsup:

In-laws bought us one to help take some of the load of us with 2 kids - 1 now 2yrs and the other 6 weeks old. It's saved us hours of washing and drying up each week. They bought us, in consultation with SWMBO, a Fisher & Paykel single drawer job :2tsup:

[bitingmidge]

I would not recommend a Fisher and Paykel anything. F&P have a reputation of not being able to service what they sell.

That's an interesting call! Here's my F&P experience:

2.00 am: alarm on fridge starts to go off. Hmmm. Reset it, write down the flashing light order and go to bed. Goes off again. Stuff it, turn off fridge.

8.30 am phone F&P service, they know from my name and address the date I bought it, the model, and have all the codes at hand. I tell them what happened.

12.00 midday, a service bloke arrives, (with part) and fixes the thing, less than four hours from our original call.

That may have been exceptional service, but our previous fridge (F&P) was 14 years old when we sold it with the house, and no breakdown. This one is six, and one callout about 9 months into its life.

I'd buy again, every time. Made in Brissy too.

Cheers,

P
:D

[Waldo]

Made in Brissy too.

Cheers,

P
:D


:2tsup:

And the ad account is handled by DePasqualie.

[GraemeCook]

Also have a look at Choice magazine reviews, and possibly the British eqivalent, Which - all libraries have back issues.

From personal experience of frequent breakdowns and abysmal parts service I would avoid any product made by Email - they are the pits. Just as bad as those unknown Asian superspecials.

Cheers

[markharrison]

That may have been exceptional service, but our previous fridge (F&P) was 14 years old when we sold it with the house, and no breakdown. This one is six, and one callout about 9 months into its life.

I'd call that dumb luck based on my experience.

[addy999]

Yea this is worth you should buy one .... as you said your wife dosent have time so you can easily do the work buy that .....

[JDarvall]

Just because you can't hear the thing doesn't mean it uses less energy than washing by hand. I don't need everybody on the planet to do their dishes by hand, but don't up my back and tell me it's a sunshower. And two hours by machine, thirty by hand? It takes me MAYBE ten minutes to do the dishes, dry them, and put them away. About the same amount of time it does to scrape them, arrange them correctly for optimum machine cleansing, put in soap, and start the machine. And it's done. I don't have to wait for someone to unload them in two hours. Nothing pisses me off more than sending clean dishes back through the dishwasher to justify a full load because the convenience extended to

:D this sort of stuff is whats going through my head on occation too.

I don't have to dry up either and put them away. Its my 10year old daughters job to dry up for pocket money everyday. It usually a time for us to have a talk too. And I won't her to develop a habit of working without complaint. Lot of kids seem to just grow spoilt and fat. Want to keep her busy.

The other thing is, that I'm not sure about........do all pots and pans fit in it ? .......I was at my MIL's place the other day and had a look at hers, and I swear (correct me if I'm wrong) there's not much space in a standard dishwasher. And I'm worried that some of Esthers baking trays won't even fit. We talking something like 4 loads of dishes for a saturday morning that would take me 45minutes by hands in one go(with everything put away). 2 basins of water....be less than 10L's in that, compared to say 4 x17 L's = 70 L of water ????

The other thing,,,,,I don't think I really want more things to maintain in my life. The more you own the more you have to fix/replace/re-install etc... and there's not enough money about really to do these things. And I'm worried I'm going to choose a dud. And with my track record, I proberly will.

But, thanks for the ideas. :2tsup: Particularily glad it was mentioned to make space for one at least. I wouldn't have thought of that.

[bitingmidge]

It usually a time for us to have a talk too. And I won't her to develop a habit of working without complaint. Lot of kids seem to just grow spoilt and fat. Want to keep her busy.

For that reason alone, you shouldn't get one yet.

Make the provision, because one day really soon, she'll be 18 and out and about, and you'll be talking to yourself fairly regularly! :wink:

Cheers,

P

[Bleedin Thumb]

Well Jake its understandable you not wanting one...we all know you're an old hippy.

