The dishwasher is an energy-hungry household appliance, but it can also become a great ally if used in the right way: to understand how much a dishwasher consumes, you need to consider the energy class, the washing mode and the cost of electricity and water.
How much does a dishwasher consume? and how convenient is it in terms of savings and weight on the bill, compared to washing dishes by hand? It often happens that you hear that this household appliance – now a must in Italian homes – can represent by far the best solution compared to the classic washing dishes with sponge, elbow grease and detergent.
But is it really like that? From the point of view of the environmental protectionthe dishwasher involves lower water consumption compared to the manual method, and also a lower consumption of soap. But what about the electricity costs?
What is the Average dishwasher consumption in kilowatts (kW)? To answer this question, several parameters must be taken into account.
In this article we will see How much does 1 hour of dishwasher cost? in terms of electricity and water consumption, we will learn some simple tricks that allow us to actually optimize consumption, both when we use the dishwasher, considered by many to be indispensable, and when we wash the dishes by hand.
How much does the dishwasher affect the bill?
If I were to search the internet for the list of appliances that consume the mostthe dishwasher would certainly be among the top 10 most frequent “inhabitants” of our home energetic.
However, if used intelligently, this ally is able to reduce the costs related to the daily washing of dishes, cutlery and glasses.
In terms of kilowattit is estimated that a dishwasher consumes on average approximately 2.5 kWh (kilowatt).
However, this is a rather general estimate. Modern dishwashers, the new generation ones, can in fact consume up to 1,2 kWhand for a complete wash they may require a consumption of 1,8 kWh.
How much does a dishwasher consume in kW?
You can estimate the average consumption of your new dishwasher by looking at the Energy classification reported on the product sheet. The energy class of a dishwasher, or any other type of household appliance, is classified and A and Gwhere A indicates products that allow for optimisation of consumption, while G includes household appliances that involve higher energy consumption.
At this point, you may spot the Cost per kWh analyzing your bill. This cost may depend on the type of contract and/or the time slot and the actual cost of electricitywhich has unfortunately increased significantly in recent years.
In light of this, the consumption of a class A dishwasher will therefore be more advantageous than that of a lower class product, since the consumption will change.
In the purchasing phase, the initial cost of a Class A household appliance It could be a deterrent, as it usually tends to have a higher price, but in situations like this it is important to think long-term, and – if possible – choose a product that is able to guarantee low consumption and, consequently, have less of an impact on the bill.
How much does a dishwasher consume in euros?
According to estimates, taking into account the factors we have just examined, the annual consumption of a 12-place setting A energy class dishwasher can range from 60 to 90 euros per yearprovided that we are talking about a Eco mode wash.
However, costs can vary greatly based on the variables mentioned, such as frequency of use, washing mode, energy class, and electricity costs.
How much water does the dishwasher consume?
In order to establish how much the dishwasher consumes in euros, in addition to energy consumption, it will also be necessary to take into account thewater.
Older dishwashers can consume up to 45 litres of water for a complete wash. Fortunately, these types of appliances have improved a lot today, and in terms of water consumptionthe cost of a quick wash in “Eco” mode can be lower than that of washing dishes by hand, consuming approximately 9.5-14 litres of water per wash cycle.
This consumption will then depend on 3 factors:
- Dishwasher size: a larger appliance may lead to higher consumption
- Program set for each wash cycle: an economical, short and “eco” cycle results in lower consumption
- Frequency of use, that is, whether you use the dishwasher at home every day or only a couple of times a week.
How to consume less with the dishwasher?
To reduce dishwasher costs, you don’t have to pull the plug and go back to the good old hand washing of dishes, which is also considered less convenient than washing in the dishwasher.
It would be enough to adopt some conscious behaviors, such as:
- Avoid pre-washing dishesbut clean them quickly with a sponge before putting them in the dishwasher
- Choose eco and shorter washeswith lower temperatures
- Operate the dishwasher only when full loadtaking care not to overfill it, as in this case the plates and glasses may not be adequately cleaned
- Avoid the phase of drying: as nice as it may be to find warm and dry dishes, this phase consumes a lot. Better to interrupt it and simply open the dishwasher door to let the dishes dry in the air
- Provide for regular appliance maintenancecleaning the filter and using salt and other products to remove grease and limescale.
How much do you save by not using the dishwasher?
As we anticipated, if your goal is to reduce the costs of your electricity and water bills, retiring the dishwasher is not the solution.
From the point of view of consumption, if used in a smart way, this appliance can be much more advantageous than the hand wash. Even in this case, however, appropriate distinctions must be made, as a lot depends on how we wash the dishes.
For example, some people wash dishes without turning off the tap for the entire duration of the wash, while others fill one of the two sinks to let the dishes soak, turning on the tap only at the time of the final rinse.
In the first case, water consumption is much higher than in the second mode. However, even in this case, using the class A dishwasher intelligently, at full load and with eco mode without drying or pre-wash, the greatest advantage could come from choosing this method rather than the classic manual method.
Sources
Source: www.greenstyle.it
