Is it weird not have a dishwasher, dryer or garbage disposal?

[Music Lover]

I think it's weird to have a dishwasher that WORKS.

ALL the people I know have them and don't use them for a variety of reasons...at least not to wash dishes in. Storage mostly.

ALL have some reason...leaks,inconvenience,don't clean well, noisy, too much bother.

Maybe all your friends have old, noisy, inefficient dishwashers. The new ones are silent and do a great job.

We could live without a dishwasher but choose not to. There are plenty of other chores that technology can't do for us so if we can get rid of washing dishes we will.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

My grandmother used to do that sometimes. Usually, it was after eating a bowl of ice cream, she'd set the bowl down and let the dog lick it clean. Funny thing is, growing up with that, it didn't seem all that odd. But I can remember when my Mom first started dating my stedpdad, the first time Grandmom did it in front of him, it really grossed him out.

Sometimes, when my house mate is making something with tuna, the cat will come running and pester him to death. To distract the cat, he'll usually open a small can of moist food, and set it down for the cat. The dish he uses is just a regular dish, and not a pet-specific dish. So it gets washed and put away with all the other dishes. So at some point I'm sure I've eaten off of the same plate as the cat. I guess that's no worse than what Grandmom used to do!

The old chestnut:

A man went to visit his 90 year old uncle who lived on a very secluded farm in the Florida Panhandle. He had not seen his uncle in over 20 years, because the uncle only left the farm for groceries and doctor’s appointments, and never ventured far from his farm. The two men spent hours chatting the night away, and finally went to bed after midnight.
Early the next morning, his uncle prepared a wonderful country breakfast of bacon, eggs, biscuits, and hash-browns. As he finished his breakfast the man noticed a film like substance on his plate, and questioned his uncle asking, “Are these plates clean?” His uncle replied, “They’re as clean as cold water can get them. Just you go ahead and finish your meal!”
For lunch the old man grilled up some hamburgers. Again, the man was concerned about the plates, as his appeared to have tiny specks around the edge that looked like dried egg and asked, “Are you sure these plates are clean?” Without looking up the old man said, “I told you before, those dishes are as clean as cold water can get them. Now don’t you fret, I don’t want to hear another word about it!”
Later that afternoon, as the man was packing his car to leave, his Uncle’s dog came out from under the front porch. The dog started to growl, and bear his teeth, with the hair standing up on his back as the man tried to go back in the house and wouldn’t let him pass. John yelled and said, “Uncle Ned, your dog won’t let me come back in the house.” Without diverting his attention from the football game he was watching on TV, the old man shouted,
“COLDWATER, GO LAY DOWN!’

 

[Keim]

For the past 15 years I have had 2 dishwashers. Age caused them to become increasingly expensive and undependable. The oldest now only works for a few days at a time, and the youngest moves out for college in the fall.

 

[Irishgirlyc58]

My grandmother used to do that sometimes. Usually, it was after eating a bowl of ice cream, she'd set the bowl down and let the dog lick it clean. Funny thing is, growing up with that, it didn't seem all that odd. But I can remember when my Mom first started dating my stedpdad, the first time Grandmom did it in front of him, it really grossed him out.

Sometimes, when my house mate is making something with tuna, the cat will come running and pester him to death. To distract the cat, he'll usually open a small can of moist food, and set it down for the cat. The dish he uses is just a regular dish, and not a pet-specific dish. So it gets washed and put away with all the other dishes. So at some point I'm sure I've eaten off of the same plate as the cat. I guess that's no worse than what Grandmom used to do!

I knew that would skeeve out some people.
I grew up with so many animals I’m pretty sure we could have been classified as a small animal zoo.
So basically, I’m a hick. [emoji23]

 

[Sojourner]

We use our dishwasher all the time, the new ones are quiet and use very little water, probably less than hand washing.

I've always had a dryer and everyone I know has a dryer.

+1

IMHO, a satisfying FIRE lifestyle does not involve foregoing modern conveniences such as dishwashers, dryers, and garbage disposals. I also would not forego high-speed Internet, a coffee maker, a gas stove/oven, HVAC, a vacuum cleaner, a 50 gallon water heater, a motorized lawn mower, etc. While I'm sure I could survive and adapt to the absence of any of those conveniences (or all of them, if need be), I don't see any compelling reason to voluntarily give up any of them.

