Inside dishwasher

How Much Water Does a Dishwasher Use?

We think most people can agree that washing dishes is a pain in the neck – or back depending on how many dishes you’re scrubbing bent over the sink. Hand washing isn’t for everyone and can leave some questioning their water efficiency and impact on the environment. Luckily, dishwashers have come a long way to save the day in the kitchen for both the back pain and water consumption. Read on to find out how a dishwasher can save time, money and the environment with this Canstar Blue guide.

Dishwasher water usage

water rating label On average, a 6-star rated dishwasher uses 9.5L of water per cycle and a 3 star dishwasher uses 17L per cycle. Different models of dishwasher will have different water usage for each wash setting. An intensive or ‘heavy’ wash will use more water, while an eco-wash is designed to use less water and be more efficient.

Water efficiency explained

Having a water efficient dishwasher is all well and good, but how do you know which dishwasher has better rated water efficiency? The simple answer is labels. Home appliances – particularly ones like dishwashers and fridges – will all have different labels with ratings. These ratings help indicate just how much of your energy bill and water bill this appliance will be chewing up and which ones have a better rating to help potentially save you some cash – or the environment. 

The two main labels you can find on a dishwasher are the Energy Rating Sticker and the government initiative Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS) label. Both labels work on a six star rating scale and each indicate how much water is used per load and the amount of energy used in a year. The most efficient dishwashers under this scheme use half the amount of water as an average model on the market, saving you money and offering peace of mind.  

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What are the most water efficient dishwasher brands?

There are a number of dishwasher brands available on the market, so how do you know which one is the most efficient? You can use the energy and water rating sticker system to make up your own mind, but we’ve pulled together a few of the most efficient dishwasher brands to get you started.

Asko dishwashers
asko dishwasher

Asko DBI865IGXXL.S.AU Dishwasher – 6 star rating 

Asko are a Scandinavian inspired appliance brand known for their minimalistic designs and sleek finishes, with a number of dishwashers in the Asko range sitting within the highest rated water efficient dishwashers at 5 or 6 stars. Their highest rated models of dishwasher from this brand were tested on their eco-wash setting. Water consumption may change with different wash settings so always check the brand and model specific settings. 

Fisher & Paykel dishwashers

fisher & paykel dishwasher blackFisher & Paykel 60cm Built-Under Dishwasher – 5.5 star rating

Fisher & Paykel is known Australia-wide as an affordable appliance brand, and has some of the most efficient dishwashers on the market. A number of models sit at a 5 to 5.5 star rating, tested on their eco-wash mode. Other features that contribute to optimal efficiency is the delay start mode to better time washes. 

LG dishwashers

LG dishwasher silverLG XD3A15NS QuadWash Stainless Steel Dishwasher – 5.5 star rating

LG offers a comprehensive range of dishwashers with a number of models rated 5 to 5.5 stars by WELS. LG’s dishwashers boast a number of features including TrueSteam and QuadWash for a superior clean that won’t have you rewashing dishes and wasting water. The star rating is based on LG’s dishwasher models tested on their eco-wash setting.

Which uses more water – hand washing or a dishwasher?

A standard capacity kitchen sink is 22L. Now let’s do the math, times that by three for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and you’re looking at potentially 66L of water used in a single day to hand wash dishes. A dishwasher on the other hand will use a maximum 17L per cycle depending on its star rating for water efficiency and the setting used for the wash. When you compare 17L to 66L, a dishwasher definitely comes out above hand washing for water efficiency, making it a more environmentally conscious alternative, as well as saving you time and effort!    

Are water efficient dishwashers worth it?

The verdict is in on dishwashers, and they appear to be a more water efficient dish washing solution. While some items will still require a wash in the sink, most kitchen items are now dishwasher safe, saving you time, effort, and now, water. A purchase like a dishwasher is a sizable investment up front, but you’ll see the return when you save on your quarterly water bills. So, congratulations lazy people, on being given the environmental seal of approval to be totally lazy. Now, just how to figure out to compel you to unpack the dishwasher…

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Original Author: Lucinda Gall

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