Anyway if you leave space for one its about 600 wide which is too wide for a single door cupboard and too narrow for a double so how about a wine rack that you can keep your bottles of cranberry juice in..or is it moonshine you make in those hills?

I made this one as a corner unit to make use of the depth.

63578

[JDarvall]

yep. she's growing up too fast. (sniff):D Wouldn't believe what she told me the other day.

Wine rack ! .....excellent idea. Thanks bleeding thumb. We were thinking of just putting three draws in there. And just remove the runners if the dishwasher comes along. But I like your idea better. :wink:

[damien]

I recently installed one in our new house (old), Paid a fair amount for it, but its a Miele and it is FANTASTIC. It is really quiet and does a top job.

definately agree about having the tap and power socket in an adjoining cupboard so they can be shut off if needed without moving the dishwasher.

[gapwedge0]

Interesting thread. I put it off for years and now would never go back. but buy the best. We are currently celebrating our Bosch's 13th (or is it 14th?) year of service with only one visit by the technician. Just do it!!

[Jimmy]

We have just bought a SMEG and after working out which cycle to use which took a few days we now get baked on "crud" off no problem, we used the finish balls but found they did not work as well as the cheaper bulk buy from Godfreys but the rinse aid is a must. We operate it on cold water. Water consumption ranges from 7 - 24 litres and you can do half loads power usage .03 to 1.85 KWh. A normal wash is 16.9 litres which is less water than if you wash and rinse.

[TJAY]

Couldn't live without one, sadly I've been in rentals up until now so I know a cheap one can be fairly useless (but it still beats hand washing). But if you've going to buy one there's only two brands IMHO, Meile (the best) and Asko (2nd).

We couldn't afford/justify the Meile, it might last 20 years but we'll only be in our place for 10 of those, so the 15+ years we'll get out of the Asko will be more than enough.

Think it was about $900 for a fairly basic model, but it cleans brilliantly, and everything is stainless steel (cheaper brands use plastic internally for the water jets etc).

As for being able to hand wash quicker in less time, well god for you. While you're hand cleaning in 30 minutes I'm 29 minutes into a good book, a walk with the dogs or quality time with those I love. :U:U

[Gypsy]

Just saw this message. I didn't have one for years. Can't think of how many hours I spent washing ALONE. Everyone had homework etc. Got one a couple of years ago. First night 8 people for dinner. Everyone left the room, quickly stacked my new machine looked at the kitchen and couldn't believe it. It was clean. I would have spent for ever doing the dishes normally when everyone had gone ie 2am! Use it when full. If you decide to get one get one with two drawer and read up on energy ratings etc. Make sure the cupboard that houses the dishes and glasses is close to the machine and not the other side of the room. Fantastic.

[Learner]

We have a Fisher and Paykel double DishDrawer which came with the house (fortunately!) and we would never live anywhere without one now.
As said before, just scrape the plates into the bin, and stck it all in. Press the button, and go do your own thing. This whole business of them taking longer to wash up than doing it by hand is a moot point. All the while the machine is doing it's job, I'm doing something I want to, instead of grumbling to myself by the sink. I'd much rather spend 130 minutes (the longest, heavy wash on my machine, although I usually use the 56 minute quick wash) surfing the net or mooching around the garage than 30 minutes washing up. I guess if you have a passion in life to put dishes away as quickly as possible after using them, then maybe handwashing is the way to go for you!

One thing to remember though: The resultant wash will only be as good as your stacking. It's a bit of an obsession for me, stacking the washer. My wife, on the other hand, well I'm sure she stacks it by throwing the dishes in from the other side of the kitchen. That or she just pours them in from a washing up bowl. Then she complains when she takes stuff out and it's not clean! The only time I've had stuff come out with food on it has been when I've not noticed that something is hanging through the bottom of the plate/cuttlery rack, and it's stopped the spray arm going round. :doh:

I agree the Dishdrawer is the best. Plastics cannot be washed in this easily. I use rectangular glass pyrex for food storage in fridge and these wash perfectly in the dish drawer.

I stack then sideways on the sides of the rack in the drawer including their rubber covers.

[Gypsy]

My wife, on the other hand, well I'm sure she stacks it by throwing the dishes in from the other side of the kitchen.
Ha! I dislike stacking also. Made it look like I tossed everything in. My dearest, like you, is obsessed with doing it well (as well I know). I annoyed him so much guess who stacks now? I have tried to let him see how badly I vacuum but he just ignores that one.
My daughter with three under 3 years old at home all day is pulling her hair out almost. Her d'washer died. The amount of time spent washing dishes alone..... such a waste of time. Saving hard to get another, a priority.

[pharmaboy2]

does this thread mean there are people who dont have dishwashers??

wow!

dishdrawer for me BTW - 2 dishwashers has its advantages - like not putting the s...., away! LOL

[Learner]

does this thread mean there are people who dont have dishwashers??

wow!

dishdrawer for me BTW - 2 dishwashers has its advantages - like not putting the s...., away! LOL

Machines put an end to slavery. That is the advantage of western nations. The ability to afford machines.

[Eli]

Choosing and caring for machines is a type of slavery as well. Horses for courses.

[Learner]

Choosing and caring for machines is a type of slavery as well. Horses for courses.

Machines serve you well if you treat them well

[chromis]

Any idea what the power consumption is for an average dishwasher?

I have lived in houses with them and never used them. They kind of fit into the clothes drier category for me. Just another appliance to fix/replace when broken and a waste of power. I dont see the need for one when the alternative is a pretty simple task.

[silkwood]

I've sold (and used) most brands over the years. Ignore the "wash better and use less water by hand washing" brigade, they either haven't used one or have used a bad one. There is NO WAY hand washing is better or more water efficient than a good dishwasher (carbon footprint may be another matter..).

At the moment ignore energy ratings. Due to the way these machines are currently rated this information is largely irrelevant. Water rating is important, though a machine you really like which uses a litre or so more than the next best wins for my money. A bit of a run-down on brands (forgive me if I miss your favourite)

Dishdrawers: if you have a physical problem and want to mount two at the upper level, go for it. Otherwise, there are much better machines (and companies) for the money. IMHO!

Dishlex: Now made in Poland, a very good machine for the money. Not the quietest, not the most efficient but possibly the best value and service.(Note, not talking about the older model with the feed tube for the upper arm in the centre of the top basket)

Meile: very good machine, quiet, good cycle choice, overpriced. If you can get one at a VERY special price (say 30% off) worthwhile.

Bosch: better priced and reliable version of the Meile (but don't buy their lower range models, either fork out for the mid-upper range or go Dishlex)

Asko: great machines! Average service. (depends in which state, NSW is apparently good).

Smeg: quiet, excellent for dirty pots & pans (extra lower wash arm), good features and service. Again, don't buy the lower range Models.

Bottom line is all of the above (and others) are good machines, choice depends upon perspective (speaking of which I wouldn't trust Choice magazine to suggest a good anything! Absolutely the worst criteria in almost every field!)

One last point, don't bother with hot water connection. Not worth the problems, almost no benefit (despite what the salesperson says).

as always, only an opinion!

Cheers,

Mark

[azza_1980]

i would love to have a dishwasher, esspecially now with my wife on a exersise kick, she is now walking home from work so im cooking and doing the dishes for the family, of a weekend i do the dishes on average 5 times a day, simply to clear the dishes off the bench. I do have one but it is just in storage at the moment cause were i am renting we have no dish space. i have thought about just running the pipes through the servery section and use cable covers to run the pipes through, only trouble would be trying to get the real estate to agree with it. Some how i don't think the would.

[q9]

Meile: very good machine, quiet, good cycle choice, overpriced. If you can get one at a VERY special price (say 30% off) worthwhile.


The only reason I'll disagree with that is because the last Miele dishwasher my parents had was bought in 1987 and they only got rid of it 2 (2006) years ago when they left it in their old house...blew one capacitor in that time, and the inlet valve went just before they sold.

They have an Asko now, wonder if it'll last as long :D