 

[Gumby]

I knew that would skeeve out some people.
I grew up with so many animals I’m pretty sure we could have been classified as a small animal zoo.
So basically, I’m a hick. [emoji23]

One of the benefits of growing up in squalor is that I had every childhood illness imaginable and I'm basically immune to everything. I'm sure I'm more dangerous to my cat than my cat is to me.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I couldn’t care less about the garbage disposal but definitely need the other items. I hate washing dishes and have separate dog dishes.

 

[Winemaker]

I have seen newer homes with 2 dishwashers; so you don't have to put everything back in cabinets and take them back out again when you set the table. You just unload the DW on the table.

And I can remember 30 years ago when we bought our brandy new house, when the sewage authority had us fill out a questionaire about how many bathrooms and if we had a disposal. If you didn't already know, they are considered " bad" for the environment as they create more BOD (biological oxygen demand).

 

[jollystomper]

Due to the age distribution among my siblings, I was the family dishwasher for about 6 years. When I became an adult I vowed to never live in a home that did not have a dishwasher . But I retain the skill, if needed. At times it has impressed people .

A dryer is convenient, but having grown up without one, I could be flexible. When we lived in an apartment building we used clotheslines. The first home our parents bought we would use a nearby laundromat for the dryer. The first apartment buildings I lived in out of college had community washer/dryer areas, which were fine by me. There is a laundromat about 10 minutes away in a shopping center, so when we have had extended dryer issues we would use that while running errands in that center.

We had garbage disposals in our first 2 homes, but it is not a hill for us to die on. My enjoyment of horror films and a vivid imagination always had me picturing fingers getting stuck in them . Our current home is on a septic tank, and it is usually recommended not to have a garbage disposal in those cases. No big deal, we just have a sink drain screen and empty that into the garbage as needed.

 

[MarieIG]

My grandmother used to do that sometimes. Usually, it was after eating a bowl of ice cream, she'd set the bowl down and let the dog lick it clean. Funny thing is, growing up with that, it didn't seem all that odd. But I can remember when my Mom first started dating my stedpdad, the first time Grandmom did it in front of him, it really grossed him out.

Sometimes, when my house mate is making something with tuna, the cat will come running and pester him to death. To distract the cat, he'll usually open a small can of moist food, and set it down for the cat. The dish he uses is just a regular dish, and not a pet-specific dish. So it gets washed and put away with all the other dishes. So at some point I'm sure I've eaten off of the same plate as the cat. I guess that's no worse than what Grandmom used to do!

The only issue I have with that is ice cream may not be good for the dog.

Now, if grandmom picked up the dish and had a second bowl of ice cream without cleaning it - well I get it.

As far as a pet touching a human's dish - well we use utensils to cut raw meat and have to wash those and reuse, so . . .

Full disclosure, the dog has her own dishes, but they get rinsed and put in the dishwasher so . . .

 

[Gumby]

The first time I went to Thanksgiving dinner at the now young wife's family home, I was looking to score some boyfriend brownie points, so when everyone left the table and went into the living room to talk and watch football, I stayed behind and started washing the dishes (by hand, since they had no dishwasher). After a while, her quite elderly and oft befuddled grandmother wandered out into the kitchen, looked at me, turned around and left. When she got back to the living room, she told the young wife "There's a man in the kitchen. Make him leave." So she did.

However, as it turns out, for about the next 35 years after that, I was the designated solo Thanksgiving dishwasher, until the MIL moved out of the family home and we stopped having the huge 20 person feasts.

 

[RockLife]

My dishwasher is made by Schrödinger Appliances, and I'm never quite sure whether the dishes are clean or not until I open it and look in.

If there's a dead cat in there, sell the damn thing!

 

[Ronstar]

The first time I went to Thanksgiving dinner at the now young wife's family home, I was looking to score some boyfriend brownie points, so when everyone left the table and went into the living room to talk and watch football, I stayed behind and started washing the dishes (by hand, since they had no dishwasher). After a while, her quite elderly and oft befuddled grandmother wandered out into the kitchen, looked at me, turned around and left. When she got back to the living room, she told the young wife "There's a man in the kitchen. Make him leave." So she did.

