Dishwasher extravagances

I’m getting rid of our old inefficient dishwasher. Should I buy a new efficient one or simply do more handwashing of dishes?

I did research this and came up with surprising results. It turns out that new energy-efficient dishwashers can do the dishes for less energy and water than hand-washing. Most of the time. Or so they say. Some people are just hopeless water and energy wasters (don’t they ever look at their water and gas bills?) and some people are minimalist hand-washers. Here’s a great web article by a Toronto guy who compared them. Many of my suggestions below come from him.

I was mildly shocked to discover the new machines are so economical, with the Energy Star ones being the best. As with everything, of course, if you don’t study the settings, you still can be as inefficient as you want. Still, I think my own handwashing beats the new machines.

Here are the main tips for using dishwashers:

-          lower your hot water tank temperature - this can be the biggest expense

-          avoid heated drying – it simply isn’t necessary

-          only use the dishwasher when full

-          don’t wash clean dishes all the time – many glasses, plates and bowls just need a quick rinse

And here are some tips for avoiding the dishwasher:

-          don’t run the water in the sink till it’s hot. You can start with cold water – most plates, cups and utensils can be washed just fine in cold water – until the hot arrives.

-          don’t run the faucet all the time – run it only when you need to

-          Invest in greywater pipes running from the sink to the garden outside. You may have to change to a more natural detergent or employ a filter.