Dishwashers
Dishwashers have become the third must-have appliance in most modern kitchens. Their advantages include the ease of cleaning dishes and cookware and the fact that dirty dishes don’t pile up in and around sinks. For large families and entertaining they also keep the kitchen uncluttered and functioning at its best.
Dishwashers once required a lot of pre-rinsing and scrubbing before use to ensure that the dishes were thoroughly cleaned. Current dishwasher design incorporates integral hot water heating and garbage grinders to create a dishwasher that really cleans while disposing of small food particles. Interiors were once limited to enamel and plastic but the recent trend towards restaurant function in home appliances has meant that many better dishwashers have stainless steel interiors.
Dishwashers are built-in appliances that require water supply and drainage. They mount under cabinetry and have doors that can be customized via inserts to match other surface treatments in the kitchen or to create a unified color scheme for appliances. Noise levels from dishwashers used to represent a problem but newer designs are much quieter and can be programmed to run at times when they won’t disturb anyone. Standard dishwashers are 24” wide with smaller models available for areas with limited space or for use in a bar or dining area.
Recent Innovations in Dishwashers
The biggest news in dishwasher are the drawer units pioneered by Fisher and Paykel and now offered by most high-end manufacturers. These units make it possible to place dishwashing units in areas dedicated to certain functions like a bar, in an entertainment room or in multiple locations in a large kitchen. Because they take up less space and handle smaller loads more efficiently they can be a real convenience, however it is important to remember that they still require water sources and drainage and may require customized cabinetry for their installation.
