Buying a dishwasher

[vpsureshkumar]

I wish to buy a dishwasher and I need some advise. Is this equipment a very useful item in our kitchen. Most our cooking are Indian type. Can the dishwasher wash utensils, plates, cups which stainless still and plastic.

 

[breezer]

officially a dishwasher ris not a waste disposal unit, I shall expalin.

after meals any "bits" of remainig food should be rinsed off as should any sauces. this is because the food will block the filter, strong coloured sauces (including ketchup) may dye the plastic in the m/c (ususlly pink)

cuttlery should NOT be separted into "ones" i.e all forks all spoons, they should be mixed, this allows forr better cleaning as two spoons for example could sit too close together. so wont get 100% clean

dishwashers clean at a very high temperature and also dry everyhing too, and also it means you dont have to do it.

if the above advice is rigidly stuck to, a dishwasher will last for years (but quite often it isnt)

 

[vpsureshkumar]

Thanks for the reply. Assuming that all the food pieces are removed, will
the dishwasher be able to wash the oily and curried plates, bowls, spoons, tumblers, glasses cleanly.
What is the temperature used for washing. How to maximize the load into the dishwaher. I have so many plates to wash, cutleries to wash and I would like to do it in one go.

 

[breezer]

I have so many plates to wash, cutleries to wash and I would like to do it in one go.

depends on size of dish washer

 

[AdamW]

I have a dishwasher. Some might say it is excessive for a bachelor living on his own to have a full size dishwasher, but what the hey!

Anyway, your questions:

1) I cook a lot of curries myself (from scratch, none of this sizzle and stir nonsense). As Breezer mentions, the plastic inside does stain. The white plastic has now got a very slight pinkish tinge. It has no problem with fairly oily utensils and plates, provided you rinse the worst of it off first.

2) My dishwasher washes between 40 and 65 celsius. I leave mine on the "eco" setting (washes at 55 degrees) but I think it dries at a hotter temperature because the dishes are so hot that afterwards you need to leave it a long time before you can touch plates and not burn yourself (and I used to be a waiter, so I can carry VERY hot plates!) Some wash at 75 celsius, there may be hotter ones although I think 75 celsius counts as sterilising so any hotter wouldn't have much advantage.

3) Dishwasher capacity is usually measured in "place settings". A full-size domestic dishwasher is "12 places" which means it will take the plates, glasses and cutlery of a 12-person meal. This does not include pots and pans and utensils. I generally chuck everything in mine (even though you aren't meant to dishwash cast iron pans!). You could get everything for a typical three course meal for 4 in there I reckon, including pots and pans.

4) To maximise capacity, dishwashers have racks to make sure the plates are stacked in an effective manner.

 

[vpsureshkumar]

Is Elba or Electrolux brand a good dish washer brand. How is electricity and water consumption?
If the plates, cups, spoon have liquidified food stuff covering them (such curries, juices, thick soups, ketchups), do I have to rinse the plates first to remove them or can I straight away put them in the dishwasher. Assuming not solid food pieces.
If I put them straight in, will the residues be drained out without cloacking the filter.

 

[breezer]

dont know about brand as we are in the UK, and yes you should clean things before going into dishwasher, read my other post for more info