By hand or in the dishwasher: how to wash dishes cheaper

Thanks to various household gadgets, people make their lives much easier because while the washing machine is doing the laundry, they have time to read a book or spend time with their families. The same goes for the dishwasher.

However, does this mean that freeing up your personal time leads to higher utility bills? Experts from HomeSandGardens have calculated how much cheaper it is to do the dishes by hand or in a dishwasher.

The first thing they noticed was that a dishwasher uses less water when washing dishes than when you do it by hand. Most dishwashers use only 15 to 25 liters of water per wash, depending on the settings of their automatic programs. The dishwasher automatically adjusts the cycle and the water needed.

Read also: How to save money: leave the heating on all day or turn on the boiler only when you're home

When you wash the dishes by hand (the number of dishes that the machine washes at a time), you will use 150 liters of water, including rinsing.

You'll also use more electricity by hand than a dishwasher will use. "Energy Star-certified dishwashers cannot consume more than 270 kWh per year. A dishwasher uses less than a quarter of the energy compared to hand washing," the publication writes.

On average, dishwashers consume 1.2-1.5 kWh per load. This means that washing will cost about 15 hryvnias: 5 hryvnias for electricity and 10 hryvnias for one detergent tablet. If you add rinse aid, it will be a little more expensive as one dishwasher load will cost about 20-25 hryvnias.

The calculation formula is as follows: 1 kWh multiplied by the time for 1 cycle and the cost of electricity = total cost per cycle.

This formula does not calculate the cost of water used. But, as we wrote above, the machine will use less water than if you were washing the dishes by hand. A cubic meter of water costs an average of 30 UAH, and the machine uses an average of 20 liters. Therefore, the cost of water when washing dishes in a dishwasher will be insignificant: up to a hryvnia.

Experts added that washing dishes in a machine also removes dirt and bacteria better because it uses high temperatures.

We should not forget about the advantages of handwashing dishes. This is especially true for fragile items, knives, etc.

"Using a dishwasher is a clear winner compared to washing by hand. It's faster, requires less work, and ultimately saves you money. That being said, handwashing still has its advantages and is still necessary when it comes to certain dishes. You always need a balance of both methods, but you should rely on your dishwasher for your daily washing," the experts summarized.

Earlier, we wrote about whether it is economical to keep the boiler on all the time.

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