Do you have a dishwasher?

[Meadbh]

Modern dishwashers are more energy saving than handwashing dishes, if you have a full load. My home had a dishwasher when I moved in. After approximately 15 years it began leaking and I replaced it with a new, energy efficient, quiet, sparkling glassware one. It works much better than the old one and I wouldn't be without it. I run it about twice a week.

 

[free4now]

As a renter I don't pay for hot water, but I do pay for the electricity to run a load of dishes. I estimated a while back that it costs about 20 cents for the electricity to run a modern dishwasher load.

 

[flipstress]

The downside is that visitors always complain about there not being a drying rack on the countertop and offer to buy me one. In the small kitchens I've had, I've always prefered the counterspace over having a drying rack. But I recently broke down and bought my first drying rack mostly for visitors to use.

What a nice host you are, to think of the needs of your dishwashing visitors!

What kind did you get? I have a 13-yr old dishrack with its coating beginning to break so that rust is showing through. I am thinking of getting this. (Edited: Or maybe not--just looked at the Amazon reviews that said one had to wipe the rack to prevent rust spots.)

But then again, I have also thought in the past of using our non-functioning dishwasher as the dishrack and not spending $50. Plus, I like your point of having more counter space without a dishrack.

 

[free4now]

I just bought a $5 wooden fold up ikea dish rack. I soon discovered I needed a silverware strainer, so I bought one that attaches to wooden racks for $10 or so at BB&Beyond. It's probably not the optimal solution, but it makes my visitors comfortable washing dishes!

 

[flipstress]

Thanks--a wooden dish rack will never rust! Well, maybe the screws and nails will.

We don't have an IKEA in town (I have never been to one actually ) but I will be on the lookout for an inexpensive wooden dish rack in the stores here.

 

[TromboneAl]

One of my non-LBYMs fantasies is to have two dishwashers, one for clean, one for dirty. Never have to put the dishes away.

Yes, me too! Another fantasy: silverware that is shaped/sized so that you dump it into the sorting gizmo, and it self-sorts (like a coin sorter).

Concerning dish drains -- I rarely see any dish drains which cause the water to actually drain into the sink. Perhaps in a less humid environment that's not a problem, but I had to make my own. I found it has to tilt pretty steeply to insure that the water flows into the sink.

 

[SteveR]

In the Midwest we had dishwarshers...

My dad called it a "dishworsher". Southern Midwest I guess.

We have one and use it about once a week; when we run out of glasses or spoons. Otherwise, we handwash the few things we use during the day.

It is also a great place to hide dirty dishes when company comes over.

 

[Khan]

The main things that go into the dishwasher are plates, mugs, glasses, and utensils.

I don't mind doing pots and pans by hand as they are large, unbreakable and have handles.

 

[DallasGuy]

I have one...wouldn't live without one. I hate to wash dishes by hand! I don't run it but about once a week though since I make sure it's full before I run it.

 

[ziggy29]

We had one installed when we remodeled the kitchen in our 64-year-old house last year. The old design was very inefficient with almost no storage. We practically doubled the storage AND got a dishwasher in there as well.

 

[HFWR]

My dad called it a "dishworsher". Southern Midwest I guess.

Yep, that's it...