It’s a chore that many people dread.
And now it turns out you’ve probably been running your dishwasher wrong this entire time.
Which? has revealed the popular cycle that you should never use.
Despite its name, experts say that the fast-wash cycle can actually cost you time and money.
‘The time saved from using the fast-wash cycle on your dishwasher comes at a price,’ Which? warned.
‘In tests, fast-wash cycles cleaned and dried worse, used more energy and water, and cost more than main or eco washes.’
The warning comes shortly after Which? released an 11-step guide on how to load your dishwasher.
From making sure your plates face the middle, to mixing up plates and bowls, it turns out you’ve probably been doing it wrong this whole time.
It’s a chore that many people dread. And now it turns out you’ve probably been running your dishwasher wrong this entire time
All dishwashers have three core cycles – main/auto, eco and quick wash.
On average, the main/auto cycle takes around 2 hours 30 minutes to complete, while the eco mode takes 3 hours 55 minutes.
Quick washes vary in length, but typically take around an hour to complete.
Which? put these cycles to the test by carrying out a snapshot test of three big-brand models.
Their analysis revealed that the quick wash cleaned less effectively than the main programme, scoring 74 per cent versus 83 per cent.
Quick wash also did a slightly worse job of drying the dishes, scoring 76 per cent efficiency versus 82 per cent, and left more watermarks on items after a cycle.
‘It doesn’t clean and dry as well as the main program, uses more energy and water, and costs more to run,’ Which? said.
‘It only realistically saves you time.’
Despite its name, experts say that the fast-wash cycle can actually cost you time and money
The consumer champion also looked at average cost of running your dishwasher on different cycles.
Based on five washes per week using the main cycle exclusively, it would cost £62.82 a year, on average, according to the experts.
By contrast, exclusively using quick wash would cost a bit more – £68.07 on average.
The dishwasher isn’t the only appliance that you might be using wrong.
The experts warn that quick-dry cycles on tumble dryers have drawbacks too.
‘They can often use more energy per kilo of fabrics compared to the standard programs,’ Which? explained.
‘They don’t get clothes completely dry either, so if your dryer has humidity sensors you’re better off using a standard program.’
