Which one is more.. Washing dishes by hand or in the dishwasher?

There's an ongoing debate about which method is more efficient and energy-efficient when washing dishes: using a dishwasher or washing by hand. This debate has been ongoing almost since the day dishwashers hit the market.

Opinions vary when choosing one option or another, with regard to their potential to save time and effort, conserve water, reduce costs, and even their impact on the environment. But which option is truly the best?

Which is more economical?

When it comes to energy efficiency, handwashing may seem like the ideal choice for cleaning up after every meal. Judging only by what we can see—the size of the kitchen sink versus the internal volume of the dishwasher—it's easy to think that handwashing is more economical and less expensive. But this conclusion is completely misleading.

Modern dishwashers can use as little as 15 liters of water per load per wash cycle. In contrast, handwashing the same number of dishes can consume significantly more water, especially if you fill the kitchen sink with hot water for washing and soaking, or if you frequently leave the tap running during washing and rinsing.

Filling an average kitchen sink can take between 15 and 20 liters of water, while a running faucet uses approximately 6 liters of water per minute (on average, depending on several factors, including water pressure and the age of the pipes).

According to the American Energy Savings Fund, handwashing represents 4% of the average household's water use, while dishwashers account for only 1% of that consumption.

Even if you wash fewer dishes several times a day, your water consumption is likely to be higher than if you run your dishwasher only once a day. In addition, other steps can be taken to make your dishwasher more efficient and save water and energy.

Savings factors

The total cost of washing depends not only on the amount of water used, but also on the cost of heating that water to remove grease and stains, as well as the size of the dishwasher versus the size of the kitchen sink used for washing dishes.

"It may seem surprising, but a single load in a dishwasher costs about a quarter of a dollar in energy, and it cleans all the dishes used by an average family of four to five people in one day. Handwashing can cost twice that amount," says Ben Galizzi, an economics and energy expert.

To be precise, the average American household spends between 32p and 48p per day washing dishes by hand, while using the dishwasher for a full load costs approximately 26p.

However, there are many variables that determine the final cost, such as the size of the dishwasher and sink, the cost of washing-up liquid, dishwasher tablets, rinse aid, dishwasher salt to protect it from damage, and more.

Therefore, the matter remains completely relative, and it is not possible to conclusively determine which of the two options is more efficient in terms of savings, according to the specialist.

How do you use your dishwasher efficiently?

When you choose to run your dishwasher, there are some simple things you can do to ensure it uses less water and energy.

Use the Eco program: Every modern dishwasher has an energy-efficiency setting that uses less energy in the entire process, heating the water more slowly and washing and rinsing dishes in a longer cycle.

Wait until the dishwasher is full before running it: Washing a dishwasher half-loaded, that is, without filling it completely with dishes, wastes half of the energy consumed by these appliances.

Don't pre-wash dishes: It's not necessary to wash dishes and plates before placing them in the dishwasher, as this wastes time, effort, and water and electricity. Instead, scrape food residue from the dishes into the trash can.

Arrange dishes correctly in the dishwasher: This will achieve optimal results and clean dishes without having to repeat the washing process.

How to wash dishes by hand without wasting water?

However, if you decide that handwashing is a better option for your home and needs, or if you don't have a dishwasher, or even if you simply prefer handwashing, here are some tips to ensure you save as much energy as possible: