Is a Dishwasher really useful in Indian kitchen? I have tried to share my experience about owning a dishwasher and how it is helpful for me.
I got my Dishwasher about 4 years ago and I keep thanking Vj, for that it is one of the best gift I got. I have to admit, I hate washing dishes always standing at the kitchen after every meal. After finishing all the works, after eating, all I want to do is sit for a while, not again do cleaning. As much as we like relaxing, we do hate vessels inside the sink. It always runs behind your mind and keeps one restless, that there is a pending work. I will feel like always washing dishes so much earlier before I got Dishwasher in my kitchen.
I am not trying to sell any products, just sharing my experience. I always wished my mom/ MIL have a dishwasher so that they could save some work! So are you the one who have a thought to buy a dishwasher but holding few doubts or if you are a one who don’t want to stand long in the kitchen, hate washing vessels, you can consider buying one.
If you have any doubts or points to add, do leave a comment so that it would help anyone looking for info.
Video about my Dishwasher with Indian vessels used for cooking :
Here are a few things you need to know about dishwasher in an Indian kitchen:
- The dishwasher cleans your dishes, though you must understand, you have to load it. After cooking, usually you transfer to the sink, and give a rinse (not clean) but pour the dirty water and load it. There should not be any food particle in it. But this has never been my issue.
- What all are the dishes I load in it?
Right from morning, in order:- Milk vessel – My milk vessel is a steel with layered bottom (wmf). I boil milk only once for my family and never let my milk get burnt or harden in the sides of the pan. If this is the way you are also doing, then you too can do this. I use steel tumbler, glass cup and ceramic cups, load these too. I also load my metal strainer (in case if you use for tea or filtering anything. Breakfast plates, lunch plates, sambar boiling vessel – again a layered bottomed steel vessel, which I never let anything ‘burnt’. In case you got burnt bottom/ sides, you might need to scrub manually. Dinner plates, lunch boxes. Dishwasher safe water bottles, spoons, ladles used for cooking/ serving, knives. Curd vessel (the sides even if it is having tough solids, gets cleaned completly). I occasionally load the steel masala boxes used for storage, grocery boxes used for storage (both steel and dishwasher safe containers) and oil containers (steel) , salt container (Glass). Also clean the rack in which I stack onion/ tomato/ potato/ garlic and all those. I even load my murukku press (steel), the south Indian coffee filter in this. I usually use dishwasher only once and I run in the night alone. If might want to use twice depending on your family size and usage of vessels. It takes solid 2 & 1/2 hrs for the cycle to get over, so I switch on before bedtime and take out the vessels on wake up in the morning.
- Below is the upper rack and lower rack. I use upper rack for coffee cups, smaller bowls, spoons, knife and small stuffs. I keep plates, big vessels in the lower rack.
- What are all the materials you can load in dishwashers?
Steel, glass, porcelain, dishwasher safe ceramic ware, dishwasher safe plastics. - What are the materials which you cannot use in dishwasher?
Some plastics are not dishwasher safe, so always look for the dishwasher safe sign in the bottom of the vessels/ containers.
Aluminium and indolium – Sadly I have my idli pot, pressure cooker, kadai in these materials. So I wash with my hand. These materials, if cleaned in dishwasher, will turn black in patches and look horrible.
Iron – cannot clean iron kadai, dosa pans, cast iron pans
Wood – Wooden spatulas, bowls, bamboo bowls, utensils cannot be loaded.
Copper, Brass – Same like aluminium, indolium, these too gets ugly in colour in patches.
Vessels with copper bottom – The copper coating will erode away.
Hard anodized cookware – The black material, it becomes dull and rough, shine is lost if used in dishwasher.
So I use vessels according to that, wash few vessels in hand, still I save lot of time and labour. I wash kadai, cooker in hands but I have read that in India, top brands have customized in such way that the highly greasy kadai too. There is a specific option for that to choose.
What about electricity and water?
- In my opinion, water is saved unlike we wash our vessels many times in a day in batches, under running water tap. I don’t see any fluctuation in my water usage bill.
- Electricity is also consumed just like a washing machine. Not too much deviation.
How about expense?
- Once you decide to buy a dishwasher, go for a branded one, with advanced features, settings as it is one time investment. I use Bosch, which is doing it’s job best. You can also consider IFB, Siemens, LG etc, but do a research online and look for feedbacks. Investing in a cheap model or unknown brand won’t help here.
- One more thing you have to be aware while considering is, you need to be ready to spend on dishwasher special tablets/liquid/ powder. You cannot use the same dish soap you use for washing manually. Also the salt (especially when you are in India, to handle the hard water) and the rinse aid, which gives the shine to the vessels, without any water spots.
You have invested on a fridge, washing machine, grinder, oven etc for your kitchen, so just like that, you should see dishwasher as a part of kitchen, do not see it like a luxury! Do look out for any offers in festival times or special occassions and grab one.
So what are all the things I love about using dishwasher?
- Clean – As far as Indian vessels are concerned, we have to always choose a higher temperature washing cycle to get rid of grease. I used to choose the highest temperature setting 70 deg initially, but found 40-65 is perfect too for me. So it washes in a high temperature, sprays with jet fast water gushing from all sides, so it cleans thoroughly, better than me or anyone.
- Dry – If we wash with hands, the vessels have to be drained from water and left for long time for drying or wipe using a dish towel for a spotless vessel. But here, we just place the vessels inside, get it dry and sparkly clean. No need to wait, change place, wipe the vessels. Just open the dishwasher, vessels goes to their places.
