10 YEAR BATTLE OVER A DISHWASHER
To have or not have that is the question.
Dishwashers save time, water, and energy. But do they? Jason will tell you the claims the dishwasher companies make are true and then some. But me, nah! I say those claims are based on the average American household and not these resource-conscious sailors.
And now we’re in the middle of building our new HH44 catamaran and the dishwasher debate is heating up again.
The problem is, we both make good arguments for and against the dishwasher. But it’s all based on hypotheticals. Because we’ve never actually had a dishwasher on an RV, Van, boat, or any tiny home. We don’t have any real-world experience to base our arguments on. Until now!
We’re living aboard our friend’s 47ft NEEL Trimaran as we sail it from Charleston to Miami. And they have a dishwasher that has finally given us the opportunity for a showdown. Sailor VS Dishwasher.
This isn’t a video we ever thought we would make and as for the results…well, we’re turning to you for help. Give it a watch and then pick your Wynn.
The dishwasher on this boat is a Bosch unit from Europe (because that’s where the boat was built), and a quick search on Freestanding Dishwashers on Amazon brings up some very interesting options. But are we willing to give up our precious cabinet storage space for a dishwasher? That is the biggest question we still have plaguing us. Until we move in, I just don’t think we can answer that.
Which is why we’re interested in your feedback. Do you have a dishwasher in your tiny home? Would you recommend it? Let us know.
S/V Supernova
Supernova is a NEEL 47 Trimaran. You can see a full tour of her here: gonewiththewynns.com/sailing-trimaran-full-tour and if you want to continue to follow her journey with Katy and Craig, you can find them here: instagram.com/sailing.supernova/
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Dawn Kingston
Love you guys! Can you Please post details of your dishwasher . . . We are trying to figure out where to put a dishwasher ( and what kind) in our new boat . .. top loading is what we would prefer but have been unable to track down yours ( our boat is in Vietnam so can get dw from china . . .) thanks!
Dawn and Stan Whistler 🇨🇦
Curious Minion
It’s made by Fotile. Maybe that’ll help your search. Good luck!
Curious Minion
Maureen Ledet
Dishwasher!! We had one in our Cornerstone motor coach and it’s a must! If anything it’s a good place to store dirty dishes until you want to wash!
Judy Goodson
I vote 100% for the dishwasher!
SV Justducky
I am with Nikki. There is no way we would put a dishwasher on the boat. We had a dishwasher in our big land based house which we rarely used. We do dishes as we go using the facilities we heated for the cooking. When we lived exclusively in our RV we did NOT have a dishwasher other than me. Our 50 did not have a dishwasher, nor was it desired. We are currently building a 55 Eco Hybrid which has the space, but again, we opted for NO dishwasher.
Energy efficiency, I am certain that both my wife and I are more efficient. Like the Wynn’s we are misers with water consumption. Also, they noted they compared the fastest cycle and power. I am pretty confident that the energy usage for the 2 hour cycle will be much higher, even if its just to heat the water.
Spend a bit of time in China, Vietnam or the Philippines and you will be quick to note, as Westerners, we tend to want all of the comforts.
We are very eco focused and neither of us wanted a dishwasher. We are much older than the Wynn’s and can attest that we did dishes manually and conservatively for decades, even though we had a dishwasher in our house. The only time my wife used the dishwasher was when we entertained large groups. At our stage of life, despite 9 grandkids, we find we love to show the little’s how things can be done without additional equipment.
One commenter stated “its a million dollar boat, just get it”. While I agree it is definitely a million dollar boat, most of us were able to acquire a million dollar boat by being frugal for a very long time. That frugality does not go out the window when you spend your life’s savings and your former house on a boat.
We, like many other boat owners, are very conservative both in cost and environment. Time is less of an issue as the whole point of sailing to take the time to enjoy the world that was created. If speed was the issue, we would be power boaters. We also are people who like to be off-grid for long periods. Therefore, the use of renewables is a consideration. While heating water is a consumer, on demand hot water is no less efficient than the on demand hot in the dishwasher. Our on demand might even use less energy as we don’t want the water as hot as the dishwasher.
