A Dishwasher. Is it worth it ?

[Sir Stinkalot]

Don't put the GPO in the dishwasher bay ..... if there is a problem (invloving water) you want to be able to turn it off without going near the machine.

We have the dw next to the sink, the GPO is under the sink as well as the water connection (cold only). There is a tap of sorts so you can also turn off the water.

As for brands we have had ours for 6-7 years and its a Dishlex ..... works quite well as long as it is well stacked. There were 3-4 different models available in the range when we purchased. Each produced an identical wash however there was $800 difference in price. The top of the range had a display to show how long was left in the wash (not important to us) the other one had fold down racks instead of removable (again not important to us). When comparing models just check to see what you are paying extra for. Quite often you are getting the same quality machine with different cosmetic options, you are not actually paying for a better wash from the machine.

If you overload or incorrectly stack that is when the poor washing occurs, ie a bowl facing a plate so the water cant get to it.

[Pusser]

We have had four - oan old dishlex which we did not use much because it was noisy, replaced it with a new dishlex which was pretty good and cleaned most things. Moved house and inherrited a Blanco which was very good and cleaned nearly everything and built a new house with a new bosch. Water efficient and very quiet. Ran it three times on Christmas day and only had to handwash the large platters which would not fit in and the turkey baking dish. Use those tablets with balls in them. AGood diswasher is very good. We put everything in it during the day and generally only run it once a day. You use less water and get things much cleaner - just scrape off the loose crud before ging in to the washer.

[JDarvall]

Thanks for the tips. Must put the power point in the next bay !

The Fisher and Paykel Dishdrawer has a great following as well, and lets you do two loads separately. I'd look to one of those next time based purely on rave reviews from customers who have them.

Fisher and Paykel eh. Found this stainless steel number, to go with the oven.
http://www.appliancesonline.com.au/DW60CSX1.html
Might take a visit to Hardly Normal next family trip to Lismore if there's any money left after the kitchens done, and try and steal it.

Is the standard size indeed 600x600x850 ?..... So, I'll leave a bay say 610 wide and just put draws in it if we don't get a dishwasher.

But how much would you allow for the height of the dishwasher. Is 850mil a reliable number ?

[JDarvall]

- just scrape off the loose crud before ging in to the washer.

See thats the bit I don't get. I'm on the home straight after I've scraped off the loose crud with the pre-rinse.

Thinking if I have to still pre-wash it all before I load the dishwasher up, is it really worth it ?

[patty]

We have just done up pur kitchen and the first thing that was on the list was a dishwasher mainly because it was always me who was stuck washing up
and it is without a doubt the hardest working appliance We went for a Kleenmaid unit and i throw everything in baked on lasagne dishes you name it set it to power jet and a finish 5 in 1 tablet and its all done! A certain must have in all modern day kitchens my opinion anyway

[Eli]

I grew up with dishwashers and never really noticed, mostly because I wasn't doing dishes. I'd rather do them by hand. We had a washer in the last rental house, but didn't have one in the house we owned before that. I did provide power and an appropriate opening as suggested, when I did the remodel.

It may be because the rental had a cheap dishwasher, but we've gone back to this and the dishes are cleaner and we're happier. It uses less water as well, without taking six hours. This faucet has everything to do with my tolerance/enjoyment of doing dishes. I agree, if you have to mess around with them before you put them in a machine, what's the point, they're done before you know it. A pre-rinse faucet is the key, if you ever had a job as a kid washing dishes you'll recognize it.

[woodbe]

See thats the bit I don't get. I'm on the home straight after I've scraped off the loose crud with the pre-rinse.

Thinking if I have to still pre-wash it all before I load the dishwasher up, is it really worth it ?

Yes.

But you don't pre-wash, you just flip the worst of the crud into the rubbish. Pre-washing is a waste of time, and if you find you have to do it, you bought the wrong dishwasher.

By the way, we use a phosphate-free dishwasher powder called Squeek. Works well in our Bosch. It's available at our local Coles.

I'm sure Choice has done a dishwasher test. Worth checking before you part with your hard earned...

woodbe.

[peter_sm]

Miele.

Buy it now and enjoy for 20 years. LOL

17 Litres of water for a load. Not too bad!

[Pusser]

Yes.

But you don't pre-wash, you just flip the worst of the crud into the rubbish. Pre-washing is a waste of time, and if you find you have to do it, you bought the wrong dishwasher. ..

woodbe.

Yep, Christmas dinner, knock the crap off into the rubbish and stack straight into the dishwasher. With the Bosch we put it on and by the time desert was finished and a few drinks it is ready for an unload and load desert plates stright in. No harder than stacking the plates ready for a handwash.

[DavidG]

When I do the dishes, I use a dishwasher.
Not going to soak my woody hands in that sudsy water.

Only some baked on pans need a touch up after the dishwasher is finished and these would take ages to scrub clean if hand washing.

The best powder I have found is the ALDI 5 in 1 tablets. They leave the dishes and machine shining.

Would not be without the dishwasher.

[journeyman Mick]

Jake, for most dishwashers I allow a 605 space. The F&P dishdrawers really need a 600 space. They are also deeper than most other dishwashers at 580 plus the curve of the front face. Basically if you want to fit a standard dishwasher just leave a 605 space in your 550 deep cabinets and you're right to go. F&P ones need a bit more forward planning. I bought myself the cheapest one I could (very low on $ at the time), a $450 Simpson. Uses very little water (I'm on tank water) and washes cleaner than you can by hand. Pretty much everything that fits goes in, pots and pans etc. It definitely saves time, take it from someone who was working a 50hr week, studying a half load at uni and doing all the housework at the same time.
Services for most dishwashers need to come up through the bottom of the adjacent cabinet, rather than the side as this allows the unit to push back hard against the wall.

Mick

[ian]

Jake the only thing I'll add to what others have said is don't forget the noise some machines make.
When we did up our kitchen 9 yeras ago we got a Miele D/W because it was the quitest. You can sit in the kitchen and not notice that the beast is going.
Be warned, really quite D/Ws come at a hefty price

ian

[czzer]

We've had a Miele, a Dishlex and a Fisher & Pykel over the years, and the Miele was by far the pick of the bunch (that we've used). It always got everything clean.

We found the Dishlex often didn't clean tall glasses placed in the corners of the top rack, and our current Fisher & Pykel seems to be a bit "harder" on glasses etc (leaving more scratches), as well as not getting everything clean. It also doesn't seem to fit as much in it as the Miele did.

The Fisher and Pykel came with the house we just bought and I'm looking forward to it dying so I can replace it with another Miele!

[JDarvall]

thanks for the advice. So you don't have to pre-wash.

[woodbe]

No, you don't

Agree about the noise. The first two washers we had came with the houses we bought. They were both Indecit branded, and both made an indecent amount of noise. Since then we've had a Miele and a couple of Bosch, and they have been quite quiet, but all of them over $1k

woodbe.