In my previous post, I said that sometimes we buy things that are really unnecessary. I can see that a dishwasher can add a lot of convenience to one’s life and save some time, but I’ve never had one or used one. I know it’s pretty shocking, but, no, I’ve never used this appliance which was invented decades ago. You see, growing up, our house did not have a dishwasher. When my sister and I were old enough, we would help with the dishes. One would scrub and soap the dishes, and the other one would rinse them. After I got married and moved into an apartment, there was a dishwasher in the kitchen, but we never used it. The kitchen was tiny and could probably only fit four people standing side by side, and of course storage was at a premium so we just stored dishes and pans in the dishwasher. Another reason we didn’t use it was because it was just me and my wife, and we really didn’t accumulate that many dishes where we thought we would save time by using the dishwasher.
Now that we purchased a co-op, we still don’t use a dishwasher. The previous owner was a single elderly lady who had lived in the co-op for 20 years and never installed a dishwasher. When we were getting some work done in the apartment, I thought to myself, should we have a dishwasher installed? I set out to take an informal poll and asked people if they thought it was something they used often and whether I would benefit from getting one.
First, I asked an older co-worker and she said that when her kitchen was remodeled, a dishwasher was added but she rarely used it. She’s more of an old school person and the same person who rolled her eyes when her daughter didn’t know how to warm a baby bottle without a bottle warmer. I asked another person who had a family which includes two teenaged kids and she also said that she didn’t use the dishwasher all that often. She admitted to being a bit of a neat freak who couldn’t stand to let dirty dishes accumulate in the dishwasher, so she just washes them. Another couple jumped in during the conversation and said that new dishwashers could do small loads so there was no need to let dishes accumulate in the dishwasher. I also asked them what the point of a dishwasher is if I need to wash them before loading them into the dishwasher, but was told that, once again, these new dishwashers don’t require pre-washing of the dishes. So I asked this couple who raved about the cool new features in modern dishwashers how often they used theirs. They said they didn’t use it all that often because it was just the two of them and it was often easier and faster just to wash them by hand! Although they did say that dishwashers are great when you have people over. The other person who was a part of the conversation agreed that they were great when you had parties.
Okay, so there is a consensus that dishwashers are great to have when you have a lot of people over and there are a lot of dishes to wash. I can definitely see that being the case, but we don’t have weekly dinner parties with a lot of people. And sometimes when we do have a good amount of people over, we don’t mind using plastic cups and plates. We don’t have any fine china to bring out for “special occasions.” Don’t worry, sometimes we might use premium plastic plates and utensils. Yea, we keep it classy in the Living Rich Cheaply household!
Based on my conversations with those who have dishwashers, it hasn’t persuaded me to take the leap and buy one. I’ll save on the costs of buying it and installing it, and while our kitchen is now bigger, a dishwasher would take up a lot of needed space. Another thing is that a weird part of me doesn’t really mind doing the dishes (Shh! Don’t tell my wife). It is oddly therapeutic to do something that doesn’t require thinking. Maybe I’ll change my mind as our family grows and there are more dishes to do. But then again, maybe I can hand the task of washing dishes to my kids like what my sister and I used to do.
So do you have a dishwasher and how often do you use it?
Interesting to hear other people’s perspectives on this. We have a dishwasher and use it all the time. When I was in college I didn’t have a dishwasher. I was dating my (now) wife and we did so many dishes by hand at that place! The three other roommates simply didn’t mind dishes piling up and it was almost a battle of how long you could hold out to do your dishes. Usually I caved but my wife helped so it wasn’t TERRIBLE, but I love having a dishwasher because of it.
If you’re wondering why we didn’t just talk about it and figure out some solution to our dish problem, keep in mind we were four college roommates from Minnesota. Minnesotans are typically very passive aggressive and we avoid conflict at all costs!
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When I was in college, I had a similar problem. There were like 8 people in the house and the dishes always piled up. At a house meeting, one guy suggested a calendar where each person was assigned a day to do dishes. Sounds reasonable but I never had any dishes in the sink. At the time, I was the typical college kid eating on campus, buying takeout, or frozen dinners/ramen. I literally had zero dishes much like a few of the other guys in the house, so why would we do dishes when it was only like 3 guys (including the guy who suggested the solution) who racked up the dirty dishes??
Didn’t know that Minnesotans were passive aggressive…I have that tendency as well and I’m trying to work on that =)
I’m a big fan of dishwashers so I would like to have one in my house/apartment. Plus I eat a lot so I go through a lot of plates and bowls 🙂
Your current apartment doesn’t have one?
We’ve always had one, but now that we are in the RV we do not. It makes things a little more difficult but it’s not impossible 🙂
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Oh come on, it’s not that bad is it? =) With an RV, you learn to embrace minimalism right?
I would like one. I’ve been hand washing dishes forever and it really makes my hands look old! More than that though I would love a washer/dryer. I’d take that over a dishwasher any day!
