Dishwasher vs handwashing
 

So we have a GE dishwasher - came with the house when we bought it like 2 yrs ago. Anyway, our bathtub has a leak in the faucet - just the hot water side, right? we have to shut the hot water off manually in the basement during the day, and turn it on for showers and to run the dishwasher.

So I did that, and just to see, I plugged up the tub to see how much water was actually leaking.

As I type, the tub is full (like, bathing level) and the dishwasher just stopped.

That made me wonder - is that how much water my dishwasher uses?? Does it take less water to hand-wash dishes??? I mean, the tub is full on a leak, low pressured, and the dishwasher must have more pressure than that...

Is it any wonder our water bill is so high? That our OIL bill is so high? Should I be switching to hand-washing??

Why don't you fix the leaky faucet? :rolleyes:

Gonna - gotta wait till DH gets paid first.

The dishwasher recycles the water so the actual time it is drawing water is a lot shorter than the time to run the whole cycle. We never got around to properly installing our last dishwasher and so it drained into a 5 gal bucket which we then emptied outside. One full cycle meant emptying the bucket twice, though it wasn't full the second time - I would estimate about 7 gals altogether.

To wash the same amount of dishes by hand I would have had to refill the bowl with hot water at least twice (probably 3 times as I would have washed breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes after each meal rather than putting them all in the dishwasher together). Not sure how much hot water I would use to fill the bowl (not the whole sink, it is huge) - but it would have to be at least 3-4 gals each time.

I understand that for sure. We've never had a dishwasher before, but I don't think they are that outrageous in water consumption. Though I have to say that water effeciency when washing dishes is amazing when you are hauling water and heating it on the woodstove.

No kidding... I guess it just sounds like a lot more water when you listen to it! Thanks for the info!

A properly loaded dishwasher (full load) will use about 1/4 - 1/3 as much water as hand washing those same dishes. Go ahead and add in the $.07 of electricity that it takes to run the dishwasher through the cycle, but be sure to adjust for the $.03 of electricity that you would burn to be able to see to hand wash those dishes. Do not consider your personal time difference between loading the DW or hand washing/drying... The added benefit of a dishwasher is that it washes at about 175 degrees (F) which is WAY hotter than you could dream of placing your hands into.

We have lived in places that had dishwashers but between not having many dishes, and there only being the two of us, more often than not we ended up not having enough dishes for a full load and usually washed a few by hand to use for dinner, etc.

Personally, I do not like them and would rather wash by hand.

donsgal

I never had a dishwasher until last year and always thought they were over rated. Now I love my dishwasher!! Even if it doesn't save water it makes so much difference in my time. Also, the water it hot enough to sanitize my milk jars with out taking extra steps, like I need to when hand washing.

After doing an energy audit here, it's more efficient to use the dishwasher.

Used to have a "riding dishwasher", was called "kids", if you rode them long enough, they would do the dishes.

Hand wash, dishwasher is too noisey and takes up too much room, besides just the two of us now...................

I have a dishwasher but wash by hand. I used it for awhile but noticed a big difference in the power bill when I didn't use it. If I have a crowd over and happen to have some dishwasher soap then i will use it but not for just the two of us.

Sherry in Ga

Mine takes 7 gallons for a complete cycle according to the literature.

I use a lot less water washing by hand than I would using the dishwasher; and, since I use a very mild soap, my dishwater gets a second use by being used to water the flower beds or tossed on the compost pile much of the year.

I start with 2 quarts of hot water in my dishpan; with the water for the rinse, I usually end up using about a gallon, maybe a bit more. I usually wash dishes two or three times a day. We cook most of our meals from scratch; and use pots/pans/dishes that I would not put in a dishwasher (cast iron, copper bottom stainless steel, wooden salad bowls, antique serving dishes); and we often use bowls, etc... that would not fit well in the dishwasher - so I would have to hand wash these items anyway. If I am using a large pan/bowl; I often use it as the dishpan.

Minimizing the amount of grease you use, doing the most soiled dishes last, and the use of a good, strong rubber spatula and a compost or chicken feed bucket when scraping your dishes keeps your dishwater a lot cleaner. Anyone who puts a dish with food on it in my dishwater gets their ears pinned back in a hurry - I never have to change out my water when doing dishes unless I have a whole housefull of company.

