How good is a dishwashwer ?

[Furkin]

Hi all,
I have never used a dishwasher. I am disabled & like the idea of having to get to the sink & wash dishes - to help mobility / pain etc.
The problem is that I can't get chip pans very clean !
I tend to strip them down completely to wash in bits - but this takes me 2 days. Even so called 'Easy-clean' models are not easy to clean.
Obviously the body, pan, larger parts do wash o.k,,, but parts around hinges / catches / baskets etc cannot be got at - no matter how much I strip them down.

My question is easy (I hope the answer is !?)
Would a Slimline dishwasher actually clean these impossible to get at places on chip pan & similar items ?

I only have room for a Slim-line model. I don’t want to spend a lot, as it will only be used occasionally - so feel free to recommend anything that you have experience of - or any ‘special-offers’ out there.

Cheers all

 

[JohnD]

A dishwasher will get hard-to-clean items sparkling - such as teapots and grill pans. It sprays and squirts the powerful detergent into all nooks and crannies.

However it would not be suitable for washing out pints of grease or fat - you should pour these out and either re-use or put in the bin when cooled.

It is very good for stainless steel and plain china items

Aluminium goes dull and grey

Glass gradually goes dull and cloudy

Real bone handles are damaged. Fine antique china, especially if hand-decorated, may lose the painted-on pattern.

Most modern kitchen stuff is OK (and will be stamped "dishwasher safe") but some plastics may go dull or damaged

You can also put roasting dishes, iron pan supports off the cooker etc in it

The "slimline" or "tabletop" dishwashers are generally not such good value as the family size ones.

If you get a dishwasher, you get the most value out of it by loading it up until it is full, then doing a whole wash. It doesn't matter if this takes a day or two to fill up as they can give a cold rinse, though you may need a good number of mugs or teacups. they wash hygenically clean as the water is hotter than your hand can bear, and the detergent is strong. Items wil be steam-sterilised when finished and should not be wipes with a cloth as this will transfer dirt and bacteria onto them.

They actually use less hot water than washing up by hand because they do a lot of stuff in less than a washing-up bowl of water. they rinse very thoroughly in cold before and after washing and usually have a final hot rinse. This means the plates are very hot when finished so they dry off quickly. You can also put cat and dog dishes in there as they sterilise them due to the heat.

As a rule, the "Bosch" brand is about the best. there is also the Miele brand which is even better but a lot more expensive. No need to buy the "top oft he range" model with lots of flashing lights and extra programs; you will not use them, and the pump and working parts are usually the same throughout the range.

 

[Furkin]

Cheers John, Very informative.

"Pints of grease": Of course - even I realised that. The 'easy to get at' parts aren't the problem - it's just the awkward bits, in & around hinges / handles / catches etc where you can't get brushes / scourers etc.
I do tend to strip them right down, split lids, remove filters etc etc.

I was rather hoping - as mentioned by you, that a hot squirt might get to these places. I would probably have to wash 'chip-pans' more regular than I usually do,,,, but if it's easier, and actually works (?!) then problem solved.

"Slim-line Table top": I have no choice here i'm afraid. I only have one place in my kitchen between washing machine & door. Even a slimline will be pushing it a bit - space-wise.

"Best Value": I don't mind leaving it till full. I often wash dishes every second day anyway (depending on my health) cos I hate heating up water to wash 1 cup & 1 plate !


Once again mate - many many thanks. After your comments - It looks like i'll give it a bash,,,, I think that I need to look for catagory 'A' in Washing in my case.

all the best

 

[jeremy hughes]

It seems that the only reason you are considering a dish washer is to clean your chip pan, have you not considered alternative methods of cooking?

That said I have always had a dishwasher and would not be without one, and agree with all that is said above. However Seimens are the same as Bosch so I would buy a Siemens as they are usually a little bit cheaper where possible. One make I would not buy is Teknika as this was put in our new kitchen and it has never been fantastic requiring the odd item to be handwashed afterwards.

It is important to use the machine on a regular basis say once every two weeks minimum, and the reason for this is that it has been known depending on the waste plumbing arangements for debris from the normal sink to backfill into the machines waste and clog it up, I'm refering to when the waste of the dishwasher is connected to a spiggot just below the sink waste. If however you have space to make its own individual waste then it should be fine.

Personally I only ever buy whichever tablets are on offer IMO it makes very little difference which ones you buy they all seem to do as good as each other. I never buy into these dishwasher cleaner things and the likes of Calgon, as if you add up the cost of them you could probably end up buying a new machine and still have money left over if it ever packed up. Also I only ever use the cheapest rinse aid and salt.

Good luck

Jeremy