If there is silence in your family after the question “Who is doing the dishes today?”, you have not yet purchased a dishwasher. Thinking about purchasing this unit? We are ready to help you make your choice.

TRUTH AND MYTHS ABOUT DISHWASHERS

Myth # 1: Manual washing is more effective. Recent studies have shown that dishes, cups, and pans washed in dishwashers are 1000 times cleaner. Try washing a crystal vase with embossed ornament on your own. You will have to make an effort, but you are unlikely to achieve the brightness and shine that can be achieved when washing in a dishwasher.

Myth # 2: a dishwasher is for rich people. This is not true. A dishwasher, of course, is more expensive than a food processor, but no more expensive than a good washing machine and definitely cheaper than a refrigerator. A dishwasher, depending on its configuration, will cost you in from 400 to 1,500 dollars.

Myth # 3: a lot of water and electricity are wasted with the dishwasher, which is economically unprofitable Of course, if you run a dishwasher for 2-3 cups and saucers, it is really not economically feasible. But if you turn on the machine once a day to wash all the dishes, you will notice that there is no more water wasted, but way less than when you didn’t have a dishwasher. As for electricity, the washing machine also requires it, but you don’t refuse to buy it, right?

Dishwashers, like washing machines, are connected to the sewer and water supply. It is better to entrust the installation to professionals in order to exclude problems of leakage, etc. You can connect it to cold water supply, to hot water supply, or to both at once. Most often they are connected to a cold water supply. It is believed that cold water is cleaner. But it’s more profitable to connect the machine to the hot water supply: that way it does not have to spend electricity on heating the water. But there is one significant minus: if the hot water is turned off, the dishes will have to be washed with hands. To eliminate this, you can purchase a special mixer that allows the machine to work both from hot and cold water. It costs about $100.

PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION

The principle of operation of this unit is as follows: first, the required amount of water is collected from the water supply. After this, the process of changing its rigidity to a predetermined level occurs. Then detergent is added from a special container, the container with a solution of water and dishwashing detergent is heated to the required temperature. Water under high pressure circulates until a command to stop washing the dishes is received. Then the solution is drained into the sewer, and the machine, using sprinklers, rinses the dishes with water or a special solution that gives shine and aroma.

HOW TO DRY THE WASHED DISHES

Different dishwashers have various drying methods.

The cheapest way is when moisture evaporates from the surface of warm dishes and condenses on the walls of the chamber, after which it flows to the bottom and is discharged into the sewer. To speed up drying, some models pump out moist air from the chamber (some models are equipped with a Wash & Super Dry system). ARISTON dishwashers, for example, are equipped with the Turbo Dry system – air is heated in the washing chamber and it makes the dishes dry.

Another drying system is room temperature air supply (AEG Turbo Dry system or MIELE Turbothermic Plus system). Most of the moisture condenses in the machine itself and is drained. If you decide to choose such a machine, be sure to check where the drying air comes from. Many machines supply air from the space behind the back wall, which means that a lot of dust gets on clean dishes. If you purchase such a machine, make sure that there is a good filter in this air path. Dishwashers with a heat exchanger dry dishes much faster than others.

Consumers claim that one of the fastest and highest quality units is Bosch and Siemens. The drying of these machines is mega-fast since the heat exchanger is located on the sidewall. Coldwater is poured into it, moist air condenses on the inner wall of the chamber and flows down into the drainage. The dishes are dried in a confined space without air from the outside, and the presence of a heat exchanger eliminates the “temperature shock”, which is not recommended for fragile dishes.

SIZE MATTERS

A compact dishwashing machine copes with its tasks while taking up little space. Dishwashers are produced in three categories: full-size, narrow, compact. Full-sized ones are designed for 12-14 sets of dishes, their sizes are 23.6×23.6×33.4 inches. Narrow dishwashers differ from full-size ones in width (17.7 inches) and are designed for 6-9 sets of dishes. Compact models are designed for 4-5 sets of dishes and have dimensions of 17.7×21.6×17.7 inches. Choosing the size needs to be based on the number of people in the family.

HOW TO CHOOSE A DISHWASHER WITH OPTIMAL FUNCTIONALITY

There are several modes of varying degrees of processing dishes. The unit determines the required duration of washing the dishes and sets the desired temperature. The most “smart” and expensive dishwasher models “solve all the puzzles” on their own. Cheaper ones are equipped with a standard set of washing modes, and you just have to search for a suitable program yourself (about 10-12 modes usually). The more programs, the more versatile the machine: you can precisely select the desired mode, which means saving time, water and electricity. Programs are set with a switch or buttons on the control panel.

All models have the “Normal” program, which is intended for washing ordinary kitchen supplies and tableware which have dried-up leftovers. The “Intensive” program should be selected for heavily soiled dishes. Some models have an “After Meal” program designed to wash dishes without dried-on food debris. This program saves 35% of the time and 20% of electricity compared to the standard “Normal” program. The “Economy” program allows you to reduce all washing costs by 20% by reducing the washing time. It is designed for lightly soiled dishes. Some machines have a “Bio” program, which is designed to wash dishes using special detergents containing enzymes. These are additives that break down grease and allow you to wash heavily soiled dishes without high temperatures. The “Fast” program doesn’t heat water too much and is designed to wash tea utensils and glasses made of thin glass or crystal. Some machines are equipped with a “Pre-rinse” program as well.

Thanks to a wide variety of programs, dishwashers can quickly and efficiently wash not only tableware, but also some household appliances (juicers, mixers, food processors), refrigerator shelves, baking trays, and grill plates, kitchen hood filters. It is definitely worth buying the dishwasher because this is the purchase that you will never regret making.