We had a dishwasher given to us as a wedding gift about 14 years ago. I HATED it with a passion!!! :nono: I was so glad when I finally got the nerve up to give it away (a gift from my parents). We wash our dishes by hand. We fill up the sink with hot water & soap, wash them & put them in the drainer & dry them right away (no rinsing needed). I found that the dishwasher ruined the finish on all of my dishes & glasses. The glasses had a funny taste left on them as well. If you have flatware that is silverplated it will ruin the finish on them as my Mother found out. I am not much into these modern appliances. I do have a food processer & a stand mixer but that is about it except for fridge & stove.

I personally enjoy washing dishes, it is therapeutic for me. Eventually The family won and I installed a dishwasher so we could save water and better sanitize the dishes. I'm a fan of seasoning my cookware, that means wiping it off and that's it. I think if everone just had a hankerchief and wiped their plate and cup and fork like we do when camping life would be easier.

I'd say those figures are pretty subjective. I use one gallon hot for washing and one gallon warm for rinsing.

donsgal

Same thing that mine says. About as much as a flush of the toilet. And, I believe my sink holds at least seven gallons. Then I'll use the other side for rinsing, requiring even more.

Plus, you get one step closer to sanitation with a dishwasher. Ours has a 'dry' setting that creates a lot of steam burning off the water inside. Yes, it uses more electricity, but it also sanitizes the dishes.

This is quite useful when it comes time to do some canning/preserving. That process is long enough without having to worry about boiling jars for ten minutes. Who has that many pots/burners?

I have a high effeciency maytag dishwasher. It uses approximately $35 worth of electrical power (for heating the water, and operation of the unit) per year if used once a week. I load it over the week and turn it on once a week. It uses about 7 gallons of hot water per cycle. To wash by hand, it would take more dish soap, more water, and wouldn't get the benefit of the extra hot water wash that a dishwasher would give. My vote is for the dishwasher. Depreciate it over it's life, and the cost of the unit itself might add $50 or so per year. For less than $100/yr. for weekly clean dishes, it's not really a bad deal. :shrug:

Like someone else said: you would use a lot less water and be more efficient at it if you had to haul that water by hand and then heat it. Hot water is truly a luxury that many here in N. America take for granted. Fresh, potable water is a resource that I appreciate and conserve since I have lived in other places without it. By the way, your toilet should not take 7 gal to flush- there are many methods of cutting that back and I hope everyone might be encouraged to take a few minutes to think of ways to conserve. Bravo to all on this thread who have shown ways to make their water usage stretch.

We've had dishwashers in the past, but not at our current home. It doesn't bother me, because I like to watch the chickens or hummingbirds out the kitchen window as I wash dishes. I also try to make almost everything from scratch. I only do dishes once a day, other than that, do pretty much the same as Aunt Elner mentioned above. With just the 2 of us, there really isn't a lot to wash, even on baking days.

About 5 years ago, we bought a countertop dishwasher for our daughter. It was perfect for her small family and teeny kitchen, as it fit under the upper cabinets, next to the sink. It used 2.5 gallons of water and about 1 Tbsp of dishwasher soap per load. It wasn't this model, but was similar:
http://www.compactappliance.com/xq/J...ct/DDW496W.htm

LOL! Reminds me of when we were kids, we'd ask my mom why she wouldn't buy a dishwasher and her answer would be "Why? I gave birth to three..."

ok, I have to say YUCK!!!!

Only wash dishes once weekly...gross. This sounds like my ex----sorry, dear. And if you are pre-rinsing those dishes, you need to count all that water in your water use tally. Dishwasher detergents are caustic and ruin your dishes, as well.

It only takes 5 minutes or so to wash dishes. It is a top-notch kid chore if you have kids....and people lived for centuries without sanitized dishes.

Mamalisa, as one of those kids who grew up washing dishes, I'd have to disagree about your statement that it takes 5 minutes. With dishes for 7 of us, plus pots and pans, the arguments over who would wash or dry, gossiping and joking around, I'd say it would have been closer to 45 minutes for my sisters and I! :D

We've managed to 'train' the kids to scrape their plates. They also unload the dishwasher (minus sharp stuff - knives, etc). If I am baking, sometimes I end up with two loads in one day!
We have one of those huge porcelain 'farmer's sinks' that is deeper than your elbow, so it would probably take a ton to fill it. Sometimes I hand wash some if I can't fit everything in the dishwasher.

