A few years ago, I posted about washing dishes by hand. You may read it here. It was really fine, and even better, it was fun for quite a long time.
Then, in the past few months, I kind of found myself not baking as much, and even making less complicated suppers so there wouldn't be so many dishes to wash. I also got weary of almost always having dishes on the counters; either waiting to be washed or sitting on towels, drying. I made a couple noises about wanting a dishwasher but then decided that it was fine hand washing. Was there a tipping point? Yes. The dishes weren't as clean as I liked them, even though I spent a long time washing them. I also got annoyed at having to soak everything for ages so it wouldn't be so difficult to wash them.
We got one at Lowe's, and it was delivered by two moving men - one of whom carried it in on his shoulder!
I am very, very happy with it. One of my gripes when I used one before was that it ran for so long. I now just use the one hour setting, and it works every single time. Sometimes it is very full, and others not so much, but I don't feel badly because it is just an hour. I'm delighted! I'm already doing what I wrote above that I had cut down on - baking and more complicated suppers.
I do some hand washing of dishes and pots and pans and also use my dishwasher; to save water I only run it when it is full.
ReplyDeletePerfect way to do it!
DeleteI pack our dishwasher and use the same setting you do. When we had a remodel 2 years ago a new more energy efficient dishwasher was installed. Love your header!
ReplyDeleteI am amazed that setting has cleaned everything!
DeleteThank you about the header!
Nan, I remember that post! And wished I liked washing dishes as much as you did! It even led to me washing dishes more, not that I stopped using the dishwasher but I did start washing up some things as I went instead of saving the leftover big stuff until a second load. There's always some things I don't want to put in the dishwasher too. But do without a dishwasher, no thanks! I pat its pretty little head when I start it. And even if it's half full after supper I start it, which drives my husband crazy but keeps me to my morning routine. I really get why you changed your mind. I am trying to make life easier on myself now, including our meals, but when a girl's gotta bake a girl just has to without dreading washing 3 bowls, the lemon zester, a double boiler, pans, and more spoons than any cook should end up with.
ReplyDeleteYou are totally worth it, Nan!
Boy, that is sure the truth! I use a lot of dishes, and didn't like the feeling of oh, I won't bother to make those brownies. haha I'm with you about those supper dishes!
DeleteWe installed dishwashers, along with higher end appliances in the houses we built in Wyoming. Water conservation is a big issue there and unless we had a company meal the dishwasher was only full every two or three days. I found that rather than put sticky dishes into the dishwasher to 'sit' I was pretty much washing them clean before they went in. We have remodeled several houses in KY and in none of them have I installed a dishwasher. I admit that during canning season it would be a joy to put all the empty jars through instead of tediously washing and rinsing by hand. Its whatever works for our time and place, and even how we wish to use our time and energies.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully expressed!
DeleteI am longing for a dishwasher myself, but our kitchen is so tiny I don't know where we would put it. Maybe there's a super-mini model. Congrats on saving that soap-and-water time!
ReplyDeleteThere must be small ones, I would think.
DeleteCongratulations! More time for reading! I run my dishwasher at night when I go to bed. That way the length and the noise don't bother me. I also heard that it is more energy efficient to run it at night rather than right after dinner but I don't know if that it is proven fact.
ReplyDeleteI haven't found the noise a big deal. I already have the washer noise and the humidifier noise!
DeleteA thoughtful decision and a moderate luxury! I am still washing dishes by hand and enjoying looking out the kitchen window, especially now that spring is happening. Tonight I saw a red-shouldered hawk flying low through the garden. Look out, little birds!
ReplyDeleteI'm very happy with it!
DeleteI am sorry that I did not see your post earlier Nan, although maybe this was the perfect time for me to see it.
ReplyDeleteI do remember your earlier post, and admiring you for making that change, and now I admire you for making the change back to using the dishwasher when hand washing only became a burden. We do a mix. There are things we won't wash in the dishwasher because we have hard water and it makes the dishes look bad after a while. So we still wash dishes twice a day, but not a lot of them, and we end up running the dishwasher every other day.
I am glad you got back to baking and other cooking that makes you happier. I will admit that, at 74 years old, I go more for simpler easier cooking now than I used to.
Please don't ever be sorry! I post so seldom that I am amazed anyone ever comes by! Our water here is very soft. I think hard is supposed to be healthier. It's good you have a scheme that works.
DeleteSo interesting Nan -- I missed the first article you wrote about hand-washing (or I've forgotten -- that's highly possible). Anyway, I didn't really want one when we remodeled our home (the former life one) and we went years without one -- but the glasses that were never really clean no matter what convinced me (Bill had wanted one all along-- for me ;>)).... then when we got our traveling home we had a choice dishwasher or cupboard -- that was hard but we decided on the dishwasher and were glad. Now here in our little cottage we have a good one that also has that shorter setting which I really like also.
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