We have a traditional water heater on our boat that can be heated electrically, from the cooling of electric motors or from the cooling of the one diesel we have onboard, but we also have on demand water heat for efficiency.
Both my wife and I are with you Nikki. Save the space for the many other thigs you need on board. Sail far and have fun!
John Hughes
Bosch Dishwashers!! Yes, unequivocally!
We have had four in various properties.
Never an issue with any of them.
My two bits
Fair winds and following seas!!
J. P. Hall
The oddest thing about yes or no on a dishwasher is there is a debate at all ! It takes minimal space but gives big benefits. With all the upgrades, it will also add to the overall finished appearance.
Ron G.
Nikki and Jason, you have demonstrated your kindness, love and respect for each other for many years. We’ve had the privilege of following your journey and witnessing the fine example of your marriage. Far be it from me to give you marital advice, but I do bring experience to the table. My lovely wife and I have enjoyed 33 years together, and we’ve counseled engaged couples.
You have carefully weighed the decision, explored the pros and cons, and it seems like the answer is a toss up. Some have even suggested flipping a coin. At this point, I suggest you consider what your partner really wants. Marriage is not a 50 / 50 thing…..it requires 100% effort from each partner. If Jason has felt this strongly about wanting a dishwasher for 10 years (and if you agree that he does the dishes more often than not) then respect his wishes here.
Just my 2 cents….. I love watching your videos and I am almost caught up to real time. I’ve been rationing your episodes so as not to run out, but soon I will have to wait each week for your newest release. You both are an inspiration to your audience on so many levels. Thank you for that!!
Joanna
Hi Nikki and Jason, yeah YL dish soap is environmentally healthy for nature as well as people. It does sound as though Jason still gets rashes on his fingers/hands, so maybe try different dish soaps to see if that would help. And like you said he is suffering even just with water (perhaps getting a Recontructed water filter I’m sure would greatly help, Look Up Reconstructed water, it does wonders for health and body/skin reactions to even filtered water. I was amazed with how my skin was no longer dry or rashy after shower and we have well water (which we filtered 4x before shower and still problems with skin before getting Reconstructed water filter) ), so perhaps getting an automatic dishwasher would bring his suffering to an end, (wearing gloves even Latex Free gloves are still very irritating to the skin, especially sensitive skinned people, I have broken out with rashes several times using latex free brands with no powder etc the best ones I have found are the thick Nitro gloves) and like others have said you can use it to store dishes. Also rashes & allergies can be signs that Liver needs help, sounds like you both might need Liver support like dandelion and milk thistle just those two herbs would greatly help and you might look up doing a Liver Flush (there are other steps you need to do before going right to a Liver flush so research prior and or let me know if you have questions and I would be glad to help anyway I can :). Just another note; I’ve noticed you cook on a lot of Non-stick appliances, I don’t care what they say Non-stick IS TOXIC it does shed off into food and it builds up in your Liver and can hurt the body causing all kinds of health concerns, just the fumes it gases off when cooking with it can really cause health concerns, in my opinion best to stay away from Non-stick. A great alternative would be enamel over stainless steel or cast iron which by it’s self can be turned into natural non-stick with proper seasoning (nothing is perfect but at least it would not be teflon/non-stick). Hope this info helps. 🌄😊 Take care of each other!😀🐱
Leora
Best advice is from Tev, wear the gloves. my add: Save your previous dish loads rinse water in a plastic basin. Toss all new dirty dishes into reserved rinse water to soak, while you have after dinner cocktail, sunset viewing, etc. Then food doesn’t become dried on with need to chisel off! You guys look great, haven’t watched in a few years, different life issues ( good ones) going on; don’t think you’ve gained a single pound between you; and love the comraderie that never diminishes! Happy Blessed sailing Always, Leora in Oregon!
