My dishwasher, which I have only had for three years, has broken down once again. This time it is out of warranty, and I think the repair bill would be huge. (By the way, it is an LG and has been a lemon all the way. Bad job, LG.)We can get a new dishwasher, but I would have to dip into my little savings fund where I have been saving for a new dining room table. I'm actually considering not replacing this dishwasher.
Hubby says it would not be hard to fix up a couple of storage drawers in place of the dishwasher, but in a way that it could be easily removed if we decided to stick a dishwasher back in that space. And in my small kitchen, the extra storage would be an asset.
We have two able-bodied kids that could help share the load of handwashing dishes. They are nine and seven. There is also a two-year-old who is no help, of course.
So give me any input on what we should do. I sure hate to put my table off for another year! I also don't want to be constantly behind on dishes.
You've got many more years of a LOT of dishes. I'd go for another dishwasher. Actually, I would write a very formal letter to LG and tell them your dissatisfaction with this unit. You never know - they might offer to fix it and sell you an extended warranty to last a few more years. A dishwasher really ought to last longer than 3 years.
ReplyDeleteWhere in OK are you? Hubby just got back to night from visiting his family in the NE area.
Me, I'd opt for the dishwasher. But maybe it's not as bad as you think. First do some research on consumerreports.com for what are good dishwashers and what aren't. Then look for a used dishwasher on craigslist.com. Tons of people who are remodeling their kitchens will sell the appliances that work great. Even if it's the wrong color usually the face plate can be taken out and spray painted. We've bought dishwashers for about $75 before.
ReplyDeleteAawwwww heck it isn’t going to kill your little tykes to get their hands wet, and it builds character.
ReplyDeleteGrandma used to say that idle hands are the devils playground. Although I agree with her philosophy, I say it like this if it doesn’t work it won’t be in my house, and that includes children and pets.
Call it earning the dinner that they eat and the roof over their heads. In addition to that maybe they will have a greater understanding as to all the work that goes into filling their little bellies.
I just cant wait until my WAHM (Wife) figures this out, I keep trying to convince here that her life will be more simple when she puts them to work in the house and not just their toys.
Brad
I was going to advise you not to get an LG, but alas, it's what is giving you the trouble. Our top-of-the-line, stainless steel in and out, very expensive LG has broken four times in the year we have had it. It's in the shop right now, as a matter of fact.
ReplyDeleteI guess I'd go no dishwasher, myself. I already have, one and off for a year, anyway! At least extra storage is helpful and won't break down every other month!
I say wash'em by hand! I have a dishwasher, but more often than not I can't stand the noise and time (not to mention amount of water used) that it takes to run the dishwasher. I think it's greener to hand wash dishes. Washing/drying/putting away dishes is a together activity. Bonding time. :)
ReplyDeleteKeri - I would put go for the dishwasher and look on Craigslist for a suitable dining room table. If I didn't have a dishwasher I'd have no place to store my dishes! LOL
ReplyDeleteI would give it a month or two of doing dishes by hand to see how much of a burden it is.
ReplyDeleteThings to consider... it takes more water and energy to do dishes by hand. (Surprising, no?) So with the cost of energy lately, you might want to reconsider that.
I just got a Maytag, and I loooove it. It's quiet and cleans well, even with our hard water.
I would suggest a stainless steel tub for maximum energy efficiency.
Best wishes!
I would go for the dishwasher. From a "green" perspective, new dishwashers are actually more water-efficient than handwashing (for full loads, anyway). And with three kids, I imagine all of your loads are full loads!
ReplyDeleteI went without a dishwasher for almost a year when ours died and we couldn't afford to replace it. I *love* having one now!! I will say, I had a small baby at the time and was constantly washing cups, bottles, etc, so it was a pain not having one and I had no one to help me with them, as she was too young. I did use the nonworking dishwasher as a storage area, so I didn't have to wash immediately. You might try that for a while. I would really recommend getting a new one though! Our electricity bill dropped $20 when we did, even though I thought I was being conservative with the hot water. Having a working dishwasher is a huge stress reliever to me; I would think long and hard before not replacing it if you can afford to.
ReplyDeleteIf you're comfortable going without a dishwasher for a while, go for it. Just be sure that you can get one back into the hole if you need to sell your house. A kitchen without a dishwasher is a dealbreaker for a lot of people (me included).
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of waiting a bit to see if handwashing works for you. Our DW broke about a month ago, so I've been handwashing. There are days I can't stand it, and days that I think I could actually do without one (Too late, hubby bought one and it's being delivered in the next 2 weeks). Oh well, I'll still probably handwash a lot more than I used to.
ReplyDeleteWe bought a bosch, and eveyone says how great they are, except it doesn't clean or dry !
ReplyDeleteThe instructions say to rinse dishes first, then to open door to air dry......does that sound like handwashing?
Panasonic Microwaves Repairs
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