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If you were to take a simple straw poll amongst your friends, we can guarantee that a significant proportion of them will pick washing the dishes as one of their most loathed household chore.
Sure, we all have our pet peeves when it comes to doing household chores; be it ironing clothes or mopping the floor. But the idea of having to clean up after having already spent so much time cooking, is just such a huge turn off. This could possibly be one of the reasons why people choose to eat out or order in more frequently these days.
So why aren’t more people using dishwashers? Is hand washing dishes just something we are too accustomed to? Well, one common argument against the use of machinery is the supposed amount of water a dishwasher uses in each cycle. Let’s look at the facts.
1. Water and electricity consumption
Based on a study by Bosch using a 12-plate setting as a benchmark, some noticeable misconceptions were uncovered:
| Dishwashing | Washing by Hand | |
| Water used on average | 7 litres | 40 litres |
| Energy used per load* | 0.67 kWh | 2.60 kWh |
| Time spent | 15 minutes (time taken to load and unload dirty dishes) | 60 minutes |
*Energy used is based on heated water in certain countries
Based on those figures alone, you save around 9,200 litres of water per year. Putting the figures into context, that’s an additional 5 showers per week, which might come in handy, especially living in such a hot and humid country like Singapore.
Given how water is a precious resource, with less water usage, this would translate to significant savings in your monthly utility bills. Who knows when water prices are going to change?
Diswashers are becoming more relevant in Singaporean households too. As of 1 October 2018, PUB extended its Mandatory Water Efficiency Labelling (WELS) product range to cover dishwashers for household use. Before this, it wasn’t mandatory for suppliers and retailers to obtain the relevant water efficiency labels for dishwashers. This thus translates to a level of accountability to you when it comes to water savings.
2. Time saved
A dishwasher saves you time too. With only 15 minutes needed for loading and unloading dishes into a dishwasher, you could spend the rest of your night binge watching on your favourite series!
One prudent tip would be to accumulate a whole day’s worth of dirty dishes and set it to rinse just before going to bed. The next day, you will find squeaky-clean dishes all ready for your next use.
With one less chore to worry about, you’ll have fewer reasons for not cooking and eating at home, this also translates to more savings for you, and better wellbeing for you and your family because let’s face it, takeaway food will never be as healthy as home-cooked food.
3. Hygiene
Did you know that dishwashers come with different wash programmes to suit your every need?
Most Bosch dishwashers contain AquaSensor – which monitors the progress of the wash and decides the exact temperature, duration and amount of water used. For example, heavily soiled pots and pans could use the intensive 70 °C program, where it washes the pots and pans at a high temperature for better hygiene.
Hosting a gathering at your own home for Chinese New Year, or any other occasion, sounds much less daunting now that you don’t have to worry about piling pots and pans.
What many people may not know is that dishwashers also kill germs much more effectively due to the high water temperatures, of up to 70 degrees Celsius – a temperature you are obviously not going to be hand washing your plates at.
If you’re still not convinced, here’s the game changer. Sponges used during dishwashing are one of the dirtiest items in the kitchen. In the Reckitt Benckiser/ Bosch Kitchen Hygiene Study, 72% of sponges tested from Singaporean kitchens were found to contain traces of salmonella; the bacteria notoriously famous for causing food poisoning.
With the recent spate of incidences at F&B outlets around Singapore, general food hygiene is now at the forefront of people’s minds. You can definitely rest easy knowing that your dishwasher is effectively killing the germs on your kitchenware.
How do Bosch’s dishwashers provide a suitable solution
Now, if you are convinced that getting a dishwasher leads to significant savings and also a cleaner kitchen, then it begs the question of which dishwasher to get.
A market leader in dishwashers, Bosch is well known for their innovative features across a whole suite of household appliances.
We’ve all had that experience where you are dazzled by a fancy machine, only to realise that you have absolutely no idea how to use it. Well, that’s definitely not the case here.
Bosch’s two new dishwashers, the Serie 2 Silence Plus and Serie 4 Super Silence models, are both 60cm freestanding dishwashers, which gives you the flexibility of placing them anywhere in your kitchen. But more importantly, they are both rated with a 3-tick WELS rating, which means you can be assured of their high water efficiency. Let’s take a look at some of the key features from each of these models:
Serie | 2 Silence Plus ActiveWater 60 cm DishwasherFreestanding – White
SMS25CW00E
If you are looking for a more affordable option that doesn’t compromise on dishwashing excellence, this is a great choice. Priced at $1,499, here are some key features:
- VarioSpeed – save up to 50% of the wash time while maintaining the best cleaning and drying results for your utensils
- Silence Program and Silence Plus – pleasantly quiet at 46dB, more so with the Silence program
- LoadSensor – inbuilt rotary speed sensor that detects the load weight and water level, optimising the amount of water consumption – your water and electricity bills go down and your wallet thanks you
- ExtraDry – for difficult-to-dry loads, this is an extra-thorough drying option
Serie | 4 SuperSilence ActiveWater 60 cm DishwasherFreestanding – White
SMS46IW20E
On the slightly higher end; the cousin of the Silence Plus model, the SuperSilence model comes with features that make the dishwashing experience even more efficient and peaceful. Priced at $2,199, here are some key features:
- VarioSpeed Plus – an express wash option, where it reduces the rinse time by 66%. Simple activate the VarioSpeed Plus option when you need dishes fast, e.g. at family celebrations or birthday parties.
- Silence Program and SuperSilence – remarkably quiet at 42dB, more so with the Silence program
- LoadSensor – the inbuilt rotary speed sensor detects load weight and water level, optimising the amount of water and energy consumption – your water and electricity bills go down and your wallet thanks you
- ExtraDry – for difficult-to-dry loads, this is an extra-thorough drying option
As we’ve mentioned earlier, having to worry about doing dirty dishes after a hard day’s work is an absolute nightmare. A dishwasher not only solves that problem for you while saving you time and money, but also ensures that your kitchenware is cleaned thoroughly.
The Bosch SuperSilence and Silence Plus Dishwashers are now available islandwide at the Bosch Experience Centre and major electronic stores.
You can also visit the Bosch Home SG website for more useful tips at home.
Do you think dishwashers are the way to go? Or do you still prefer to hand wash your kitchenware? Share your thoughts here.