Operating a dishwasher can be a lifesaver for many people whether you live with an entire family or if you live alone. If you are wondering if it is worth it to have a dishwasher if you are single then you are not alone.
Having a dishwasher for one person is worth it if you have enough dishes to justify having a full load every 3-4 days because a dishwasher works more efficiently when it is full. While dishwashers use less water and energy than washing by hand, some will still go to waste if the appliance isn’t fully loaded.
To conclude whether or not a dishwasher is worth having for one person, you will need to determine how many dishes you have and if you can wait 3-4 days to wash them.
Read on to discover the benefits of using a dishwasher and what dishwasher may be best for you if you live alone.
The Benefits Of Using a Dishwasher
The topic of whether to use a dishwasher has dominated many households and forums for years. For one person, dishwashers offer more advantages than disadvantages. With a dishwasher, you can save money, time, and energy, as well as clean and sanitize your dishes in a simple way.
Check out the following benefits of using a dishwasher for one person:
- Water and Energy Savings-most people know that it takes about 3-5 gallons of water to operate a dishwasher rather than the approximate 27 gallons of water to wash by hand. But did you know that using a dishwasher can also save you on energy costs?
- Time Savings-while many people emphasize how washing dishes right after you use them can save you quite a bit of time, rinsing and tossing them in the dishwasher takes even less time than that. However, smaller batches are much better to wash by hand.
- Kills Bacteria-harmful bacteria that can grow on dirty surfaces can be eliminated in hot water. In the dishwasher, the water is controlled at a high temperature while when hand washing, you cannot typically get the water to the same hot temperature.
- Cleaner Dishes-since the dishwasher operates at a higher temperature, the dishes are not only free of bacteria, but they are also much cleaner and sanitized than if you were washing them by hand.
- More Convenient-this is especially important for people who are busy working most of the time. Dishwashers are relatively easy to load and unload and you have the convenience of only having to run it every 3-4 days, especially if you live alone.
The Benefits Of Hand Washing
When it comes to washing your dishes by hand, many benefits are more about your overall well-being than when using a dishwasher.
This is because washing dishes helps to build immunity, creates calmness, and relieves stress.
While using a dishwasher can help you to save time and money, there is something about the mindless chore of washing dishes by hand that is satisfying.
When you consider the chore itself, there is not much to it, and is a task that does not require as much effort or attention.
Check out these benefits of hand washing your dishes:
- Less maintenance: Your sink will, in most cases, not need as much maintenance as your dishwasher will over the years. Running a dishwasher frequently requires a bit of management in order to prevent clogging, strange smells, and overall tearing of the unit. Washing dishes by hand is done with a brush, soap, and your sink. Aside from clogging, there isn’t much that can go wrong.
- It’s quick: If you only have a couple of place settings or plates to take care of, washing them by hand is usually quicker than loading, running and unloading the dishwasher. Running a full dishwasher will save you time though, specially when you consider the fact that you can do other chores while the dishes are being cleaned.
- No dishes: When you wash your dishes by hand you can make sure that everything is cleaned directly after using it. This will prevent the build-up of dishes. Dishwashers, on the other hand, should be fully loaded before running, which can take quite some time – leaving you with a lot of dirty dishes in the appliance.
- Builds Immunity. When you expose yourself to various bacteria and microorganisms, your body builds an immunity to it which results in fewer allergies and better overall health.
- Creates Calmness. Since the chore is a mindless one, it allows you the opportunity to work on your mindfulness practice. While you scrub the dishes, you can empty your mind of everything else except what is happening in front of you, which creates a calmness in your body.
- Relieves Stress. Washing dishes forces you to slow down for just a little while and put your mind on something else. It can be somewhat cathartic to scrub away grime and grease and make something new again. This results in the stresses of the day melting away, at least for a little while.
Hand Washing Vs Dishwasher: The Costs
Making the decision to wash your dishes by hand or using a dishwasher, especially if you live alone, should include the cost difference between the two.
It typically costs less than $.50 to use a dishwasher twice per week and slightly more than that to wash by hand, loading them in your unit can save you money in the long run.
It is important to keep in mind that when you wash dishes by hand, you end up using quite a bit more water than you think. The average amount of water used during a washing session done by hand is about 27 gallons.
