With energy bills remaining stubbornly high across the United Kingdom, a definitive answer has emerged in the long-standing debate over the most cost-effective way to clean your dishes. New research conducted by Saga has put the question of dishwasher versus washing up by hand to the test, performing a detailed financial analysis that delivers a clear warning to millions of households.
The Great British Wash-Up: Who's Doing What?
Saga's investigation began by establishing the lay of the land in UK kitchens. According to data from the home improvement research organisation Trend-Monitor, 49% of UK households own a dishwasher. This figure, however, varies dramatically depending on household composition. For single-person households, ownership drops to just 29%, while it rises to 56% for families with children. This leaves a significant 51% of British households routinely washing their dishes by hand.
Crunching the Numbers: The Shocking Cost Difference
The core of the investigation compared the direct costs associated with each method. For hand washing, the analysis used data from Which?, which states that the average washing-up session uses a minimum of 54 litres of water. Using Omnicalculator, the energy required to heat one litre of water is approximately 0.06kWh.
This translates to a minimum energy usage of 3.24kWh per washing-up session (54 litres x 0.06kWh). With the average energy price standing at 27 pence per kWh, the cost for each session is at least £0.90.
Calculated over a year, based on washing 12 place settings five days a week, the annual cost of hand washing soars to a staggering £234.
In contrast, running a modern, efficient dishwasher under the same conditions—five times a week for 52 weeks—carries a far lower cost per cycle of just £0.08. The annual total? A mere £20.80.
Maximising Your Savings: Efficiency is Key
The report highlights that these figures are not absolute and depend heavily on user behaviour. For those washing by hand, the method is crucial. Filling an entire sink with soapy water and leaving the tap running consumes far more water and energy than using a half-full washing-up bowl and turning the tap off between rinses.
Similarly, dishwasher efficiency plummets if it is run only half-full. Waiting until the dishwasher is fully loaded is essential to achieving the significant water and energy savings that make it the cheaper option. The type of programme selected also plays a critical role in the final cost.
The conclusion from Saga is unequivocal. For the majority of households, particularly those that can wait to run a full load, using a dishwasher is dramatically cheaper than washing up by hand, potentially saving over £213 per year. As bills continue to squeeze family budgets, this simple switch could provide much-needed financial relief.