One thing, I don’t think the nomad lifestyle takes into consideration. When you own a stick & Brick it appreciates in value, vs the depreciation hit you take in boat or RV! Our Winter home in Indio, CA is up $300,00 in less than 3 1/2 years! We fly back and forth to Oregon to the Summer home. Air fare much cheaper than gas and overnight hotel stay! It is the perfect life for us! Bon Voyage and Blessings Always from Indio, CA & Sherwood, OR as the season may be!
To each their own; part of me has a Nomad heart which wrestles with my homebody soul!
Joanna
Hi again, my other detailed comment for some reason didn’t post. In a nut shell, I think Jason is Allergic to the toxic dish soaps and they are very toxic. In my 25+ year search for soap I could use with out a severe reaction (since I was a kid I hated doing dishes finally found out due to allergies to toxic soaps) I finally found Young Living Oils Theives Dish and Auto soaps the Only ones even the supposed healthy kinds YL was so far the only ones I have found with no toxic chemicals and I can use them just fine. I think this is why Jason doesn’t like doing the dishes by hand even if he wears gloves he’s still breathing in the fumes. At least an auto dishwasher you don’t have to come in direct contact with the soap. I vote get a dish washer. It will be best for warranty purposes to have factory install it. It will also save time, sanitize better, the boiling hot water will get the chemicals and soap completely off your dishes and you dont have to use the dryer setting to save energy. It will give a higher resale value if years down the road you decide to sell the boat. Just trying to save you time YL is cheaper if you set up account. I’m not sponsoring them I just get their products for my own use. Just punch in my name or see if a family member can set you up through their account. Also, just remember Allergies are no joke, next time you find any mold Jason needs to glove and mask up and clean remove it instead if Nikki, because of Nikki’s extreme Allergies to it (YL also has Thieves non-toxic cleaner that will kill the mold). Love your vlogs and the two of you, I think you are both great!!! 💝😊😀 Joanna Murray in Alaska
Nikki Wynn
Ah, very reasonable theory but we select our soaps carefully with both the health of the environment and our bodies in mind. Jason really does have sensitive skin and dermatitis so he would suffer all the same using nothing but water.
Gina Bull
Nikki, I love your competence and enthusiasm, but !’m with Jason on this. In my opinion, you aren’t washing your dishes — you are just rinsing them. The fact that you have so few and they don’t get to sit around and grow nasty things on them is all that has saved you from food poisoning. Get a dishwasher. And as another commenter noted, having it installed at build makes much more sense.
Nikki Wynn
I grew up in a household with no dishwasher and we have gone most of our adult lives without a dishwasher and have never suffered from food poisoning because of it. So I don’t think that argument holds. But I will add you to the #TeamJason list.😉
Michael Glesige
To Nikki’s comment about space. Space on a boat is like your monthly budget and a dishwasher is savings. If you spend your money on necessities and fun the say “whatever I have left I will save.” You will never have anything to save. If you think after you fill the boat and “see if we have space.” You wont. As you know space on a boat and money are finite resources. Budget in a dishwasher. Besides like someone else said. “You are buying a million dollar boat! Put in a dishwasher.” And “you have a clothes washer you should have a dishwasher.”
Julie
You have been having this debate for ten years? What a patient man he is. He really wants a dishwasher. Give the man his dishwasher. I agree that is should be installed at the factory level. It sounds like it would be a nightmare to do later and Jason would be the one installing it. We have been watching all the projects that you do around the boat and his time 45 minutes a day is worth a lot! His arguments win out.
Keith Rogers
First, I should say that my family has not had a dishwasher for over 10 years and I wash the dishes for a family of 4, by hand, daily. Secondly, I have no intention of buying a dishwasher anytime soon but I don’t live on a boat either. I do have to agree with Jason in that it is absolutely more sanitary and does save his time though. You can’t count the time the dishwasher is doing its work because you aren’t tied up doing it. That would only matter if you were concerned about running out of dishes while it is cleaning.
Finally, I do enjoy the videos. Thank you for wanting to continue your adventures, even when things get rough.