However, as it turns out, for about the next 35 years after that, I was the designated solo Thanksgiving dishwasher, until the MIL moved out of the family home and we stopped having the huge 20 person feasts.

That's funny! Grandmother had probably never seen a man help out in the kitchen before.

 

[savory]

While living in S. Africa in 2006, there were government sponsored advertisements encouraging the use of dishwashers to save water. It was directed at a smaller part of the population since many people were still collecting water at a community tap and carrying it back to their house. But there was enough wealth that it might have had an impact.

We use our dishwasher to reduce water consumption and I am guessing that we have been provided good information about this and we appreciate supporting good environmental practices.

We almost always hang our washed cloths on a rack. The dryer is a backup appliance if we need it which is perhaps 7 days per year. For us, it is mostly cost savings but the environmental impact is appreciated.

As for the garbage disposal, it helps to clear the drain but if we did not have it, no big deal.

As a side note, S. Africa also had a no grocery bag policy in place. I do not know how long it had been in place before we moved there but everyone seemed to have figured out how to manage it. And, most people took public transportation which as you know adds some complications when bringing groceries home.

 

[Sanstar]

Why was she stunned that you didn't know how to run her /his dishwasher? All the appliances are different. I have a brand new Bosch 18" wide dishwasher that I'm sure no one on this forum has and you have to learn how to load it and what buttons to push to shorten the cycles. No garbage disposal and need a clothes dryer because it's easier when you are working.

We bought a Bosch for our daughter and I liked it so much we changed ours out to a Bosch with our recent kitchen update. The fairly new, working dishwasher went to Habitat for Humanity. We run the Bosch every night, empty it in the AM while waiting for coffee to brew.

Definitely a BTD spend.

 

[FI_RElater]

...ever been in a trailer?

In my early years we were in trailers (yeah, they were definitely mobile... but we never called them mobile homes)___ and we didn't have __ dishwasher __ garbage disposal ___ A/C (but did have a "swamp cooler")_ or dryer, except the time we were in base housing where they had all but the dryer (washer and dryer wasn't supplied, you had to have your own). When the parents eventually got a house, it also didn't have a dishwasher, garbage disposal, or even A/C ( they sprayed down the roof with water when they needed) and they had only a washer for the longest time, only later putting in a dryer (they also had only used a clothesline).

In my first house, I had no dishwasher or garbage disposal but did have A/C put in as condition of sale (replaced an old octopus oil-converted- to-gas heating system and window units). I ended up buying a washer/dryer set. When I got married, we each sold our houses and bought a new one and it had all those amenities as well as a fireplace and deck. All of our houses since then have had the same amenities.

By comparison, my one GM had none of the above... in fact only had cold water into the old house (it was from an old "company town" at 7000 ft in the mountains) and didn't even have indoor toilet __ just an outhouse __ but it was a "two holer" , but do watch out for the rattlesnakes and spiders. It also only had a coal fired stove and coal pot belly heater... and you can imagine that the old company houses weren't insulated (you'd be right). Was still the same up until she passed in the early 70's ; the houses in the "community", as you really can't call it a town, were torn down and replaced with newer homes and in the last couple of years they installed a sewer system there.

 

[mystang52]

I was 25 years old when I bought my first house, and that was my first exposure to a dishwasher. Money was tight that first year of ownership, but when the dishwasher died I never hesitated in buying a replacement. I got so used to its overall convenience, and 45 years later have not lived without one. I'd give more details but I have to get up and start a dishwash now.

 

[Kayzmum]

Everyone should live the way they want to without someone making them feel uncomfortable. If you're happy without a dishwasher or dryer then that's all that matters. I never cared much about a dishwasher until they came out with the ones where you don't have to practically self-wash the dishes before you put them in, and the old dishwasher didn't wash pots and pans well at all. I really like the one I have now. No pre-washing and it does pots and pans. It's nice to have when doing a lot of cooking. I couldn't live without a dryer because my allergies are so bad, I can't hang clothes outside on a line. I hang some clothes up in the house but can't hang everything in the house. That's just me. I respect everyone's choices, as long as they aren't hurting anyone. You're saving a lot of money on your electric bill.

