Comments on: DIY bag dryer + Longing for the esssspennnnsive

By: Nikol

Nikol — Wed, 19 May 2010 21:01:14 +0000

My commercial dishwasher (yup, got it), uses less than a gallon of water per cycle and takes 2 minutes. The way they get them clean isn’t lots of water, it’s VERY HOT water and VERY HIGH PRESSURE. If the door’s not completely closed it will fly open in the first second, the pressure’s so high. It’s high pressure, but it’s the same water cycling around and around. The wash cycle’s about 165+ & the rinse cycle is 180+, which is essentially a pasteurizing cycle (will kill any food-borne bacteria in 30 seconds–145 degree water will do the same in 30 minutes, which is probably what’s going on in a residential dishwasher’s sanitize cycle). The rinse water for each load is the wash water for the next load, which makes them very water efficient. The heater obviously uses a lot of juice, but the cycle’s so fast, it’s probably about even with a full residential cycle. My electric bills are any higher now.

For the record, a load of dishes in a commercial dishwasher is fewer pieces–a warewashing rack (the 20×20 racks you know if you’ve ever worked in a restaurant) holds about half of what you’d fit in a residential dishwasher.

By: nerdygirl

nerdygirl — Fri, 07 May 2010 13:59:18 +0000

Elise, it’s actually the opposite: the longer cycle dishwashers and washing machines use less water. The only way to get a machine-full of dishes clean in 2 minutes is to drench them thoroughly in a LOT of water.

By: Wrap-up: Washing bags, hybrid 7-seaters, stockpiling and salad dressing « Cheap Like Me

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 08:43:04 +0000

[…] unless the cheese was moldy). If you are looking for a way to dry those washed bags, check out the Thrifty Knitter’s Tinkertoy bag dryer. It looks like a great idea. Meanwhile, at Casa Cheap, we fold the rim of the bag inside out so the […]

By: Kyle Kunnecke

Kyle Kunnecke — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:16:59 +0000

bad girl - I had to buy one today… just now… it’s on its way to me! :) you’re an enabler!! hehe

By: Cheap Like Me

Cheap Like Me — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 20:41:53 +0000

I love the bag dryer! And I agree that the mug was an absolutely justifiable investment.

By: Elise

Elise — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:40:59 +0000

Just my two cents, but the power vs. chemicals argument should really take into account the water situation in your area. Where I live electricity is fairly cheep, but every summer into early fall we’ve got a big drought, so doing as little damage as possible to waste water is fairly high on my list.

Of course, the other thing to think of is water vs. landfill space. I don’t know the water situation in Kansas, but in many places you’re better off using up landfill (lots of space) rather than water (drought, aquifer depletion). I know in most of the west the choice between disposable paper or china that has to be washed every use should easily be tipped to disposable paper, there just isn’t enough water to be wasting it on plates.

Granted, if it can do the load in two minutes, that probably uses a whole lot less water than the one I’ve got in my kitchen and takes an hour.

Good luck on the decision making.

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 05:11:42 +0000

Nikki,
That Tinker Toy bag drier is brilliant!