Arlene Noteman
We just watched your great debate of Dishwashers VS NO Dishwasher. I must comment! We are full time RVers in our Tiffin 2018 Bus. We chose not to get the dishwasher and have no regrets. We recently bought a home which has a dishwasher. We have hired someone to take that dishwasher out and add a 3 drawer cabinet. We actually enjoy the warmth of the soapy water and particularly like having plenty of storage in our home. The RVs have an amazing amount of storage space compared to a small 1100 SQ Ft house. It all comes down to whatever a person prefers. To each his/her own.
Raymond Hansen
Present RV – dishwasher. Previous RV – no dishwasher. Opinion: get the dishwasher. User very little power and water. Less than hand washing. If you are worried about space; many people use the dishwasher to store their dishes. Just remove what you need, put the dirties in the sink, and wash them every day or two ( depends upon how many dishes you carry.) And no, I’ve never commented here before.
HI!
postiecat
Get the dishwasher. #1 reason Sanitary !!!!!!
Henry Kubat
Jason. A dishwasher is a MODERN convenience that allows the owner’s to have more time for other important tasks. If you are not allowed to have one installed on your new Cat. than you should agree with your better half, and will happily drop any talk of getting one. BUT with 1 exception, since you cannot take advantage of a Unbelievable modern appliance, than you should tell the anti dishwasher person in your life that you should cancel the current order on the new shiney cat and order one made out of WOOD!!!!!!
See how fast she changes her mind after that!
Love both of you guys, and a big thank you for all the wonderful vids you guy’s produce!
Henry Kubat
Teresa Murphy
Get a Dishwasher, it is so much more sanitary, your dishes will be clean and shiny. No more trying to wash your dishes in a small amount of water and worrying about not wasting it. Just do it!
My hubby and I love watching you all every week and seeing all of your adventures. 😊
Joseph J Like
My mother had four dishwashers, Arlita, John, Joseph and electric. They were used in that order. The only time we used the electric dishwasher was during Thanksgiving and Christmas. I currently live full time in my RV and no I do not have a dishwasher. I do however believe in a washer and dryer.
Anonymous
Get the dishwasher! It will be easier if installed at factory. Plumbing and electrical later will be a lot of labor and associated cost.
Jill
Sorry Nikki, get the dish washer. It is better to put it in while it is being built. To put it in later 2 things will happen. First there will always be an excuse not to do it. Second it means retrofitting things to get it in is way more complicated. If you need storage use it for storage in the beginning. It would be a safe place to put plates bowls glasses etc. I really wanted a washer on our boat, all about storage. Didn’t have it put in. Now John bought me a portable washer. I am appreciative but it takes up the same space as the built in washer and it’s a lot more work to use it.
Ang
Looks like only one answer. Personally I lived for 7 years in a new house with a new dishwasher I never used. So I was kinda on Nikki’s side. But I was on my own and the dishwasher was huge. Clearly that is not the case here. So I must now side with the 99% of commentators here. Have Jason pick out his preference and get it put in during the galley at the fit out.
Alan Solomon
Hello and Wow. Lots of dishwasher comments!
I grew up having a dishwasher in my house although, I never used it. However, it was easier for those in my family interacting with dirty dishes on a regular basis. Jason brought up some good points about a dishwasher on board. I consider a dishwasher on board a sailing vessel a luxury. I think dishwashers among other household appliances are relatively new on ocean craft. I believe a dishwasher on many ocean-going craft have no place but, on a luxury craft such as this Trimaran if you have the room, it is worthy of the space. You have to eat, and the built-in sanitizing option works well without thinking twice. Sorry Nikki. I wanted to see your side, but I ended up on Jasons side. I was a little grossed out pertaining to Yoshi licking the dirty dishes and bowl, but Yoshi deserves credit for his part in this video.
Happy and Joyous in every way,
Steve
Get the dishwasher. We had Fisher Paykel Dish Drawer. Much easier than Bosch. The dishwasher can be used as storage between meals, just leave cleaned dishes in it. You will most likely use the same dishes, so it’s a win win. Dishwasher & storage. We full time in our 40’ diesel pusher motorhome, just the two of us, so totally understand. Counter remains clear since dishes are in dishwasher. And for sure integrate dishwasher into build, not retrofit. You’re treating yourselves to a great catamaran, think of it as a house warming gift.
