How to Select Dishwashers: Are They an Environmental Friend or Foe?

Answer 1

The benefits of owning a dishwasher are obvious-- dishwashers make the process of cleaning up after meals quick and easy, saving the owner bundles of time and wrinkled fingers. But dishwashers have their drawbacks as well. Dishwashers obviously use more energy than washing one’s dishes by hand, and one would also suspect that they consume more water than a quick rinse at the sink. The real implications of owning a dishwasher are oftentimes surprising.

Compared to the first dishwashers that were invented, modern dishwashers are far more efficient. The earliest dishwashers were noisy, consumed horrendous amount of energy, and wasted gallons upon gallons of water. Most of these dishwashers did not even clean dishes very thoroughly, and consumers would have rewash many dishes by hand. Today, many dishwasher manufacturers have taken pains to join the green movement. Numerous dishwashers have energy star approval and are efficient with their water usage as well.

A modern dishwasher uses about four gallons of water with every cycle. One has to consider the amount of dishes put into each load in order to calculate whether or not dishwashers consume more water than hand washing one’s dishes. If a dishwasher is used by a single person, then that person likely does not completely fill the dishwasher each day, and would use much less water cleaning the dishes individually. But if the dishwasher supports a large family and is full during every load, then the amount of water consumed is usually equal to or sometimes less that the water that must be used to effectively clean such a large amount of dishes by hand. Energy qualities of dishwashers, however, cannot be justified. Much energy is consumed in the creation of the dishwasher, as well as the energy used to heat its water and run the machine.

Environmentally, it is a healthier practice to wash one’s dishes by hand rather than using a dishwasher. However, many people find that they simply do not have the time to clean dishes after every meal. In this case, energy efficient dishwashers are the best compromise in reducing one’s impact on the environment while still taking advantage of modern conveniences.