A new report by Vileda claims that the ‘humble dishwasher’ is the kitchen appliance we least trust to do its job. But isn’t it also one of the appliances we want most in our kitchens? Do you trust your dishwasher?
Dishwashers can’t be trusted, apparently! A recent survey by cleaning solutions company Vileda claims we don’t trust our underperforming dishwashers to get the job done.
A resounding 71% of those asked voted it as the most likely appliance to under perform. Many even admitted to cleaning dishes after they’ve come out of the dishwasher. How mad is that?
Can’t live without a dishwasher
For the majority of my life, the only dishwasher I ever had was me and my own fair hands. Then we moved flat and inherited a Bosch dishwasher. I’m a complete convert, and can’t believe how I had managed to get this far in life without one.
Unlike 56% of the survey respondents who find washing up “therapeutic”, I don’t. So I’m not moving anywhere else unless there will be a dishwasher when I get there. The less time I spend at the sink, the better. And in the nearly four years of dishwasher-use, not once have I had to wash anything after it’s come out (and mine has never broken down either… yet!)
What on earth is going on? Do people just have rubbish dishwashers, or is it all down to user error, where they aren’t loading the dishwasher properly? I only suggest this because I got much better results after I worked out how to put the dishes in ours.
There’s a knack to loading a dishwasher, you can’t just chuck it all in and expect the machine to work miracles. Make sure everything is where it’s supposed to be, and don’t overload it. Using a good dishwasher detergent also helps.
What makes a Best Buy dishwasher?
More worryingly, 48% of respondents said it was the one household appliance that they most expected to break down. So surely it’s key to make sure you’re choosing a reliable brand in the first place? Our latest dishwasher reliability results are a good place to start.
We’ve been testing dishwashers for a long time here at Which? and we do see some bad ones. The worst models on test use lots of water, leave plates dirty, glasses smeared, and the actual dishwasher itself needs cleaning on the inside, too. If you want to see what I’m talking about, have a look at our dishwashers expert’s video on how we test dishwashers.
Does the dishwasher deserve its untrustworthy tag? Have you ever walked into your kitchen and thought “dishwasher, I just don’t trust you”? Are there any other kitchen appliances you don’t think are up to the job and does this keep you from using them?
Which kitchen appliance do you least trust to do its job?
Toaster (27%, 70 Votes)
Dishwasher (25%, 64 Votes)
Washing machine (15%, 40 Votes)
Tumble dryer (9%, 23 Votes)
Microwave (8%, 20 Votes)
Oven (6%, 15 Votes)
Kettle (3%, 9 Votes)
Fridge (3%, 8 Votes)
Other (tell us in the comments) (3%, 8 Votes)
Freezer (1%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 259