Emily
Buy the man a dishwasher 🤣
I say if there is a clothes washer, have the dishwasher. You both work with your hands! Keep those happy! I totally get it though. It’s not a NEED. Definitely revisit the “argument” once y’all get use to living in your new boat. Id like to know if you saved on the amount or cost of soap vs detergent? That’s something you’d prob stock before long trips. Not easily found?
Jeff Forgey
You bought a million dollar boat…….DISHWASHER
Jim Spence
Get the dishwasher. Far more sanitary and time is valuable.
Diane Crooks
Hi Nikki and Jason! I know Nikki does a lot of cooking and that can create a lot of dishes. There are pros and cons to both of your arguments. When it comes to space saving, I would probably ultimately use the dishwasher as my dish storage. I would also take the basket out of the dishwasher and load it up in the sink and then take the basket out when it’s done washing so I can put the dishes somewhere else if I had that option.
Funny thing is my husband and I have had a dishwasher in our home for several years. We just went through a kitchen remodel not too long ago where we had to hand wash the dishes. The new dishwasher that we have we really dislike. We find ourselves doing dishes by hand most of the time now. When we share the job it’s much easier and kind of fun. Kind of hard to do in a one butt kitchen! LOL. Honestly I think the best decision is to live with the boat for a while and then decide if you want to put ia dishwasher in later. Good luck to the two of you!
Kris
Great Debate! Dishwasher! Bosch top drawer. It got my dishes cleaner than my home DW. Who likes crawling the floor.
Vernon Hauser
Jason X ten
Holly Rigby
My Army officer husband and two children lived for three years in a tiny apartment in German US. Army quarters. We had a portable full-size dishwasher that we did.NOT take with us. After a huge party, I said, “I sure wish I had my dishwasher with me” My husband said, “Where would you have put it? “ I said, “On your side of the bed! “ We’re still married! Get the dishwasher…and do it at build, not retrofit..just my opinion! And keep dishes in it! Love you guys!
Steve
We have always had a dishwasher, as a family of four. Now that we are two, hand washing is more convenient. Hot water (that your hands can stand) does not sanitize your dishes, it only helps the soap work better. If Nikki has time to cook, y’all have time to eat, then you have time to wash dishes. every meal. Don’t let them build up. Jason works hard, so I can understand his desire for a little automation. But in the end, only you can determine the compromises in space, resources, and time. I say no dishwasher, but I’m not washing your dishes.
Steve
OK, I have to modify my comment. While I am not averse to having the dog to the grunt work, you are not going to have a dog. The cheese grater, wow, I don’t see how you can get it clean by hand. And the sponge. Unless you are boiling it after every use, it is the WORST thing to use washing your dishes. The anti-bacterial qualities of the dish soap can take care of a wash cloth, but it can’t get into all of the spaces in a sponge. I’m afraid I’m going to have to flip to Jason’s side. Glad I could help.
Sandra & the 2 Spaniels
I’m with Jason; get the dishwasher. Right now, —> I <— am the dishwasher, and I hate it. Always dirty dishes hanging around, unless you have time to wash dishes every day. No matter what you do, the kitchen always looks dirty and disheveled with a sink full of dishes, glasses, and pots. Now, I am stuck until I finish saving money to totally redo the kitchen; you two are starting off brand new. Get the dishwasher, but please don't put it on the floor! You can fit a small dishwasher around cabinets, in fact, you could hide it in a closet/pantry area. That small dishwasher would actually be easier to load/unload at microwave height. It's a convenient tool that will free up time to do videos, make a cocktail, or watch a sunset. Please get another set of cats or dogs. I miss your interaction with them on the boat. And Jason: get O'Keeffe's Working Hands Hand Cream. It works wonders.
Janice
Yes to a dishwasher! The sanitizer feature is well worth it. When they are clean it also serves as the storage space on a permanent basis.
Debbie L
Jason!
You totally grossed me and my husband out letting the dog lick them.