What if you wear gloves? I would definitely like a washer/dryer as well. Currently the washer/dryer is in the basement so it’s more of a hassle, but I can’t imagine having to go out to the Laundromat…that would really suck!
Hi Andrew. When I was single, I didn’t use it very often……but with my wife and son we use it often. I would say twice per week. Big pans or small things (like water bottles) we do in the sink…..otherwise it’s rinsed and goes in the dishwasher.
-Bryan
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Good to know. I know another couple with two little ones and they also said they use it often and couldn’t live without it.
I have one. It was there when I moved in. I live alone so I only use it once a week. But I still wash quite a bit by hand (tupperware, fancy japanese bowls etc…). It’s practical, I like having it but I could do without. And I hate having to empty it!
Really, it would seem like it’s more of a hassle putting it in rather than emptying it out.
No, it’s definitely more of a hassle emptying it out. You put it in a little at a time, after each meal, until it gets full. Emptying it out is all at once, plus some items don’t dry all the way so I have to use a dish towel. I don’t have kids, so I only run it about twice a week. It seems cleaner to me to use it because I’m wimpy and I can’t stand to put my hands in very hot water!
I feel the same way about clothes – don’t mind putting them in the washer/dryer. Hate folding them and putting them away….
That’s true that you empty all at once. As for the hot water, gloves usually work for me though I don’t like wearing them either. I also feel the same way about clothes. My wife prefers to hang dry her clothes because she says the drying shrinks them. When we didn’t have a dryer, I HATED hanging the clothes. Same with folding them.
I am still used to doing it on my own. But, I think it’s time for me to enjoy its convenience and to make this task easily done. I would totally use a dishwasher everyday!
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It seems like most people who have one don’t use it everyday…they wait for it to fill up.
Growing up, my parents didn’t have a dishwasher and they still don’t. I think my parents don’t mind doing the dishes by hand. Me, on the other hand hated doing dishes. When I lived by myself in the apartment, I found I went through a lot of dishes and it felt like it took forever to get through them.
Now that my husband and I have been living in our house for our few years with a dishwasher, I absolutely love it. I barely wash anything by hand, unless it absolutely calls for it. We don’t have people over very often, but when we do it also comes in handy. I don’t think I could ever go back to not having one. It’s like one of those set it and forget it type things. I’d say we run it about once every 4-5 days and I try to run it when it’s full to get the most out of it.
Yea, my parents still don’t have one either. I definitely see how it could come in handy when you have people over. If you only run it once every 4-5 days…won’t you run out of dishes unless you have a lot?
Family of 4 here, we’ve had times with and without a dishwasher. We found the dishwasher to use less water than when we wash the dishes ourselves, and spare us approximately 30 minutes a day. For me, it’s well worth it.
Big things, or stuff made of wood and other fragile stuff, we wash by hand though.
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Good to know…we will be a family of 4 soon. I’ve heard that the newer dishwashers are more efficient and use less water…though I’m not convinced that it uses less water. Saving 30 minutes a day is worthwhile. Is that including pre-rinsing (if necessary), putting the dishes in and taking them out?
I didn’t have a dishwasher when I lived in Thailand so I am so used to not having one I rarely use mine unless we have people over and a dinner party where I feel like I need to really scrub off those germs haha. Thanks for sharing xo C
Yea I’ve never had one either…maybe if I had one I’d miss not having it!
I am using ours almost everyday and it’s very convenient. Ours is a bit new and only consumes less water, so it’s really a good option for all those frugal people out there.
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We have a dishwasher at home and use it most often. We wait it to fill up before using it. By doing this I can maximize use and save electricity.
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We have dishwasher. Cloud we live without it? Yes, we could. Do we want? No, we do not. I prefer no to do the dishes in the evening. That time is better used playing with the kids or putting them in bed together. Or, to go and run or do a hobby.
During the time we would be doing the dishes, my wife and I could be talking. Now, we talk in the living room or outside if it is fine weather.
I don’t have nor want one. My mum has one and when I was still living there I hated it! Because you still have to scrap your plates, sometimes rinse them, stack them in neatly, and take them back out again. I didn’t really see the benefit of it personally!
But I do hate doing the dishes in general anyway, it’s got to be the worst household task!!
I’ve heard that newer models, you don’t have to pre-rinse. I guess you can’t avoid the stacking them in and out though. I would say that the worse household task for me is hanging clothes (my wife doesn’t like to dry certain clothing…says they shrink)
I am struggling with whether to install a dishwasher or use the space for a double garbage cabinet next to the sink, a perfect location. I had a dishwasher in my first apartment but when we purchased our house it didn’t have one and I haven’t used one in 25 years now. Am I crazy to be considering a major kitchen renovation and not include a dishwasher? We entertain occasionally, but not having a dishwasher never stopped us before. And we do plan on staying in the house long term. Decisions, decisions!
Well hey, if you haven’t used one in 25 years then I’d say you aren’t crazy for not wanting to waste room on something you don’t plan on using!
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