Hate washing dishes? We have good news for you: washing dishes by hand is no longer necessary or advisable.
Discover our latest podcast
While some studies claim that dishwashing helps fight stress, Consumer Reports invites you to give it up, advising: 'Let the dishwasher do its job.'
Why? Simply because modern dishwashers are faster, more hygienic and above all better for the environment than washing by hand.
10 days a year
Jonah Schein, from the Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense program, explains that 'while it is possible to use less water and energy when washing dishes by hand, this is extremely unlikely.'
Another question arises: should you rinse your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher? The answer is no! Modern machines do their job very well. Not pre-rinsing your plates also saves 22,000 litres of water per year, per household.
Finally, leaving the dishes to the machine will save you masses of time. According to the Energy Star programme, not doing the dishes by hand saves you 230 hours - that's almost 10 days a year! So our advice: invest in a dishwasher.
