Choosing a Dishwasher
Dishing the dirt
Throw in the tea towel on washing dishes by hand, a dishwasher will save you time, money, energy and elbow grease and will leave your dishes and glasses sparkling.
Buying Advice
SIZE AND DESIGN
This depends on the amount of space you have and the amount of people who will be using it. If you only want to throw a couple of mugs and a fork into the dishwasher, then one of the smaller portable models may suffice. If, on the other hand, your current dishwasher is forced to gargle plate, pot, platter, cookware, kiddieware and cauldron, one of the built-in, heavy-duty models may be more up your street.
PROGRAMMES
All dishwashers have a regular cycle. Most also have a rinse cycle and a delicate cycle with a lower temperature. Just remember when washing you’re more delicate items that the temperature should be at most 55°C. Many dishwashers may have a higher temperature than this in the drying cycle and, for this reason, is not long-stemmed-silver-wedding-anniversary-champagne-glass-friendly.
ENERGY EFFICENCY
Make sure the dishwasher you buy has a light or energy saving cycle and always use this unless dishes are very dirty. Dishwashers connected to cold water use less energy since the water is heated in the machine during the cleaning sequence and the last rinse. Look out for machines with a time-delay start so you can take advantage of cheaper night time electricity rates.
NOISE
A constant whirring sound in the background, at a high volume, will send you up the kitchen walls. For most people, an acceptable noise level is no higher than 50 dB, and most machines operate even more quietly than this.
SECURITY
Your dishwasher should be equipped with good protection against water leaks. You may also want child safety functions, especially when washing at high temperatures.
WATER SOFTENER
If the water in your area is hard and you’re plagued by calcium stains on your cutlery look out for dishwashers with a built-in water softener. For the water softener to work you have to fill it up with iodine free salt. An electronically controlled water softener is only activated when needed - you set it depending on how hard the water is. 
EXTRA OPTIONS
Some dishwashers come with extra features such as movable upper trays, special holders for glasses, vases and bottles, turbo drying, sensors for calculating the amount of detergent and water required, and time-delay start functions. Beware, though, a dishwasher with multiple features isn’t necessarily going deliver the best performance when it comes to cleaning. And remember, features eat energy - the more you include, the more energy will be used to operate the dishwasher so match the features to your exact needs.
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