We’ve always had one – EXCEPT our nearly 7 years traveling full time in RVs. Bill is the chef so I’m the dishwasher. I had to nearly boil the water to kill germs. We’re a bit germaphobic!
aboyandhisdog
I’m on “Team Nikki” on this one. But I have to ask…isn’t there some kind of a big closed basket of some kind that could be submerged in the ocean off the back of the boat such that the dishes would clean themselves? Then just bring them in for a fresh water rinse and dry and you’re good-to-go. I can’t believe this isn’t a “thing” in the boating community.
Tev
Oh my goodness. Jason, wear gloves! For the amount of time they don’t get your hands sweaty and besides it’s a good way to keep them soft. Don’t let your dishes pile up, smaller loads less water etc. Also, use a towel to wipe them off or soak the heavily soiled utensils while you do other things. I would’ve used the egg bowl to soak that and the cheese grater. The drying feature on a dw uses alot of energy. I don’t have one on mine and many of the items must be hand dried anyway. We had a dw in our motorhome and I hardly EVER used it. Except for storage. I would’ve like another drawer or two instead. I won’t miss it at all in our van. What I will miss is the washer/dryer. Now that is a must if you have space. We don’t of course so it’ll be laundromats for us when needed.
The location of that dw isn’t worth it to me but I know you’ll do a good job of planning when you get one. 🙂
Of course the easiest thing is to use paper plates and plastic utensils. LOL Don’t have a coronary, I was kidding. 😉
Donald P
Get the dishwasher. Install it as the boat is being built, (most efficient) under the counter. Sanitation is most important.
Dave Burdick, GoingRvWay.com
We live in a Condo when we are not RVing, and we have a two drawer Fisher & Paykel Dishwasher that we LOVE. Wife has MS and the drawer dishwasher is so much easier for her. It is amazingly quiet. It uses about 1.4 gallons of water on the normal 1.5 hour cycle. Now, Fisher & Paykel is a New Zealand Company, (majority owner is Chinese now, but they have not got involved in the company very much) so next time you get to New Zealand, and you will, you might want to buy one there. PS: our washer and dryer and each Fisher & Paykel too. Well worth the extra money, but the factor is the dryer is a top loader too, better for someone with MS to deal with.
Bob S
I don’t live on a boat and wash by hand. BUT I’D LOVE TO HAVE A DISHWASHER!
Anita
Maybe I missed this but what about the time to dry the handwashed dishes? Or did the dishwasher only wash and not have a dry cycle? Or do you just let the dishes air dry?
I am a big dishwasher person but I also can’t stand clutter. It makes the kitchen look so much nicer. Although if the only place to put the dishwasher would be at the floor level forget it. You could drop as many dishes loading it as letting things set out to dry. Guess I’m never living on a boat. 🙂
Keliann
Our new RV came with a Dishwasher and we laughed that we wouldn’t like it. Well, after using it I noticed the occasional tummy upset quit happening. I’ve decided it is invaluable to us now, I don’t miss the storage space that it utilizes. I do have friends that added one after the build and they had problems with it, so I believe adding it during the build is best. Thank you for your fun video’s and sharing your experiences.
Laura
Get the dishwasher. One idea you did not address, you are spending $x on a brand new boat, a dishwasher costs $x, why not? You are already going to have so much more space than you did, so is that really a big deal? A couple is only as happy as it’s least happy member.
Love the scientific approach to winning the argument. Jason wins.
Annie
If my partner wanted to not have a dishwasher they would need to do the washing of the plates and silverware. I’d be happy to do the rest of the cleaning. But no way I’d do the washing if they refused a dishwasher. So Jason is more accommodating than me.
Annie
Honestly I’d want to kill my partner if he were taking. Nikki’s position. It’s ridiculous.
JoanneG
I am pro dishwasher. Less active time spent on that chore and definitely cleaner, more sanitary dishes.
Lisa
Bottom line… YES!
After almost 9 years in an RV, I do the cooking/washing, becuz I fit in our small space easier.
