Economical Dishwasher

What You Need to Know

1. As well as saving time and effort, dishwashers also use less water and energy than washing by hand.
2. According to studies by the university of Bonn, washing by hand uses six times more water than the average machine.
3. Efficient machines will help cut your utility bills considerably.
4. This can lead to big savings over the lifetime of the machine.
5. The lower energy usage will also bring down your carbon footprint.

Dishwashers first became widespread as household items in the 1970s. Back then consumers were bowled away at just how much time and effort the helpful appliances could save their owners. These days, washing machines are still thought of as great labour-saving devices, but, with climate change becoming an ever growing threat and energy efficiency high on the agenda, they are also fast becoming valued for the amount of water and electricity they can save.

Indeed, an extensive study carried out at the German University of Bonn found that on average a dishwasher uses only half the energy of hand-washing, less soap and, incredibly, only one sixth of the water! On top of this, machines are getting more efficient all the time, with the best rated models using only around 10 litres of water and less than 1 kWh of energy per load. Modern functions such as ‘half load’ mean that, even if you don’t have a full load to wash, you can clean your crockery without being wasteful.

Of course, a dishwater that is economical in the amount of electricity and water it uses is not only going to save the planet, it’s also going to lead to a sizeable reduction in your monthly utilities bill. Considering that the country’s economy is in a double dip recession, it’s little surprise that most of us are looking to save money wherever we can.

Though, in the short term, upgrading any of the white goods in your home is likely to be a moderately costly affair, it often pays to take a longer term view of things, especially when purchasing an item with a lifespan of up to a decade or more. As a result, whether your motivations are driven by a will to minimise the environmental impact of your daily life, a need to make long term savings, or the simple fact the your old machine is no longer usable, when buying a new dishwasher, it’s well worth spending a little extra to get a great performing model.

A guide to what such a dishwasher might cost can be found here along with helpful information about the energy usage and water consumption of the leading brand’s flagship machines.