 

[brucethebroker]

No current disposal, living on a septic.
Had disposals removed from prior snow bird condos. They seem to rust out, and we are used to living without one anyway.

 

[zippy2020]

Have a disposal, used very lightly. Unfortunately kitchens w/o disposals are frowned upon by home buyers, and at some point we will sell. We have no firm plans, but this is not the kind of property that is easy for elderly owners to maintain - in fact we bought this house 34 yrs ago from a pair of elderly sisters, and we are now starting to get to that "this is getting to be too much" stage.

Have a dryer and use it regularly. It isn't worth our time and energy to line dry, especially with a CA king bed. We have high capacity gas w/d.

DW is broken and need to buy a new one. Even with all the water-saving tricks learnt from YEARS of drought - this is at least the fourth extreme drought we have been through (now happily at an end for this year only). DWs clean better - they all have a sanitizing rinse and I made regular use of it - with less water than hand-washing.

Every decision we make about our home is balancing what we want against what a future buyer is looking for. Where we live, a prospective buyer might be willing to overlook not having a disposal, but no dryer hook-up or DW would be a red flag. Especially in older homes like ours, where an electrical panel upgrade for the necessary separate GFCI circuits (required by our local housing codes) can go upwards of $3K.

 

[rodi]

I have all three appliances and use them within reason.

Dishwasher is used for plates/bowls, flatware, drinking glasses and coffee cups. Pots and pans, serving spoons, wood handled utensils, plastic storage containers... they are all hand washed. We run the dishwasher about 2 times a week... more often when the kids are in town because they get a fresh glass or cup for every sip... where I use the same cup for coffee, rinse it out and use it for water...

Disposal doesn't get much use since we compost for the garden... but I run it periodically because just rinsing the plates can produce enough to run it.

I line dry big stuff like sheets, towels, etc... but small stuff like socks, undies t-shirts get dried in the dryer.

So I guess I'm a hybrid user on all of these.

 

[NW-Bound]

I took out the garbage disposal long ago, after having one after another leaking and ruining the bottom of the kitchen sink cabinet. Don't miss it.

And this thread reminds me that we have not used the dishwasher for years. I am afraid to turn it on now, not knowing if it will not leak water everywhere. Perhaps time to remove it and to use its space for storage.

About the cloth dryer, no we will not do without it.

 

[Brook2]

Have a disposal, used very lightly. Unfortunately kitchens w/o disposals are frowned upon by home buyers, .

Yes, I started noticing that when walking through open houses nearby (for entertainment) - All the kitchen are expected to have disposals (so the realtor said). I actually thought garbage disposals were being discouraged by cities nowadays since they are trying to direct food waste to compost. Probably depends on where you live. The city garbage picks up our compost/green matter and they give you a special green bin to put it in.

 

[Brook2]

The first time I went to Thanksgiving dinner at the now young wife's family home, I was looking to score some boyfriend brownie points, so when everyone left the table and went into the living room to talk and watch football, I stayed behind and started washing the dishes (by hand, since they had no dishwasher). After a while, her quite elderly and oft befuddled grandmother wandered out into the kitchen, looked at me, turned around and left. When she got back to the living room, she told the young wife "There's a man in the kitchen. Make him leave." So she did.

However, as it turns out, for about the next 35 years after that, I was the designated solo Thanksgiving dishwasher, until the MIL moved out of the family home and we stopped having the huge 20 person feasts.

That is a great and funny story. Got a good laugh.

 

[W2R]

I don't think it's weird to not have a dishwasher, dryer, or garbage disposal. It's your house! Do what YOU want, not what we want.

Garbage disposal: This house has never had one. I moved in here 8 years ago and don't miss having one.

Dishwasher: I have a nice dishwasher that was here when I bought this house. I used to save my dishes until I had a load (about a week) and then run it. But now that we eat together every day at my house, Frank hand-washes whatever dirty dishes I have when he's over here. So, the dishwasher hasn't been run in probably five years.

Dryer: I have a wonderful LG dryer that matches my oversized LG He washer. I use it every time I wash clothes. So does Frank, since his washer self-destructed a few years ago and now he washes his clothes over here (he lives next door to me). I have used a clothesline before, when I was younger. But now that I am older, with aching joints, the dryer seems like a lot less work. Also it's especially nice to have one when rain is threatening.