TAKING this one daily chore off your to-do list could take hundreds of dollars off your energy bills.
Dishwashers have been around for more than a century, taking the heat out of the kitchen clean up.
Despite their penchant for convenience, there is still strong debate over whether it’s more energy efficient to wash dishes by hand, or to let the machine do the job for you.
The Environmental Protection Agency said EnergyStar dishwashers can save households an average of $465 a year in water and energy bills compared to manually washing dishes.
The average cost of installing a dishwasher is $970, meaning that consistent use of the machine would have it paid off in energy savings in just two years.
A number of elements contribute to dishwashers using less water than their human counterparts.
When comparing energy, water, time and financial stats, machines come out on top every time.
There are both pros and cons of having a dishwasher, with advantages including hotter water and drying temperature for sanitation, energy and time savings.
Even when measuring the benefits up against the perceived disadvantages, including installation costs, ongoing maintenance and keeping in mind that not all items are safe in the dishwasher, the cost benefit still wins out.
While there are good things about manually washing your dishes, it always takes more time, uses more water and energy and sponges harbouring bacteria that dishwashers don’t.
Looking specifically at water usage, dishwashers again come out on top, with a dishwasher using between 3.5 to 15 gallons of water per load, in comparison to the range of nine and 27 gallons hand washing dishes uses.
The range of gallons depends on the model of dishwasher you own.
This huge discrepancy between manual dishwashing and machine dishwashing comes from the water pressure in the faucet.
A kitchen tap would use between between 1.5 and two gallons of water per minute, meaning just washing a pile of coffee cups would surpass a dishwasher estimate.
On average, manually washing dishes uses between nine and 27 gallons, but this widely varies based on washing methods.
Comparatively, a dishwasher uses the same amount of energy and water every wash cycle.
There are also things you can do to ensure peak performance of a dishwasher, like ensuring every wash cycle is a full load – making sure you’re getting the most out of the electricity and hot water usage.
To save further energy, you can also set your dishwasher to skip the heated dry cycle, as most dishwashers use hot enough water that it will evaporate on its own when you open the door.
All of these practices add up to the savings that go directly back into your hip pocket.
The saving on time is no small feat either.
People who use their dishwashers typically save 10 entire days in a year, in comparison to those soaking, scrubbing and drying their dishes by hand.
Topping off all the advantages, dishwashers are also healthier for your household, as typically, the wash cycle will clean your dishes at between 140 and 145 degrees Fahrenheit – far hotter than even a gloved human hand can manage.
Alongside temperature, there are no dirty sponges inside dishwashers.