Today’s Question of the Day is all about dishwashers. We’ve talked about this some before, because I was surprised to find out that several of my blogger buddies don’t have a dishwasher. For those of you who do, I have a few questions.
We got a new dishwasher back in late April, when our old one finally died. My husband had repaired the old one 3 times, but finally we decided it was time for a new one. When we bought it, it came with 3 or 4 Electrosol gel tablet things to use in it. I had a large Sam’s size of the Cascade gel that I had been using in my old dishwasher. I used the Electrosol sample tabs that came with the new unit, and I’ve also bought some of the Cascade gel “power” tabs and I do like those. I think the gel tablets are quite a bit more expensive, but I do like using them. Much less mess and a lot easier to just pop the gel pac in there and turn it on. I am not sure if they get the dishes any cleaner with those gel pacs, though. I’m still trying to decide whether to get another large jug of Cascade gel or get a large tub of Cascade power gel pacs on my next trip to Sam’s Club.
So… after all of that rambling, here’s my questions: 1) What kind and brand of detergent do you use in your dishwasher 2) How often do you run your dishwasher and 3) Do you enjoy using your dishwasher or is it just an awful chore to load it, run it, unload it and put up the dishes and then start all over again? 🙂
For my answers to these questions: 1) I use Cascade, either gel or the new action tabs 2) I normally run my dishwasher about 3 times a week. If we have company, I run it more often, every day or so and 3) I actually enjoy doing dishes! I enjoy washing dishes, and I don’t mind loading and unloading the dishwasher 😛
Have a great day, everyone!
I lived without a dish washer for a couple of years when our old one broke down. I finally got a new one back in February. I’m glad I did if only because it has the Sanitary Wash option which I use a lot of because we eat a lot of chicken and I like being able to run that option on those days we eat a bird.
1) I use Cascade but not the gel. I also use Jet Dry. I’ve tried the gelpacks and those Electrosol tabs but I really don’t notice that much difference, if any.
2) I run it at least once a day. I’m always experimenting with different things in the kitchen so always manage to have a full load by the end of the day.
3) I don’t mind washing dishes in the sink and I don’t mind loading the dishwasher either. For some odd reason I make myself dizzy while unloading it so that’s the Kid’s job. 😉
Hope you’re having a good day.
I use the gelpack tabs and always put in extra bleach because I’m kinda a bleach freak 🙂
I find myself doing dishes by hand much of the time and I’m not sure why… I guess it’s just done quicker or something?
Happy Wednesday Stacy!
Hello from a stranger! LOL! Hope you’ve been doing well, I think I’m back on track we’ll see………
I use those Cascade 2 in 1 gel packs. My fav is the orange but might switch to the bleach ones. I love my dishwasher but hate unloading it; but my oldest is responsible for that. 🙂
We used the Electrasol powder that I think we get at Sam’s. We’ve used the gel tabs a time or two, but the lack of mess doesn’t justify the much more expensive price for us. Our dishwasher is run at least every other day, but sometimes, depending on how much cooking we’ve done, we’ll run it every day. I’m the chief dishwasher emptier and dish-putter away, and I actually like doing it. I do some of the loading, too, but my mother is picky about how the dishwasher is loaded and usually comes along behind me and re-does it. 😉
I’d hate to live without a dishwasher but I do find washing dishes relaxing.
I use Electrosol tabs in mine. It keeps the dishwasher white with my water that normally turns it brown.
I run mine about 4 or 5 times a week. I hate unloading when “others” in the house are sitting doing crosswords. We all load so it’s no biggie. My dh usually runs it.
We were recently told by the repairman to definitely use the Jet Dry even though it says optional. I notice it gets my things a little drier. He says it’s better for the dishwasher.
I run my dishwasher every day. I am so thankful for it because I hate doing dishes by hand. Usually, though, there are a few leftover dishes that won’t fit in the dishwasher, and i have to wash them by hand. I use the gel pacs mostly. I do have some electrosol tablets right now. I hate the liquid kind.
I use Cascade Complete powder. I like both the powder and the gel better than any of the packets I have tried. I run the dishwasher almost every day. I LOVE dishwashers. Not only do they wash my dishes, but it uses less water than if you handwashed (given that the dishwasher is full). I load the dishes as I use them so it’s not a big deal.
Great question!
1. We use the Electrosol tabs and I don’t like them. I feel like they don’t dissolve very well, just like powder detergent. Blech. Once they are done, I will do liquid detergent.
2. Whenever we get around to it, or when it’s full. Usually every couple days.
3. I don’t like the dishwasher at all, but I don’t have time to handwash all of my dishes. So in general I don’t like the entire duty. 🙂
I use the gel kind of whatever is on sale.