When you consider that the average cost of water per gallon in the United States is about $0.0015, if multiplied by 27 gallons, you are spending $0.41 per washing session. While this does not seem like a lot, over time it can add up.
You also need to consider the amount of electricity that is used while you are washing your dishes by hand. Since the average cost of electricity in the United States is $0.13 per kWh and most dishwashers are 1800 Watts or 1.8 kWh, the cost of electricity per hour is $0.234.
If you wash your dishes by hand daily, it may take you anywhere from five minutes or longer to finish the task.
This means that if you wash your dishes seven times a week, you may spend on average about an hour of your time. The average cost of this could be approximately $.52 per week to wash by hand.
When you use the dishwasher, however, most units today use on average between 3-5 gallons of water per session, which lasts about one hour or more.
Keep in mind that it is more efficient to run the dishwasher only when the unit is full. This means that you may only operate the unit twice per week.
When you consider the cost of using a dishwasher twice a week for an hour, the electricity cost would be about $0.47. The cost of water would for using the unit two times a week would average out to $0.012. This means the total cost for running a dishwasher twice per week would cost you $0.48.
Want to learn more about the differences? Click here.
What Dishwasher Is Suitable For a Single Person?
When it comes to choosing a dishwasher for a single-person household, there are many things to consider including cost, type of dishwasher that will fit your needs, and convenience.
The best-suited dishwasher for a single person is a countertop dishwasher unless you have a lot of pans and pots, as many countertop dishwashers aren’t big enough to hold those. In that case, a portable dishwasher would be a better alternative.
Something like the Danby Countertop Dishwasher is what I would recommend.
Because if you purchase a dishwasher that is full size, you may have to wait to run the unit until it has a full load. This can be inconvenient especially if you do not have enough dishes to accommodate the wait.
Fortunately, dishwasher manufacturers understand that sometimes you do not need the full-sized model when you are a single person. This is why many have developed a smaller size that fits right on your counter and is perfect for a smaller household.
The Danby Countertop Dishwasher may be just the appliance you are looking for when it comes to having the convenience of a dishwasher but not having to wait days to wash your dishes. With a sleek stainless steel design, the Danby may be a lifesaver for a single person.
This model of a dishwasher can hold up to six place settings and has eight different cycles that you can choose from. With its Energy Star rating, this Danby dishwasher can not only save you time but can also save you money.
Want to learn more about finding the right dishwasher? Click here.
How Often Should a Dishwasher Run?
How often a dishwasher should run depends heavily on the number of dishes you use for your meals. Most people know that dishwashers run more efficiently when they are full, which means for a single person, may only be twice per week.
Most single households have reported that it typically takes about 3-4 days to have a full load of dishes to run the unit. For those who have plenty of dishes on hand, this is not a big deal, however, most small households only have a small number of dishes, to begin with.
When you use a countertop dishwasher, you may run it either every day or every other day depending on how many dishes you have to clean. Keep in mind that even the countertop models run better when they have a full load.
To sum up, while the frequency that you should run your dishwasher depends on the number of dishes you have to clean, you typically do not have to run it more than 2-3 times per week.
Again, for some people, this may not work if they do not have enough dishes to wait that long between cycles.
Do You Have Enough Dishes For a Dishwasher?
An important detail that is often overlooked when considering whether or not to invest in a dishwasher when you are a single person is whether you have enough dishes to justify the cost. Most single households have at least, one place setting, which means four plates, bowls, etc.
If you are a single person and have only one place setting of dishes, which is common, you may not want to invest in a dishwasher. This is because you may end up needing them before you can run the dishwasher.
Since a dishwasher runs more efficiently on a full load, four place settings will not measure up to that amount. This also includes the pans that you use for cooking. If this sounds like your situation, then you may want to reconsider using the dishwasher.
This may be different if you use a countertop dishwasher, however, since it is smaller and can accommodate your situation.
Most of these units can hold up to six place settings, which means you do not have to wait as long to run the dishwasher.
Overall, it is worth it to have a dishwasher even if you are a one-person household for many reasons. These reasons include convenience, cost savings, and time savings. However, you also need to consider whether or not you have enough dishes to operate a dishwasher effectively.