Dish washer or by hand?

[azsnowman]

With the drought in the Southwest ever increasing and with the influx of people (5000+ daily)....water is becoming a PRECIOUS non renewable resource to say the least, do you do dishes by hand or dish washer? Me.....it's always been my opinion that dish washers waste more water than doing them by hand, I mean, you have rinse them before putting them in so why not finish them?

[Janice]

My dishwasher broke last year and I am not replacing it. We are moving and I will do them by hand till we move and get a new one. If I buy one now, it may not match the new kitchen. I still have the dishwasher in place, so I wash them by hand and rinse them in hot water and let them dry in the dishwasher racks with the door open for air. No big deal.

[Tstormwatcher]

I have always washed by hand.

[O Town]

I have always washed by hand.

Me too. If I had a dishwasher I would think I would use it, but I can see how it can be just as big of a pain as a dishwaher, rinse, load, unload, and I bet it would be a tight fit for all the dishes I do for 5 people daily. I would have to run it 2 times a day probably and like Dennis says after you rinse them all you might as well go ahead and finish the job. The only time doing them by hand is bad is when they sit overnight, which never happens here anymore. If you do them right when you are done eating the food just washes right off, no big deal at all.

[Yarrah]

I wash the dishes by hand too. A dishwasher consumes way too much water (not that it's scarce here) and it's not worth it to buy one for a two-person household. I think it's faster when I wash the few dishes I have by hand.

[sweetpea]

I wash my dishes by hnd almost always. The only time I use my dishwasher is we have company for dinner and there is alot of dishes.

[MSRobi911]

Pretty much the same here sweetpea. Mostly use the dishwasher as a place to let the dishes dry after washing by hand. But if there are a lot then in the washer they go! We are really in the paper plate mode since Katrina, but are starting more and more to use real plates since we moved to this new house. My kids would rather use paper plates, that way they don't have to wash the dishes, just the pots! Cause if I cook, they can wash the dang dishes!

Mary

[chadtm80]

Dishwasher.. No two ways about it

[Brent]

We have a dishwasher. We also have 5 people in the house. It runs alot, but it's better than doing all of them.

[beachbum_al]

Dishwasher. Have five people in our household. I do try to run it only if it is completely full which usually takes only a day.

[sunny]

I wash my dishes by hnd almost always. The only time I use my dishwasher is we have company for dinner and there is alot of dishes.

Same here!

[Stephanie]

There's only two of us, PLUS 3 cats a and dog. We hand wash our dishes. Marty's hands have been broken so many times from karate that it feels good for him. Plus, the dishwasher we have is the kind where you need to WASH the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. It's SO MUCH FUN picking dried on pieces of broccoli from the dishes when they come out of the dishwasher!

[wxmann_91]

hand

[bvigal]

What's a dishwasher?

[Miss Mary]

Years ago when I was on a very strict budget (age 30, full time college classes, part time miniscule student job), I washed my dishes by hand. Prior to that I used my apt.'s DW and I saw an increase in my utility bill (water was "free"). That's what spurred me on to skipping a DW. Fast forward to now and hubby convinced me it's not that expensive to use the DW. He talked me into using it, the added convenience is worth it. And quite frankly since we do so little carrying out and prepare most of our meals at home, I generate a ton of dirty dishes. It does really help to just load it and run it. Ah, but we're on our second now (17 year old home) and the rubber part on tips is worn off, which adds rust stains to our everyday dishes (inexpensive set). I keep meaning to order DW repair paint from HomeImprovements but forget. That is how much I've used this second DW!

Compare this to my next door neighbor, she moved in 6 months after me. She uses her DW about once a month. It's like brand new! She hates to see a dirty dish sitting around (neat freak) so she jokes, she might as well wash that one spoon, one cup, etc. The only time they use it is after dinner parties.

I wash pots and pans as I prepare a big meal - that's partially hand washing! I especially like our DW after a family member has been sick, I use the heat dry option.

More power to you, if you like to hand wash. It's probably cheaper and easier on the dishes!

Mary

[azsnowman]

What's a dishwasher?

My wife Michelle *runs and hides*

[Kim_in_MN]

Dishwasher. Just me and the two kids; I usually only run it every couple of days, but I wouldn't be without it. I didn't have one before remodeling, and with getting home from work at 5 or 5:30, making dinner, helping with homework, bedtimes, etc., I was sometimes doing the dinner dishes at midnight. I love my dishwasher

Kim

[jusforsean]

dishwasher, 5 people have to run it daily.

[george_r_1961]

I do not think ive ever used a dishwasher at home even when I had one. I come from a small family and now im alone, so it doesnt make any sense to have or use one.

[TexasStooge]

We have a dishwasher....ME!