I do it every day I think but then I have to do hand washing and some stuff
Lucy the basset hound will help load but will not help empty it!
haha!
I use Electrasol tabs in my dishwasher, but you know what, Stace? I use my dishwasher less and less these days. I much prefer washing dishes by hand…there’s just something I find so relaxing about it. Weird I know lol! But I can stand and wash dishes and it has such a calming effect on me.
Maybe I’m in the wrong profession ;~)
Wait. Loading the dishwasher ranks right up there with household chores, right? Ugh. Then I can’t say I enjoy it, lol. However, I’m oh so grateful to have one. My mom didn’t have one for years and I’m like, “Mom. Seriously. Why??” I’m afraid the cheapness in me comes out again – I use the cheapest, most off-brand kind of soap I can find. And considering we have a household of four, we tend to go through several hundred glasses a day (I’m trying to devise a strategy where everyone has their own cup and is able to label them – you think I’m kidding don’t you. lol) which means I run the dishwasher at least every other day.
However, one of the perks to having a house full of men is that I get to coerce (which actually means I threaten bodily harm) them into unloading the dishwasher for me, so it’s all good. *grin*
All great questions! Our dishwasher is original to the house–about 25 years old, and I think it’s on it’s last leg, but you never know. 🙂 Some how the appliances you want to replace “take a lickin’ and keep on tickin'” Sigh.
I have to use some sort of gel so the thing that holds the cleaner will open and not get stuck with powder. I prefer Cascade.
I use a powder detergent from Kroger’s. I don’t think I’ve ever used the gel. My daughter Donna swears by the gel. I run it about every 3 days. But there are things that I wash by hand all the time. Like my good knives and my pots and pans – never have put them in the dishwasher and never will. I like to wash things by hand. Dom will put things in the dishwasher, but I usually wind up rearranging the plates and stuff. And he has actually unloaded it quite a few times. I don’t mind doing either.
I have a GE dishwasher, about 2 years old. Doesn’t work well. I end up re-washing 1/2 the dishes. *sigh* Which makes me very frustrtated!
I tried to make my own dish detergent, but it left a film on the dishes (white vinegar as a rinse aid did not help) so I use whatever I find on the best sale!
I don’t mind it — and would mind it even less if it worked properly!
Sherry
Hi, We have a kenmore ultra wash energy saver dishwasher- I am not sure how it is an energy saver because it take about 2 hours to wash the dishes, but that is what it says in the manual.
I use whatever detergent is on sale- they all seem to work the same to me.
When we moved to california 10 years ago the house we bought did not have a dishwasher, and the kitchen was very small. Since it is just my husband and I
we would eat out of the pots instead of dirtying a bowl that we would have to wash.
My husband thinks the dishwasher is the greatest inventions since slice bread
I like the dishwasher because I feel it uses hotter water, and can sanitize the dishes better.
Hi, Stacy. I’m new here. I am a blogging friend of Amy’s at Laughing Through the Tears.
Now, with regards to your question. After 17 years of living on my own, plus the 18 years prior to that of living with my parents, I had never owned a dishwasher. This past December we bought an acreage and with the extra cash we received from the proceeds of the sale of our house, my husband insisted on me getting all new appliances, including a dishwasher. But it had to be the portable type, because our farmhouse is older (1923) and was not plumbed in for a built-in dishwasher. Did you know that it’s hard to come by a portable dishwasher now-a-days? My options were twofold: a regular-sized dishwasher with a “fake” wood brown top, or a smaller-sized dishwasher, which was completely white (which matched my other new appliances perfectly). Because I had never had a dishwasher before, and because I absolutely detest that “fake” brown wood top, I opted for the smaller white dishwasher. I love it. I’m not sure what I ever did without a dishwasher for almost 35 years of my life, but it sure would have come in handy when I was doing daycare for a few years. Anyways, yes. I really enjoy having it. Not that I mind doing dishes. I don’t. There’s just something about not having to do them ALL . . . my dishwasher is smaller, so I do run a load once a day, that’s it. And my preferred soap is the Electrasol Tabs with the Jet Dry ball built in. However, I still use Jet Dry due to our hard water.
About the chore of unloading and loading it. Well, loading it can be a bit of a pain. But I love unloading my clean, sterilized dishes!
I use the Cascade gel from Sam’s, and I run my dishwasher at least once a day (there are 5 of us and we eat every meal at home). I do not use anything that cannot go in the dishwasher. I don’t enjoy loading/unloading, but I despise washing by hand. I also like that they are washed in hot water in there, so they are clean and sanitary when they come out:-)
Electrasol powder. It’s cheap! LOL!
We tend to eat out, probably too much, so every couple of days, we run it.
I don’t really like loading and unloading, but it’s easier than washing and drying a sinkload of dishes.
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