Europeans have long understood the advantage of automatic washing over manual washing, but among Russians the debate does not subside. Many people prefer to wash dishes with their hands and not splurge on a dishwasher, but do they really save? Having learned about the benefits of dishwashers, many of their opponents will surely change their minds.
Pros dishwasher
In order not to argue in vain, we offer readers to put the pros and cons of dishwashers (PMM) on the shelves. We found 5 good reasons to buy a dishwashing machine.
The first benefit is saving water
Opponents of dishwashers probably do not know how economical PMM is in terms of water. Washing on ordinary programs lasts an average of 190–225 minutes. Therefore, people unfamiliar with the design and operation characteristics of the devices in question think that they spend a tremendous amount of resources for such a long time.
In fact, PMMs are very economical in terms of water consumption. Unlike manual washing, automatic requires 2–2.5 times less water.
To wash 9-12 sets of dishes - and this is the standard load for PMM, you need 15 liters of water or even less. To wash such a volume manually, you will need at least 20 liters, or even all 40, depending on how you wash.
With manual washing, the consumption of water resources depends on the pressure, on the degree and complexity of pollution, even on the human factor. The cost of water in the dishwasher does not depend on the above reasons - each model has its own consumption, recorded in its technical documentation.
Opponents of PMM argue their denial of automatic washing by the need to “accumulate” dishes - in order to fully load the machine and not start it half-empty. But this is the wrong opinion.
Today there are models:
- Half load. This feature is available on most models. The user can load the camera halfway, saving water.
- With Zone Wash Technology. This is a technology that not all PMMs have. The function can be enabled on any cycle and at any load - full or half. It allows you to completely shut off the water supply to one of the baskets. The result is an improved half load. The device washes less dishes, but more efficiently - due to increased pressure and water saving.
Zone Wash technology is, for example, in the Hansa ZIM 628 EH - a full-sized machine designed for 14 sets and spending 10 liters of water per cycle.
The second benefit is time.
It is not easy to find people who sincerely love to wash dishes. There are, of course, individuals, for whom washing dishes turns into relaxation, allowing distracting from the problems with the sound of water. For most, washing dishes is a routine, associated with a waste of time.
By transferring the washing of dishes and kitchen utensils to the dishwasher, you can get from 30 to 60 minutes of saving free time per day. This time can be usefully spent in the gym, beauty salon, on a walk.
Thanks to the delayed start timer, any machine can be easily programmed to turn on at a specific time. The user can start the device, leaving home, and upon his return, washed and dried plates will wait for him. And if you buy PMM with a low noise level, you will be able to turn it on for the night.
The third benefit is the quality of the wash.
A dishwasher copes with its task better than a person:
- The quality of the wash. Water in the apparatus can be heated to 90–100 degrees. At such temperatures, washing dishes with your hands is impossible. High temperatures in combination with effective detergents can remove any impurities. All hard-to-reach places are washed - the handles of pots and pans, curly and embossed areas.
- Hygiene Thanks to the high temperature of the water, it is possible to destroy bacteria that cannot be handled by hand washing. The machine helps families with children - it is possible to sterilize children's dishes.
By washing dishes, cups and cutlery by hand, a person uses reusable sponges or washcloths, which always have germs.
The fourth benefit is that it does not require a hot water connection.
If there is no hot water in the tap, you will have to wash it cold. Or turn on the boiler - if any. Or warm the water on the stove. Both options are costly in electricity, not counting the other inconveniences of such washing. The PMM is connected to the water supply, and it itself heats cold water to the desired temperature - in accordance with the selected program. Having a dishwasher, you no longer depend on hot water, saving on all types of resources.
If your apartment does not have meters, and there is always hot water in the tap, then washing plates and pots with your hands does not "eat" a lot of money. But today, few people can boast of such a situation. The costs of hot water are recorded by meters. And if the heating is carried out by a boiler, you have to pay for electricity. In any case, without a dishwasher - more costs.
Fifth benefit - respect
During a hand wash, there is always a risk of breaking something fragile. It is especially dangerous to wash glasses made of thin glass. In addition, people often make mistakes by hand washing objects from glass, ceramics and other vulnerable materials - they use abrasive products.
In dishwashers, special detergents are used - they do not have abrasive particles. Washing in a car does not threaten dishes with loss of integrity and shine.
Minuses
Having compared the advantages and disadvantages of automatic washing, as well as taking into account the peculiarities of their diet and cooking, everyone can easily make the right conclusion whether he needs a dishwasher or not.
Consider the disadvantages of dishwashers that scare some consumers away from making a purchase.
Minuses:
- High price. Even models from the budget segment are not cheap - an average of 15,000 rubles. Products of the middle segment are even more expensive, and premium equipment is completely accessible to few.
- The cost of electricity. For all its energy efficiency, any dishwasher consumes electricity, which will be reflected in the bills. That is why you need to buy models with the highest possible energy class - from A to A +++. Such devices consume no more than 1 kW / h.
- Sizes. For full-size and narrow PMMs, a certain space is required. If it is not, you have to resort to redevelopment of the kitchen.
If there is very little space in the kitchen, you can buy a desktop model - but its load is enough to serve 1-2 people.
- Service. The operating rules of dishwashers require regular maintenance - cleaning and washing the filters and blades.
- Limited opportunities. In PMM, you cannot wash dishes from a number of materials - aluminum, copper, wood, certain types of plastic. This is due to oxidation and exposure to high temperatures. Also, cars do not always cope with burnt food. It is especially difficult to wash pans and trays.
- Require special tools. An ordinary gel for washing dishes manually will not work - you need to purchase a special detergent composition. And not only: you will also need a rinse aid and a special regenerating salt to support the operation of the ion exchanger. Of course, you can save money and replace all this with cheaper analogues, but it is not always known how this will affect the quality of washing and the performance of the PMM.
What consumers say - reviews from forums
What do dishwasher owners say:
- You can wash the pots out of stainless steel like you never wash them by hand. To shine.
- Unreliable technology - many complaints about technical problems. Sealing rubber wears out, other breakdowns appear.
- We have to constantly bear the costs. 20-50 rubles are spent on one sink. Pills are especially expensive.
- The benefits of water and electricity are clear savings.
- If there is no 50% load, collect plates to fill the chamber. This point is especially surprising for those who have not yet bought PMM.
In families where they are actively engaged in cooking, where there are a lot of dirty plates, pots and other utensils, the dishwasher becomes a happy acquisition. Their owners are not overjoyed at the new assistant. The joy is especially great among people who managed to buy reliable equipment that does not create problems for their owners.
Each consumer makes the decision to purchase a dishwasher. The more they cook and eat in the house, the more necessary this device is and the more benefits it will bring.