- Vessels stay new longer: As we are not using scrubber, the new vessels remain new and shiny. I just love it!
FAQs
- I thought dishwasher is complicated to use, install?
No, it’s just like a washing machine, load – choose a cycle and everything is automatic. A water inlet, plug point, water outlet. You can choose a built in or freestanding one. - Many people say it is not useful as it does not clean completely?
As I said, only burnt vessels are not cleaned, if it is burnt and have a hard spot, I scrub with metal scrubber to remove it and load. You cannot add as such, it will not clean properly. Some may even say we can clean ourselves fully in spite of cleaning partially. But believe me, it’s not same. This does saves your time and energy. - Maintenance – There is nothing to maintain anything specially that would bother you. Just have to wash the sprayers once in a while and wipe clean outside just like any other appliances.
So on conclusion, if you are like me who hate to wash vessels and just keep thinking not to buy for some or the other reasons, do invest on one and thank me later!
Hello Raks, this is such a useful post.. Thanks for sharing!!! Does it clean non stick as well?
Yes I have a Dishwasher at home. Very useful. Especially when we are having a party. And I have 3kids. Glasses plates so many.
Hi.. thank you for such a detailed post..
One doubt..Can we clean non stick vessels in the dishwasher?
Yes, It is a life saver. With three kids, you sure need one. 🙂
Though many nonstick brands claim it's dishwasher safe, I don't load it as it is easy to clean. Due to the nature of the dishwash soap and high temperature, it might ruin the coating.
Though many nonstick brands claim it's dishwasher safe, I don't load it as it is easy to clean. Due to the nature of the dishwash soap and high temperature, it might ruin the coating.
Very informative post Raks. What kind of liquid you suggest for dish washer? I use Vim liquid diluted with white vinegar and water for hand washing. Can this be used for dish washer too…
Dishwasher has specific dishwashing soaps in form of tablet or powder mostly 🙂 You can use only that.
Very nice post .eye opener…thought it wont suit eversilver vessels…i m same type hate washing vessels
I even put the burnt vessels in dishwasher. Once it is half cleaned , it’s super easy to scrub the remaining , than to do it otherwise.
One more tip is to check if both the water sprinklers circulate freely without any hindrance once you have loaded all vessels . Just chk this before you close the door n start the cycle . If it doesn’t circle freely , it will get damaged and you have unclean vessels .
The most necessary equipment in kitchen a must must for all household. Gift yourself one dishwasher instead of that gold chain u thinking of.
I put wooden n milk pan with the malai on it without scrubbing. It still comes out clean in dishwAshed
Thks it was vry useful
Well said 🙂 More than a gold chain, this is very useful one, that helps in our everyday routine! 🙂 I have heard wood will get soaked too much if we use in dishwasher, do you use compressed wood or any specific wood?
Yes, correct.
I add my Copper Glass and comes out clean . Never knew they are not dishwasher Safe!
🙂
Very useful post.
Does this include stainless steel pressure cookers too?
Timely helpful. I m n a dilemma of buying a dishwasher for my new house. Thanks for ur article as it gives me a clear idea about this. Will go for it. Tq
Ohh ok. Thnx
I am not aure about if its safe or not, but I saw copper bottom vessels lose the coating plus uneven shine.
The sight of heap of vessels at the end of the day after a day long work used to be a nightmare. And always carrying a thought in the mind that you'll have vessels to clean after getting back home was even more worse. There had been days when I would return home from work with severe headache and yet cannot escape with this chore of washing vessels. An entry of Siemens dishwasher four years back is really a boon in my life. Everyone carry a wrong notion that we have to scrub the vessels before loading it in the machine. No, as long as the vessel is not burnt and is not left to dry, you needn't scrub. At times, I have even loaded my allumunium cooker and kadai. though black spots are formed, I find it easy to scrub it later after that wash. Many a times I have even thought of doing a 'sashtanga namaskaram' to the person who invented it. For all those who are still in dilemma of buying a dishwasher, there's only one thing to say – its a decision which you will never regret for 🙂
Hi Raks, thanks for the great post. Can we use just vinegar to clean vessels using dishwasher instead of dishwasher-compatible liquids/powders? Generally, in manually vessel-cleaning process, I only use vinegar. I use liquids/soaps only for kadai and cooker (which are greasy).
Hi Raks,
Great post. Thank you. A quick question. Instead of the dishwasher-compatible washing powders/liquids, can we use vinegar alone? Coz, for manual vessel cleaning process, I never/hardly use soaps/liquids, instead – use only vinegar. Thanks.
I have read using vinegar alone leaves a kind if scales in the dishwasher and over time you het error in the display. Please google before you decide.
Hi, what about the fixing dishwasher at home ?? Like outlet and inlet pipes?? Is it ok to go with already constructed house ?? Will it involves modofimodifi in the house ?
HI thanks for the useful post , i am thinking of buying a dish washer , and this post is really supporting my thoughts. i have a request , can you post a video of vessels before wash and after wash using dishwasher so that i can get approval from husband to buy ….
They will find solutions to install, just describe about your kitchen conditions before buying.
Oh no! My copper bottom milk pan and copper water jugs comes out extremely shiny.
Very useful post. Keep up the great work 🙂 I have a doubt. Can we load mixie jars and blenders?
Thankyou for the post Raks it’s very helpfu. I have a doubt Can the machine be easily removed n fixed without anyone’s help just like washing machine?bcz we keep transferring every 3 years