You’ve likely heard of studies that show dishwashers use less water, are more hygienic and are generally a more eco-friendly option than washing by hand. But is this really true?
While there are many variable factors involved, such as the type of dishwasher and how you use it, there is strong evidence that dishwashers are in fact a better choice for the environment. So if you’re considering buying a new dishwasher, or want to know once and for all if you should be loading up the dishwasher each day or washing by hand, in this article we compare the two methods in the key performance areas.
Is handwashing or a dishwasher more water efficient?
Although handwashing does seem the obvious choice, it has been proven that filling your sink to wash your dishes multiple times a day does use more water than a dishwasher. Advocacy group Choice highlighted a German study that found that while a full dishwasher used 13 litres of water to wash 144 items, participants in the study used between 33 litres to a whopping 440 litres to hand wash the same number of items! While this is conclusive, it’s important to consider that the results will vary depending on the type of dishwasher, how full the load is, and also how efficiently the water is used during handwashing (e.g. tap left running, water used to rinse off suds, etc.).
Verdict: The most water efficient way depends on how you wash your dishes and on the size of your household. If you live in a household that generates lots of dishes and you run a full load each day, a dishwasher will use far less water. On the other hand, if you’re not creating enough dishes to fill a full load, and you are conservative with your water use while filling the sink and rinsing the dishes, handwashing is likely the more efficient option.
Which dish washing method is more hygienic?
To kill the majority of germs and bacteria, you need really hot water – and while you can select a dishwasher cycle that will get hot enough to achieve this, it is not possible to safely wash by hand at such high temperatures. Drying your dishes hygienically is also a factor, with the non-touch drying method of the dishwasher being a better option than hand drying with a tea towel that is likely harbouring bacteria.
Verdict: Dishwashers are a clear winner in the hygiene stakes, with the extremely high temperature of the wash cycle and the non-touch dry method delivering hands down a more hygienic way to wash and dry your dishes.
What’s the carbon footprint of handwashing vs. using a dishwasher?
A key argument in favour of handwashing is that dishwashers require electricity to run, so surely they must have a higher carbon footprint? Again there are variables that will impact the result, as highlighted in a study shared by the Guardian which found that washing by hand in cold water uses almost zero CO2e (although it is not going to be effective at cleaning your dishes), while washing by hand using water sparingly and that’s not too hot uses 540g CO2e. Compare this to a dishwasher that uses 770g CO2e (at 55°C) and 990g CO2e (at 65°C) and handwashing appears to have a lower carbon footprint.
Verdict: The lower the temperature in your dishwasher, the lower your footprint, but when compared to washing by hand using minimal water that’s not too hot, handwashing is a winner here.
Which dishwashing method takes less time and effort?
These days, we are all pressed for time, so any shortcuts in our domestic duties are a big plus. Anyone who has stacked a load of dishes into a dishwasher versus washing and scrubbing a load by hand will know that dishwashers can be a game-changer in the kitchen, potentially saving you hours of clean up every week!
Verdict: It’s safe to say we don’t need research to tell us that a dishwasher will save you a truckload of time and effort when cleaning up after meals compared to the manual task of washing dishes individually by hand.
Dishwashers save you time, effort and water
Having a dishwasher in your home is not only convenient, it is also a more efficient and hygienic way to wash up. So if you don’t already have one in your home, or you’re looking to upgrade your current model, check out our extensive range of dishwashers online today, or pop into our showroom. And of course, get in touch with our team on 1300 438 266 if you have any questions.