Yeah, but how many times do you have to do that to equal what fits into a fully-loaded dishwasher? If you can wash 12 place settings plus utensils, glasses, etc. with one gallon of water, then I'm going to make a mental note to skip your next dinner party, lol.

DW designer
 

I amount of water your dishwasher uses will depend on the year it was built. The newer ones use much less water than the older ones. Efficiency has also improved greatly. Also, the higher end model doesn't necessarily mean you get better efficiency, but it can. When you shop for a DW - compare oranges to oranges. Even Consumer Report doesn't always compare o to o. Look at number of gallons and how long each wash cycle lasts, etc. In some areas, less water useage is very important, but as for polution control, the amount if the detergent is the same no matter how much water is used - so, less water but the same amount of polution.

Dishwashers do not sanitize dishes but they can be washed with water that is at a hotter temp than you use by hand - if you select that feature. I rarely do. I am not sure if Maytag has a model that actually sanitizes or not. It is too hard to ensure the temp of the water, no opening the door, etc, to advertize as actually sanitizing. If you select a non-heated cycle, the dishes are no more sanitized than if you did them by hand. If you use a heated dry cycle you are greatly increasing your elec usage but are heating the dishes- just not long enough or hot enough to sanitize properly. If your plastic dishes don't get dry, even with the heated dry cycle - you need the jet dry stuff in it. it has to do with what the plastic ware is made out of. If your silverware is being ruined it is the detergent, not the DW. If you have deposits on your cups - it could be your water, the water temp with the detergent or once again - the jet dry stuff. If you are not selecting a heated dry cycle and you have to water heater turned down too low, you will have a harder time getting your dishes clean. If you have food being redeposited on your dishes - check the filter. Some DW have filters that can get clogged and need regular cleaning.

Most of our appliances are simply conveniences. We get to weigh how important they are to us. I can't stand to do dishes! Others love them. To me, a DW is absolutely necessary the way I live now. If you like doing them by hand - go for it! If you don't, and your dishwasher isn't working well, look into it.

If you rinse all your dishes in running hot water, you may very well use more water and energy that if you put the dirty dishes into a dishwasher without rinsing. We use a couple of gallons to wash dishes by hand (verified by years of hauling water in buckets into the house from the hand pump, and hauling out buckets of waste water to put on the garden or orchard).

I spent a lot of time researching this very topic due to some debate with folks about a year ago.

The absolutely correct answer is: it depends.

It depends on how you wash dishes by hand, what sort of dishwasher you have, and how you use the dishwasher.

There are techniques for washing dishes by hand that are FAR more efficient than even the most efficient dishwasher, used in the most frugal way.

And thee are techniques for washing dishes by hand that are FAR less efficient than even the lousiest dishwasher, used in the most foolish way.

For myself ... I now wash all dishes by hand.

I put dishes in a plugged sink, or small tub, with no water. I then wash with a bit of soap and dribbling water - the water runs into the sink/tub. Then rinse with the dribbling water - the rinse water also runs into the sink/tub. I turn the dribble off and on frequently.

To wash enough dishes for a full dishwasher .... this uses about two gallons of water - less if I'm careful. There are no concerns about "is the stuff in the dishwasher clean?" or "I need my measuring cup, but it's in the dishwasher."

Plus, when the dishes are done, they are done. You don't leave the dishwasher sitting there waiting for a few more cups before you start it.

And some dishwashers do a really lousy job.

I figure if you've got to rinse them first, then load the dishwasher, then run it, then unload and put them away, that it's more water and time than just washing them, letting them dry, and putting them away. I used to use a dishwasher, but it ended up being more work than it was worth...for me. :) And our dishwasher doesn't heat the water to any higher temp than what the hot water heater is set on, so there's no advantage there.

