How to use your dishwasher more efficiently and save £80 a year

HOUSEHOLD energy bills are set to rise this winter, with a typical family paying £149 more from October under the new price cap.

Homes using an average amount of gas and electricity will pay £1,717 a year, a 10% rise compared with now. 

Meanwhile, support for bills has been withdrawn, with the new government announcing it will halt winter fuel payments for 10million pensioners in England and Wales.

Household dishwashers save us money on the cost of handwashing, but at the same time can cost between £46 and £68 a year depending on how you use it.

Here are our handy tips to save on dish-washing costs. 

Hand wash or dish wash?

It might seem cheaper to quickly wash plates by hand in the sink but it’s actually more cost-effective to load them into a dishwasher.

Modern dishwashers are more efficient than hand-washing for both water and energy use if washing a full load, but only if they are filled to maximum, according to uSwitch.

Grieg Millar, energy expert at OVO, also cautioned against under-filling, adding: “Don’t run your dishwasher half full. It might feel obvious, but having visited hundreds of  homes during my time as an energy expert, you’d be surprised how many homes do this.

“Reducing your dishwasher usage by one wash a week could save you £11 a year- and even more if you can reduce it further.”

What setting should I use?

All dishwashers have three core cycles – main/auto, eco and quick wash. 

A snapshot test of three big-brand dishwashers by Which? found the main cycle was the best for cleaning and drying, but eco mode was cheapest as it uses less energy and water.

Based on five washes per week using only the main cycle, it would cost an average £62.82 a year. But exclusively using quick wash would cost around £68.07. 

The eco setting however would cost up to a third less, with an annual cost of £46.13.

So over five years, eco mode would save you £83.45 over the main program and £109.70 over quick wash. 

But the hidden cost is time – as eco mode can take another one hour 25 minutes to complete compared with the main cycle, because it takes longer to build up the temperature inside the appliance.

Should I rinse my dishes first?

Many people rinse off their plates before putting them in the dishwasher – but doing this can unnecessarily add to your water bills, experts say.

Andrew Laughlin, Which’s principal researcher and writer, said he never bothers rinsing crockery before putting it in the dishwasher as it wastes water – although he does scrape off leftovers first.

He added: “Most dishwasher programs pre-rinse your dishes, so you won’t need to waste water (and money) by running them under the tap. 

“Modern, all-in-one dishwasher tablets are more than capable of taking on any mess thanks to a combination of powder and gel-based detergents.”

Matt Ayres, appliance expert at RDO Kitchens and Appliances, said many modern dishwashers use sensors to determine how dirty the dishes are – but giving them a pre-rinse might tell your dishwasher that the dishes need a less thorough wash.

How to stack your dishwasher

Bad loading is often behind dishwashers not cleaning properly. 

Plates and flat items must face inwards so they are covered by the spray jets, while pots, pans, bowls and similarly-shaped items should face down. 

The jet spray from the dishwasher arms comes out like a garden sprinkler, so make sure the water won’t be blocked by any large items like baking trays or turkey platters. These should be loaded at the side or back. 

Don’t ram too much in, and make sure all crockery and cutlery is spaced out so the water can reach it. 

Alternating between larger and smaller plates next to each other can help to get even coverage.

Anything that needs harder cleaning, such as baking trays or pots and pans, should go on the lower rack where the water pressure is higher. But more delicate items, including glasses, mugs and cups, go on the upper rack. 

And be aware of things that shouldn’t go in, like wooden items such as spoons and chopping boards which can be damaged in the dishwasher. Non-stick pans and most insulated mugs are also best avoided as dishwashing can ruin special coatings and vacuum seals.

Cutlery conundrums

There is some debate about which direction you should place cutlery in the dishwasher, 

But the best option is actually a combination, said Matt Ayres, of RDO Kitchens and Appliances .

“Knives should be placed with their sharp edge facing down – this is best to ensure that you don’t risk cutting yourself when picking them up,” he said.

“However, forks and spoons are best placed with the handles facing down – this ensures that your utensils get the most access to spray. This will also prevent forks and spoons from nesting together – as this is when food gets trapped between them, leading to a less effective clean.”  

Keep on top of maintenance

Keep on top of dishwasher maintenance to keep it working properly. 

Rinse aid and salt should be topped up regularly, and the filter cleaned.  

Also leave the door ajar occasionally, to stop the build up of mildew, mould and bacteria.

Be smart with buying tablets

Fairy and Finish are leading tablet brands, but they don’t necessarily perform better than supermarket own-brand alternatives.

Tests by Sun Online found Morrisons dishwasher tabs performed best, at a cost of £5.50 for 60, which works out to 9p per wash. 

By contrast, Fairy Platinum All in One currently costs £8 for 51 from Tesco (16p a wash), or Finish Powerball Ultimate, which costs £11.25 for 55 (20p a wash).

Tester Lynsey Hope found Morrisons’s All In One lemon tabs made her glassware sparkle and also did a good job on more intensive cycles, clearing away burnt-on food from pots and pans.