Living in a small space often means forgoing some of the amenities of larger, modern homes. On a daily basis, I really don't need a dishwasher. But there have been plenty of times after a weekend potluck where I'd love the option to at least wash a portion of the wash load automatically. Too bad our 1907-era kitchen is so small, only one of us can stand to operate within it's tight confines, let alone even ponder the idea of installing a full size dishwasher.
The EdgeStar Countertop Dishwasher might be worthy of consideration. This compact dishwasher can fit up to four standard place settings and washes the load using only 1-3 tablespoons of detergent, perfect for a 1-2 person household. And although it looks more like a microwave in shape and size, the EdgeStar simply hooks up to a standard faucet for its water supply and uses an internal water heater that supposedly results in spotless, washed dishes only using 3 gallons of water per load. Available for $185, the dishwasher doesn't seem like a bad investment for those who like to live large in a small space.
I don't know.. if you live in a small space like me then you probably have an equally small kitchen and therefor do not have counter space for a countertop dishwasher let alone a regular dishwasher.
So I guess I'll just wash by hand. It's not that bad.
view Laura's profile
I asked about this on an open thread recently, and came to the conclusion that if you feel like you need a dishwasher (and I feel like my family does) then you need a real dishwasher. And if you don't need a real dishwasher, you can wash by hand. I got myself a smaller than average but still close to standard size portable off craigslist. I'm so sad at how it disturbs the flow of traffic in the kitchen since there's only 1 place it can go, but oh well, that's the trade-off.
view mjoe's profile
I've also considered this tiny washer. I was thinking that one could actually make a cubby cut-out in the cabinet space (if one had enough cabinet space to spare). I just think that it would end up being more trouble than it's worth. I can hardly see anything larger than a medium-sized casserole dish fitting into one of these. So, I think I'll also hand-wash until I can figure out how to fit the 18" W model somewhere...or I'll move and let the next owners figure it out!
view jessica's profile
I'm with the consensus - these little dishwashers really aren't worth it. If you have the counterspace to devote to a countertop dishwasher, you probably have the cabinet space to get a real dishwasher.
Plus you get to save energy by washing the dishes by hand!
view Neujeramic's profile
I have one like that (by Danby). I don't cook much at home and mainly use it to wash all my coffee cups and the few plates and forks I use. It fits a surprising amount of stuff, but it wouldn't be good for pots and pans. I don't have room on my counter, so i put it on a little 2-shelf wheeled unit next to my fridge. There's no room in my place for a real dishwasher.
view Jose Habib's profile