Life Without A Dishwasher?

[RenKnitter]

I have always had a dishwasher.  Two years ago we had to replace the one we had and it is an energy efficient water saving model.  I HATE this thing.  Even on the light cycle it takes forever to finish a cycle - I do not use the heated drying.  Everyone I talk to that has a newer model says the same thing.

This one started leaking from the door the other day, and I have been doing dishes by hand.  It does not take long ( there are three of us ), I am finished, I am not stuck at home while the thing runs ( I will not go off and leave it running, but I know that some people do).  I have been having to run it twice a day.  Doing it by hand just seems so much easier.

I was wondering if any of you ladies have any thoughts on this?

[wrancher]

I agree that sometimes it is just easier to wash by hand and then you know they are clean. ALTHOUGH i got  a new dishwasher not so long ago and a plumber came and did some fixing for the installation and now I love that thing. But when I was doing dishes by hand I stayed more organized because I had to or we would be too far behind.

Janice

[RenKnitter]

But when I was doing dishes by hand I stayed more organized because I had to or we would be too far behind.

I have also found that you need fewer things because they are washed and ready to go.  There is just something about me that hates to have to go back and empty the dishwasher later.  I sometimes get to doing other things and forget, then it is time to start another meal and the dishwasher is full.

One thing that even my husband noticed is that the new dishwasher will not hold as much as the others we have had.  A plumber we had here doing some work told my husband that they meet new standards by allowing fewer dishes, since they have to use less water. 

[Proudmama]

In our more than twenty years together, we only had a dishwasher for four of those years.  We haven't had one in our house since we moved in 11 years ago and I never wish that we had one.  I honestly don't feel it is that big of a deal to do the dishes.  Like you said, even if the dishwasher washes the dishes, someone still has to put them away!  It doesn't take any time to do them unless I have made a big meal with many pots and pans or it has been a big baking and cooking day.  I know many people would never choose to live without their dishwasher so it all depends on your personal preference.

Denise

[Shelly]

We've been doing this all week, but for a different reason.  A few things I've noticed: 

1) We have stopped using a cup once and then putting it in the sink.  We rinse and reuse all day. 

2)  There is NO dish pileup at all; my sink is nearly empty 100% of the time.  I fill up the sink as I'm making breakfast and wash as I go and then wash right after the meal.  I repeat for lunch and dinner.  It takes just a few seconds to wash.
 
3) Pots are a little bit of a pain, but I realized that I'd scrub them before putting them in the dishwasher anyway because my washer can't handle pieces of food, so it's only slightly more of an effort in my case.

So far, I don't regret my decision to go hand wash only.

[allison5273]

It sounds like I am the odd man out but I hated not having a dishwasher! When we moved into our house 11 years ago it did not have a dishwasher and no place to install one without a kitchen remodel. I lived without one for 4 years until I could not take it anymore and bought a portable dishwasher. 1 1/2 years ago we finally got to remodel our kitchen and added a built in dishwasher it has a one hour cycle that I use 2xs a day. I did not mind the actual washing of dishes what I minded was always having dishes in my sink. I have older children and if they had a bowl of ice cream or made popcorn and had drinks after the dinner dishes were done I would wake up to those in the sink. I did not want to waste water to fill a sink every time there were a few dishes so we always had something in the sink. We also only have a single sink so I would have to wash everything pile it up then rinse. I just did not work well for our family. Good luck with whatever you decide!

[shedrinkzcoffee]

I'm with you Allison!   

We have a dishwasher in our house that is as old as the house (21+ years old).  Its a Kitchen Aid, its LOUD, it takes forever and its quirky (panel buttons need to be "babied" along) but it cleans like a champ!  My inlaws have talked about replacing it for us and I don't want them to, LOL.

We go through SO many dishes (and my kids are limited to using 1 cup for the day.. rinse and reuse, I say!) but I seem to cook a LOT or maybe I just make bigger messes.   

[Andrea G]

We used to have a dishwasher years ago, but we've been doing them by hand for the past nine years.  I usually prefer it this way.  When we had one I found that often I'd be looking for a particular dish or utensil and there it would be, dirty in the dishwasher waiting for the load to be full.  I'd still have to wash it by hand.  This way I need to stay on top of things, but when it's done everything is clean and ready to be used, and there's no unloading. 