We will be moving into something more permanent soon, will have an extra 100sf (lol), and are looking forward to finally finding the perfect recipe… a DISHWASHER!
No more dishes/pots/pans/bowls/utensils/glasses/silverware filling up the tiny sink, then cluttering the countertop to dry, all the while yelling at me! 🙂
Jess
When we moved into our house the dishwasher worked poorly for about two years; you have to do the dishes to put them in the dishwasher because these fancy “quiet” dishwashers don’t clean well. I stopped using it and washed them by hand for the next five years because I would have to wash them anyway before loading.
Then we moved into an RV full time and it was now doing dishes after EVERY meal because… RV sink. And the sink was stupid. The first rv only allowed you to fill the sink with about 4 inches of water, took a good minute of running the water to get hot water, and I had nowhere to put clean, wet dishes other than in the sink. – It became a whole juggling thing. The second RV (Which we are still in) is up against a corner so you have to lean at an angle to do anything and it strains the back. We can fill this sink more but water gets EVERYWHERE. We installed a new sink which helps a bit with the angle thing but now the faucet stream hits right up against the edge of the sink. I hate it but it’s easier on the back. -We have been in RV life for the last 4-ish years.
In a house, I am fine doing the dishes once a day by hand because I think it’s stupid to have to literally wash the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. In an RV – or boat, you have to do dishes after every meal, snack, etc.. I could appreciate a dishwasher but only if I didn’t have to clean them before loading them.
Conclusion; I can live without a dishwasher, and actually prefer to not use one in a house, but in an RV or boat I would ABSOLUTELY get a dishwasher if I didn’t have to wash the dishes first. Mobile living quarters make a lot of things more of a process and clutter piles fast. I spend so much of my day doing the #$%@!! dishes that I have become the dish nazi; only 1 cup a day, if you only had a bagel on that plate you better use it again before I have to wash it – in fact, don’t use a plate for a bagel!… GAH! It’s a whole thing.
My husband has the job 9-5 (remote) and we share the cooking but I do the dishes, grocery shopping (one hour to get there, another to get back, for the last 8 months), laundry, and rig cleaning because I don’t have a paid job, so I figure that’s fair. I can justify a dishwasher because I AM THE ONE DOING THE DISHES (and all that other stuff that never ends) 99.9% of the time. We don’t have a dishwasher due to space but if we did I wouldn’t give him a say because he rarely does them. 🤣🤣
I might not be paid but with a mobile lifestyle, there is always cleaning, maintenance, running around, etc – more so it feels than in a box house. You only live once so I would rather not spend so much time focused on one chore. I transitioned into this lifestyle so I could do more in life. Spending so much time on dishes EVERY DAY makes me question my priorities.😏 ………… you’re welcome Jason.
Sunday's Child
Push comes to shove, a dishwasher does not make sense for two people. But on the other hand, sometimes we need to make decisions based on what will make us feel good and not what really makes sense. So, I think you should decide by flipping a coin. Hope that helps.
Michael
I like doing dishes. I have since I was a dishwasher during high school for a couple different restaurants. It is a good job. You rinse the dishes off, putting left-overs in the trash and/or down the disposal, and then put the dishes in the machine.
If I attend a party, I always offer to help with the dishes.
Would I have a dishwasher? A resounding Yes!
The reason is time savings and sanitary results. It is impossible to rinse dishes off in hot enough water to kill germs without burning one’s hands.
As we plan a new house, we will plan for a small machine for just a few people at a time. (Maybe dining settings for five or six.) Much like a boat.
So the issue is placement. It is no different on board a vessel. The choices are down low, just under the counter or on the counter. If you have a lot of counter space, then one could be mounted on top. But down low does not work well for taller people. However, there are two good possibilities.
Down low with a remote control panel so that you do not have to get on your knees to start it, or under the counter top where it is easy to load and control.
But, this is important, you must do it during the build. Trying to add it later involves plumbing and electrical that was not planned for, and that is a big mistake.
Also as the man said, leave your dishes in the machine for storage. Extra dishes can go in a slightly harder to reach storage area.
