The dishwasher in a classic kitchen

[GearHead]

Just heard from Smeg and they don't have any distributors in the US yet. Still need to pass all the safety regs and all to have them imported sometime in the new year.
Oh well.

Erick

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Ummmm well, if you want to be vintage, forget the dishwasher! The number of families in the 40's or 50's that had such a thing were pretty small. A farm house such as yours wouldn't be the home to have any kind of dishwasher... other then the original kind... your two hands, soap and a rag!lol I wash my own dishes... granted, I only live with my brother but, I wash them and it's kind of relaxing... it also builds caricature I think.

So, instead of hunting for a vintage dishwasher which may work or may not, and spending crazy money to get one working, you might as well just toss the idea and go real old fashioned and wash them your selves.

=WR=

The 50's ranch I am buying does not have a dishwasher and I don't want one. Most of my life I did them by hand. I find it to be relaxing.

How many people here do their dishes by hand? Why or why not?

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Ah, yous guys... when I was a kid, I helped my mother with the dishes... so did my brother! It's not hard after a meal to just knock'em out... there's always paper plates and plastic forks! HAhahahahahahaha!

Telling stories as you wash and dry is kind of fun... really!

=WR=

Many old films and sit-coms have scenes involving discussions while hand washing, rinsing and drying the dishes. I grew up hand washing dishes.

A dishwasher saves time- for what? More time with the other gadgets?

 

[LizzieMaine]

The 50's ranch I am buying does not have a dishwasher and I don't want one. Most of my life I did them by hand. I find it to be relaxing.

How many people here do their dishes by hand? Why or why not?

I've always done dishes by hand -- I've never lived in a house with a dishwasher in my life, so the thought never really occurs to me that there's any other way to do it. My kitchen overlooks my neighbor's yard, and it can be rather tranquilizing to stand there and watch the bugs and birds and squirrels and kids.

(And congrats on your new place, PSG!!)

 

[PrettySquareGal]

I've always done dishes by hand -- I've never lived in a house with a dishwasher in my life, so the thought never really occurs to me that there's any other way to do it. My kitchen overlooks my neighbor's yard, and it can be rather tranquilizing to stand there and watch the bugs and birds and squirrels and kids.

(And congrats on your new place, PSG!!)

Thanks!! If all goes well I'll have you over! (The appraisal is the next hurdle. As a first time home buyer I find the process overwhelming! But prices have finally come down so it's time!!)

 

[just_me]

The 50's ranch I am buying does not have a dishwasher and I don't want one. Most of my life I did them by hand. I find it to be relaxing.

How many people here do their dishes by hand? Why or why not?

I hate washing dishes by hand. As a kid, that was my chore and I hated doing it then and I hate doing it now. Also, from what I've read, dishwashers are more ecologically sound than hand washing - an automatic dishwasher only uses 50% of the energy and a small fraction of the water, along with less soap.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

I hate washing dishes by hand. As a kid, that was my chore and I hated doing it then and I hate doing it now. Also, from what I've read, dishwashers are more ecologically sound than hand washing - an automatic dishwasher only uses 50% of the energy and a small fraction of the water, along with less soap.

But..."others argue that when additional factors, such as the manufacture of the unit, the pollution created during distribution and the energy required to make the detergents used in them, are taken into account, it is questionable what is best."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/5398700.stm

Not to mention that all dishwashers will eventually end up in a landfill.

But the fact that you hate washing by hand is a good reason to not do it!

 

[lazydaisyltd]

The 50's ranch I am buying does not have a dishwasher and I don't want one. Most of my life I did them by hand. I find it to be relaxing.

How many people here do their dishes by hand? Why or why not?

I was happy to do my dishes by hand when it was just my husband and myself...but now that I have two children, my housework has expanded exponentially and more dishes on top of more laundry and more everything else has made me love my dishwasher.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

I was happy to do my dishes by hand when it was just my husband and myself...but now that I have two children, my housework has expanded exponentially and more dishes on top of more laundry and more everything else has made me love my dishwasher.

But but...kids = dish washers, no? lol Unless they are too young!

 

[dhermann1]

I think there are a couple of considerations to think about here. First, the early dishwashers, in the early 50's, were status symbols second only to televisions in the trendiest homes. However, it was kind of a standing joke that they were very ineffective, sort of like early electric shavers. So I wouldn't recommend a really early vintage dishwasher.
But the other consideration gets back to the idea that we may love our antique stuff, but there are certain modern things we really don't want to do without. The fact is that a dish washer uses far less water and energy than hand washing. We're still citizens of the planet, and especially nowadays, it's incumbent on us to do the little things that help the earth. Counterintuitive as it may be, using a (fully loaded) dishwasher is one of them.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Counterintuitive as it may be, using a (fully loaded) dishwasher is one of them.

See, theres the thing -- I live alone. If I had to wait for a "full load" before washing dishes, I'd wash my dishes twice a month. Not sanitary, convenient, or reasonable, thanks.

 

[dhermann1]

Yeah, same here. I tend to load it up about half way and then run it. I figure I'm still saving resources at that level. And the truth is, I'm enough of a slob that if I didn't do it that way, my sink would incessantly evolve into a giant dirty dish sculpture. I run the washer about every 4 to 5 days.

 

[goldwyn girl]

The 50's ranch I am buying does not have a dishwasher and I don't want one. Most of my life I did them by hand. I find it to be relaxing.

How many people here do their dishes by hand? Why or why not?

No dishwasher in my vintage kitchen. One had been put in when we bought the house but it was one of the first things we removed. I had no dishwasher growing up either so therefore I don't miss it. I also use 1950's dishes and melmac so they are not dishwasher friendly. I find washing and drying by hand quick and simple.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

The fact is that a dish washer uses far less water and energy than hand washing. We're still citizens of the planet, and especially nowadays, it's incumbent on us to do the little things that help the earth. Counterintuitive as it may be, using a (fully loaded) dishwasher is one of them.

I don't agree with the notion that one is being hostile to the earth by hand washing dishes, and as many articles have pointed out, it depends on the method of hand washing and the production and disposal of dishwashers (non human) is polluting the planet.

My new vintage house is within walking distance to the many things I'd have to drive to before. I think my carbon footprint will be greatly reduced by that and by eating less chocolate. It's a balance sheet.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

See, theres the thing -- I live alone. If I had to wait for a "full load" before washing dishes, I'd wash my dishes twice a month. Not sanitary, convenient, or reasonable, thanks.

You just need to eat more often. lol

 

[seres]

I was raised in a house with a dishwasher, and the first house my wife and I built had one. But when we built our “dream” house, we decided against the dishwasher. I actually enjoy doing the dishes, and I know they are cleaner when done by my hand.

 

[lazydaisyltd]

But but...kids = dish washers, no? lol Unless they are too young!

Well, one is definitely too young, but I'm not sure I want to trust my Fiestaware and vintage Homer Laughlin Mexicana to my 9-year-old son! Might be more expensive than a dishwasher in the long term. lol

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

I hate washing up with a passion and cannot wait until I have a place with a dishwasher!

 

[Pilgrim]

I've never seen the point in washing dishes by hand when there's an alternative. I get plenty of washing in doing pots and pans and other items that don't belong in or fit in the dishwasher. (And I got pretty good at it during my years at Boy Scout camp.)

If I wanted to fit a dishwasher into a turn of the 20th century kitchen, I'd just buy a good current model that let me mount a wood panel on the front to match all the other cabinets. I'd simply make it invisible...but I'd darn sure have one.

 

[volatile]

I came to post what Dinerman already has - add a false door in front of the appliance.