Technology Takes 2 Steps Back in Order to Satisfy the 'Green'
Posted: Monday, May 23, 2011
by Nancy Daniels
Voice Dynamic
Last fall I bought a new dishwasher because my old one finally gave up the ghost. My husband had worked on it for months and was able to keep it running; but, come Thanksgiving, it was questionable if it would last through the holidays. So I looked, compared, and finally decided on a Whirlpool. The fact that it had the silverware basket on the door was probably the deciding factor for me having had two Whirlpools in the past with the same feature.
My first inkling that something was not quite right was when the dishes came out still wet. So, after a few attempts, trying different settings, we called the dishwasher repair man. Of course, that was a wasted trip because he found nothing wrong with the machine. His answer was that the dishwashers made today have 1/3 less heating capacity than the older models.
Through it all, I think I was most floored when I said to him, “well, at least they can’t do this to our clothes dryers,” and he promptly responded, “they already have. They have cut the heat back by 30 percent.” What is the point? If you have to run your clothes longer in the dryer to get them dry, what have you saved? There is still a motor in that machine that is now working double time and that takes energy.
There is good news however. You cannot burn your hand when you pull out a freshly washed plate. The bad news?
- In order to ‘sanitize’ your dishes, you must push an extra button. Gee, I don’t know about you, but I want my dishes sanitized, don’t you? Should that not be the goal of every dishwasher without pushing an extra button? We can only pray that the same technology laws are not enacted on the sterilization equipment used in hospitals!
- It takes 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 hours to run a full cycle. The reason? The machine stops for a few minutes and then continues and then stops and then continues. This goes on throughout the entire cycle. Can anyone tell me how stopping and starting a motor saves energy? In addition, the water temperature naturally begins to cool in the stopped position, which again, defeats the purpose of trying to get high temperatures in the machine.
- The directions tell you to run your hot water before you start the machine. So, to save energy in my dishwasher, I must waste water at the faucet in order to accomplish the original goal. Is there not something wrong with this picture?
- In order to get the dishes dry, you must open the door about 4 inches after the drying cycle is complete so that the outside air can help aid in the process of drying. With the old machines, if you tried to open the door 4 inches and leave it in that position, it would promptly fall all the way open. Naturally the technicians solved this problem. Now the doors stay open at any angle. Voila! Problem solved! (Of course, before the repairman arrived, my husband was desperately trying to adjust the hinges in vain!!!)
- The dishes are not clean. Bottom line, with all my frustration, my dishes are not as clean as they were with the old machine. My blue plastic colander has a white film on it after every wash. So I was advised to cut the detergent back by half which has made no difference.
I think I’ll go turn on an incandescent bulb (while I still can) and stew over this a bit longer.
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