(By the way, just remove the rack to load or unload the washer.)
Good luck.
Judy C
We have a class A motorhome with no dishwasher. To be fair, we are not full timers which is way different. We are waiting for our new Newmar Ventana to be delivered mid-March and when placing the order, the dishwasher topic was a decision point. Since I cook and clean, I challenged myself on the topic and decided the storage space was more valuable than a dishwasher.
We are upsizing from a 35′ to 38′ motorhome. I would for sure get a dishwasher if we went 40′ or larger because of the additional space. Seeing your new catamaran and that you are full timers, my vote is with Jason.
Rob Ward
I’ve been a professional dishwasher and also a commercial kitchen designer
When hand washing you need three sinks
One for washing, one for rinsing and the most important sink, one for sanitizing
Also any surface that is used for air drying needs to be sanitized each time it’s used
When using a dishwasher the sanitization is handled by the high temperature water, >140F
Air drying in the dishwasher is acceptable as the surfaces are already sanitized
Two health issues with hand washing are improper rinsing causing soap to dry on the dishes that is ingested when used the next time and bacteria when the water temperature is lower than 140F
Mike Priaro
The knob on the bottom of the Bosch diswasher is an issue as it is easily bumped by shoe soles or feet.
Gloria
Dishwasher yes.
Higher up yes.
Happiness
Mark de Shazo
YES for the dishwasher. I would say that the Bosch dishwasher is a GREAT brand, however, I see that the style and location of the dishwasher on that boat is not quite ideal for me. I have a Fisher & Paykel drawer dishwasher, but it does not have a roll out tray. It is very deep and designed to allow me to adjust how I want to load it and you load it from the top, placing items in it verses sliding out a tray, there is no bending down to the floor to load or unload. It is large enough to load all the dishes we use during the day and then run it at night, not just after every meal. Mine is located under the Induction Cook top with a utensil drawer between the cook top and the dishwasher. I would check out different styles of “Drawer Dishwashers” to see what would work for you.
Diane
You guys have missed the main point. I dislike dishwashers because you have to wait and collect enough dishes to fill a whole load. I hate storing greasy smelly dishes for hours/days. I want them clean again as soon as the meal is finished. Don’t dirty dishes attract flies? Rodents?
Michael Lord
Have not had a dishwasher here in Swain for twelve years. Don’t really care but don’t have the space. For a big dinner like Thanksgiving it would be nice, but hey, there’s no dirt under my finger nails after I’ve been Gardening 🙂
Bruce
Nicky—Does Jason tell you what appliances to use when you cook?! And we all know that whatever space you have on your new boat will be eaten up regardless how much cabinetry you have. Go for it, Jason.
Lee Hansen
Second comment, dishwasher.
Yes! But design into structure of your work flow.
Put in as a top drawer, and make bottom drawer a frig/freezer or non-essential storage, no items needing dishwasher!
Good luck!
Brandie
All arguments for the dishwasher are valid, and the time savings alone would have me opting for a dishwasher, that is if storage/space wasn’t limited. But space is limited and I wouldn’t want to give that up just to save 10 minutes or so. So I am team no dishwasher.
Rob
NIKKI
Richie
A vote for Jason’s dishwasher. You’ll free up counter space and it will be safer. Wish I had that option in my RV. I hate looking at dirty dishes in the sink all day!
John Curtis
Dishwasher – YES!! Hands down, (no pun intended) a dishwasher (DW) is a timesaver overall. As Jason mentioned, he can do other things while the DW runs doing a better job cleaning the dishes. I understand the ‘space’ argument’, but think about dishes being essentially stored in the DW until the next meal.
Lee Hansen
Hi!
To add to your argument!
I am single, and always use dishwasher.
I think of it as one of my modern slaves, doing what I could do, but better and faster without direct supervision.
Like clothes washer, or autopilot or electric winches or electric stove or water maker, makes life better.
Besides, would give you more time for cuddles or sundowners.
Love your adventures!
Lee
Benjamin Durr
Get the dishwasher. Use it to store your dishes & glasses.