Manual dishwashing is regarded as one of the time-consuming and labour-intensive household tasks. Dishwashers have made this menial task more simpler and more efficient because everyone can use it whenever they want around the house. Dishwashers are currently being used more frequently in Indian houses after being widely adopted in other nations.
Despite being one of the most effective kitchen equipment, a number of consumer myths lead people to believe it is unsuitable for their kitchens. Here are some common myths around dishwashers - and the facts against each, so you can be the judge and consider buying one for your home.
Myth 1- Dishwashers can't be as effective as manual cleaning of dishes
In fact, dishwashers give a consistently better wash each time compared to manual cleaning of dishes. The difference in the quality of wash is often starkly visible as dishwashers usually wash at higher temperature than regular tap water and have smart features like triple washing sprays, 70-degree wash, steam wash among others; thereby removal of even tiny stubborn food residue and the tough oil stains is easier in dishwasher than manual wash. Advanced features like UV-Ion disinfection in some machines help to eliminate bacteria and disinfect dishes for more hygienic wash. And after the washing process, it also dries the dishes- serving you warm dry dishes like a five-star hotel. Another visible difference is the white detergent residue seen on the dishes at times after manual rinsing, this risk is minimised in a big way in dishwashers given the force of rinsing.
Myth 2- Dishwashers can't wash bigger Indian utensils like a pressure cooker
You would be surprised to see how easily and effectively dishwashers can wash your large kadhai, large pressure cooker or the idli steamer for that matter! Yes, dishwashers have enough space to wash those big and heavy utensils. They are well designed to suit a wide range of utensil sizes - ranging from small spoons, knifes, plates of all sizes, cups, milk bottles, kadhais/woks, idli stands, glasses, pans, baking trays, tiffin boxes to large steel cooker- covering most of items found in Indian kitchens. They are also well suited for a wide variety of materials such as glass, porcelain, ceramic, steel, melamine, silicon as well as good quality plastic - you can easily spot the dishwasher friendly sign marked on them.
Myth 3- Dishwashers can't clean heavily greased vessels, commonly seen in Indian cooking
That's not true because the hot steam wash in a dishwasher is great at fighting the greasy and tough oil stains. Also, the high-water pressure from the dishwasher's spray arms removes all the food stains, giving an effective wash. Dishwashers generally use pre-wash cycle to first remove any dirt or soil from all the dishes with water which gets drains out, then with fresh water the wash cycles starts which cleans dishes with detergent, followed by the drying process. If your dishes are mildly stained, then you can save more time and water, and start the dishwasher directly from the wash cycle by skipping the pre-wash programme.
Myth 4 - Delicate glassware might break in the dishwasher
In fact, the chances of chipping and breaking is much higher during manual washing or when your maid is doing the dishes as the soapy water tends to make things slippery. On the contrary, you need not fear about washing your wine glasses, expensive dinner set or any delicate crockery in the dishwasher. For washing delicate crockery, you must opt for lower water pressure mode that ensures effective cleaning without causing any damage to the dishes. Also, dishwashers with Dual Pro wash mode can clean dishes at two separate water pressures, wherein you can load heavily soiled utensils in the bottom rack and delicate ones like glasses in the top rack, as the dedicated slots for each type of crockery keeps them safe, without causing any breakage.
Myth 5- Dishwashers are more time consuming - it is faster and easier to just wash the dishes manually
The very reason for existence of a dishwasher is that it saves time and effort! It frees consumers from the drudgery of dishwashing with a simple press of a button. Apart from the time saved in washing manually, the other advantage is the time saved in wiping them or waiting for them to dry which is a daily practice seen in many households. Another, best part is that it can be operated anytime, at your convenience and hence your routine is not bound to a certain time. Moreover, it doesn't need human intervention once it is initiated, and frees up time to do other activities. Based on the quantity of vessels and the kind of stains on the dishes, you can select the optimal wash mode. Dishwashers with smart wash option can detect the amount of particle matter in water and adjust the wash parameters (temperature, duration, amount of water). For mildly soiled dishes, the dishwasher can give you sparkling clean dishes in even 14-minutes!
Myth 6- Dishwashers consume excess water, electricity, and are noisy
Contrary to the popular belief that dishwashers consume a lot of water, dishwashers in general use around 12 liters of water in a complete washing cycle, whereas manual dishwashing generally consumers almost 102 liters water for a similar wash load, which means dishwashers save up to 90 per cent water. In fact, for smaller loads, you can operate the dishwasher in the Eco mode which is available in select models that can wash dishes in just 9 liters of water per wash cycle. Also, dishwashers with A+++ energy rating consume low energy without compromising on its cleaning and drying performance; and the ones with Auto Door Open feature further reduces the energy required to dry the dishes. There are many families who set the dishwasher to work at night and with options like silent wash, the machine is designed to perform quietly.
Myth 7- Dishwashers occupy too much space in the kitchen
Most modular kitchens these days provide space for dishwashers as this appliance comes in a standard size that perfectly fits into the given space. It can easily accommodate dishwashers with 12 place setting and 13 place setting, which is ideal for a large family of 5-6 members. If you are a family of 1-3 members and have a smaller kitchen, the counter-top 8 place setting model works well - it is relatively compact and does not occupy any floor space.
Myth 8- Installing and maintaining a Dishwasher is difficult
Like most other appliances, service technicians visit your home for the installation of the dishwasher. They also set the machine in accordance with the water quality to ensure a better wash. The actual dishwashing operation is similar in many ways to operating a washing machine and maintaining your dishwasher involves similar care as any other home appliances.
We hope that by dispelling these fallacies, you will be better equipped to choose a dishwasher. If you choose to get one for your kitchen, you can choose the appropriate capacity by taking into account your family size, kitchen size, and frequency of dishwashing.
(With inputs from IANS)