Meg

I've been without a dishwasher for the last 5 years since we moved here off the grid. Mostly I don't mind washing dishes by hand but there are a few things that I'd love to have a dishwasher for. Getting egg from between the tines of a fork is a pain by hand. My old dishwasher used to power that off in no time. Also, parts of my stove top would be much cleaner if they could be run thru a dishwasher. They are too awkward to reach soem of the crevices by hand.
We don't worry about water efficiency so much as power. Dishwashers are big power hogs.

Exactly. Haul water for a year for all your daily use and you will notice every bit of wasted water.. You will subconsciously learn to to conserve. I thought most toilets take 1.6 gallons per flush?

The newer ones do, and I think they're working on models that will use even less. Sometimes, it takes two flushes at my house, but that's still only 3 gallons every once in a while verses 5+ with each flush. When you're on a well and in drought conditions, you like water efficient appliances.

OKAY! I hand washed because I didn't feel like filling the tub fulla water today.
Dishes: enough for dinner for 3 people, plus 3 pans, and several plastic cups from throughout the day. Basically a dish-drainer full, with the pans in the oven to dry.
Took me about 25 minutes - including heating the water on an electric stove.

Took a 4 qt bowl full of soapy water (and the water was still soapy when done), and the tap on cold water dribbling to rinse.

My granny washed from a dishpan with hot, soapy water, then put the dishes in a drainer that fit over another dishpan, then scalded the dishes with boiling water from a tea kettle. She used the rinse water collected in the second dishpan to wipe down the stove, counter top and table, then mopped the kitchen floor with it for the grand finale. Only a couple gallons of water was used and the soapy water was tossed onto the bushes by the kitchen door.

Our Well water sludge has killed our dishwasher. Can't afford to buy a new one until we can afford to fix the well. So we hand wash.

Have to say I like the dishwasher better.

The "heated wash" cycle is supposed to heat the water to 160 degrees-- not hot enough to sterilize, but apparently hot enough to kill the most common nasty bacteria, even for the milking containers. And, as I found out from my electric company, if we use the heated wash cycle, we can turn down the temp on the hot water heater because nothing else (even the pots & pans I wash by hand) needs more than 120 degrees.

The hot water heater uses propane, while the dishwasher uses electricity, which tends to be more expensive, so I wonder whether it saves us any money. Still, my wife hates doing dishes by hand, and a peaceful home is worth something, too.

I have washed dishes by hand, in the past, with very little water on a sailboat. When you only have a 25 gallon tank of fresh water and that has to last you for a few days or more, you can be very careful of how you use the fresh water. Sea water works great as the first wash while saving fresh water as the rinse.

That said - I love my dishwasher. When I am making a lot of food for the freezer, canning, or just making something that takes a lot of dishes, I just load up the dishes into the dishwasher, turn it on, and call it a day. My biggest beef is that it is noisy and it takes a long time for it to go through the cycle. My solution to that - I have a dishwasher that allows you to set a delay. My dishwasher runs in the middle of the night when I don't care how long it takes or how noisy it is.

Well until our hot water issue is fixed, I'll be doing dishes by hand since it's FAR too expensive to run the dishwasher and fill the tub full of scalding hot water (that was still scalding hot half an hour later...) at the same time. Today, I nearly filled one 4 qt bowl with hot soapy water to wash a full dishrack & dishtowel full, and let the cold water dribble on and off for rinsing. When it nearly filled my other 4 qt bowl I turned it off. This means for my LARGE load of dishes I used probably 6 or 7 qts of water - and that includes 2 dirty 4 qt bowls - so this was a load not likely to completely fit in the dishwasher.

That said, I remember my washer coming with docs that told its water usage, but I've since lost it. Can't find the info for my specific washer online - found the GE site listed every other info EXCEPT how much water it uses. Ours HAS a sanitation feature which I never/rarely use, and no I don't use the auto dry feater either. It is supposed to use low electricity (running full cycle, about an hour), but it can't use less than running one burner of our electric stove for 5-10 minutes.

Where I work for my full time job we are required by the state to use the dishwasher because the temperature is higher than we are allowed to keep the hot water temperature at. I run it twice a day on Satuarday and Sunday due to my clients eating 3 meals on those days, the other days it is only run once a day. It doesn't seem too loud to me and I know its not a newer one. I don't have one at home, I have 2 kids and 2 roommates.