Homeowners across social media are expressing amazement after discovering how much water and money they can save simply by switching to a dishwasher. In an era of rising household costs, many seek easy ways to become more efficient and reduce bills, and this simple upgrade is proving to be a game-changer.
While energy savings often take center stage, one user’s experience highlights the significant impact dishwashers can have on water consumption. A study by Which? revealed that using a dishwasher uses nearly 80% less water per full wash cycle than washing dishes by hand.
The research found that washing 14 place settings manually requires 63 litres of water, whereas dishwashers average just 12.96 litres per standard wash cycle.
READ MORE: Taunton Rush Hour Chaos as A358 Blocked
READ MORE: Man Charged with Multiple Serious Offences Including Rape
On Reddit’s ‘Casual UK’ community, a user shared their experience after installing a dishwasher, showing remarkable reductions in household water use alongside the convenience of less time spent washing up. The user posted two photos comparing their water consumption before and after the change.
The first photo, from October 4 to 11, showed daily water use averaging around 400 litres, with some days spiking above 500 litres. After the dishwasher installation, the second photo spanning October 17 to 24 displayed an average daily usage drop of nearly 100 litres, stabilizing around 300 litres with lows near 250 litres.
The user commented, “It might seem boring, but if anyone’s unsure about getting a dishwasher, it’s made a huge difference to our family’s water consumption. Especially important now with water prices these days.”
Other community members contributed further insights: dishwashers on eco cycles can use as little as 9 litres of water, while intensive cycles consume between 19 and 22 litres. In contrast, washing an equivalent load by hand under a running tap can use up to 150 litres. Additionally, running a tap for 20 minutes could use about 60 litres of water and 2–2.5 kWh of energy (gas), whereas eco dishwasher cycles consume around 10 litres of water and under 1 kWh of energy, with newer models using even less.
Another user added a lighter note, noting the boost in personal happiness that comes with having a dishwasher — an indispensable appliance when space allows.