Now, having said that, the other day we were at some friends' house for supper.  After the meal she loaded all the dishes and the kitchen was immediately clean.  For a brief moment I thought I wanted to get one myself, but then the moment passed.   

[MoWin]

I have never had a dishwasher and do not want one.  To show the difference... 2 of our daughters are opposite on this. Cathryn wouldn't even consider a house to rent unless it had a dishwasher.  Hazel has had a dishwasher in almost all of the apartments she has lived in. Know what is in the dishwasher? She stores plastic grocery sacks. LOL No kidding. She reuses these for lots of things and just tosses them in the dishwasher when she puts groceries away. LOL She has always hated the dishwasher. Carolyn doesn't have one, but probably would if her kitchen was big enough. We are all different. 

Blessings,
Winona

[Leahsgarden]

We haven't had one in 4+ years now and don't miss it at all. Yes, some days are overwhelming and the dishes pile up... but they wouldn't get done any faster if we did have a dishwasher, since it still takes time to load them up.

When I was first married, we ran the dishwasher once or twice a week, since that's how long it took us to mess up enough dishes to fill the dishwasher! Which also means that I only bothered to fill it up once or twice a week, not very sanitary. We did use paper plates and bowls. And one of the wedding gifts was a 12-person silverware set. Oh, and we got double gifted with a pot and pan set... so yeah, I could go days without needing dishes.

[Sandlappersue]

I am in the club of dishwasher lovers.   I had chosen to be content the Times I did not have one ( same with a dryer) but in all honesty I like my "servants" to do the work for me. We also still have a cup per person per day but I cook a lot and mess a lot. With nine of us, we use a lot of dishes. I use less water(thus electric savings since we have a well) when I run the dishwasher as I don't want to hand wash in dirty water. Dirty dishwater stinks and grosses me out.  The same with dirty dishes and I can work at something else while the DW is working. If I had a tiny family, I would not care as much.

[Shelly]

If I had a tiny family, I would not care as much.

I was thinking about this as I was washing tonight.  Just the 4 of us = just 4 plates and 4 forks most of the time (plus a couple pans) but I was thinking about it for a large family and I'd agree that I'd prefer a DW then for sure!

[Alice]

I have a dishwasher BUT prior to our move we had been handwashing all dishes just in case the dishwasher broke and would have had to replace it. It our new home we have what appears to be a large capacity newer dishwasher but I have been so used to washing by hand that I think I only used it twice so far.  My biggest problem is if there is something greasy in the water it makes plastic items slimy.  Then I have to empty the water and start all over.  I'm glad I have a dishwasher but I'm for sure not married to it!

Alice

[wrancher]

I like my "servants" to do the work for me. . If I had a tiny family, I would not care as much.

I love my servants too! I think back in the olden times and I feel blessed with my washer/dryer and dishwasher(my servants)   I cook alot so I enjoy the dishwasher now that I have it working properluy, but back when I didnt have one and didnt  know any different it didnt bother me. I guess it is what you get used too.

I had to laugh at your post Sandlappersue!! Soo true!

[MissMandy]

As much as I love soaking my hands in a big sink full of soapy dishwater, I am among you other die-hard dishwasher lovers!  I fill ours throughout the day, placing plates in every other 'slot', bowls in the back, and plastic and other light items on top, then just running a light cycle.  It's rare that I will run a regular cycle (only if I've done a lot of cooking that day), but it's also rare that I won't be able to fill the dishwasher in a day.  When that happens I can always find items that could use a dishwasher cycle and I thrown them in (our dish drying rack, metal sponge/scrubbie holder, the scrubbie itself, the spinning plate from the microwave, the drain cover things for each side of the double sink, etc).

When we were looking at this house after making our offer I said to Jean, 'Oh, I am SO glad that we're buying a house with a dishwasher!'  He replied, 'But...our current place has a dishwasher'.  'I know' I said, 'I'm just really excited that we will still have one!'

Mandy