By Martin Vedris
GERMANY: A recent study by Bonn University in Germany compared hand washing 140 items with the same load in a 12 place setting dishwasher and concluded that dishwashers consume about half the energy and a third of the water used.
The results showed that the hand wash used 63 litres and required 4.2 kilowatt-hours of energy to heat the water -considerably more than most dishwashers used.
In a statement provided to Current.com.au, Electrolux Home Products regulatory affairs manager, Ian Forte said the German research supported what many in the industry had advocated for years. He referred to the Electrolux Dishlex EX401 model which uses only 15.9 litres per wash and 0.64 kilowatt-hours of energy.
“We have invested a lot of time and effort to ensure the highest standards of energy and water efficiency in our dishwashers and, anecdotally, we are noticing more people appreciating the environmental advantages of using them,” Forte said.
“Certainly less people now believe in the old myth that dishwashers had a negative effect on the environment. In fact, the combination of their stylish design and quieter operating systems with proven water saving and energy efficiencies make our new dishwashers more appealing than ever.”
Saving time was another major benefit of dishwashers revealed by the Bonn study. It found that while it took 79 minutes to wash up 140 items by hand, it took an average of just 15 minutes to load and unload the dishwasher. This works out at a saving of 16 days a year.