Dishwasher vs Hand Washing: Which Uses Less Water?

On this page (13 sections)

1. How much water a countertop dishwasher uses per cycle
2. Why a full load matters more than the model
3. What counts as a full load
4. Which households fill a 6-place unit most days
5. How much water hand washing uses
6. Tips for washing by hand with less water
7. Water claims side by side
8. Scrape instead of pre-rinsing
9. What GE and COMFEE' say about water compared with handwashing
10. Time at the sink
11. Energy use is a separate number
12. Three kitchens, three answers
13. Does a dishwasher use less water in your kitchen?

A dishwasher can use less water than hand washing when you run a full load, but how much it does save depends on how you wash. Some countertop brands give a per-cycle figure, and GE gives a percent against handwashing.

You can compare those numbers with your own routine. This guide shows what the brands say, why a full load matters, and how to measure your own hand washing.

For the wider set of units, see countertop and portable dishwashers.

How much water a countertop dishwasher uses per cycle

COMFEE' says its 6-place model uses as little as 2.77 gallons per cycle, and Midea gives 2.77 gallons for its 6-place model. Both brands say their models are ENERGY STAR certified.

A per-cycle figure only tells you so much if you run half loads most days. Count how many dishes you wash in a week, then compare that total with the number of cycles you would run.

For a unit used in an RV, see how much water an RV dishwasher uses, which works through the same math step by step.

Why a full load matters more than the model

A full load spreads each cycle's water over more dishes, so you get more clean dishes from each run. The brands' water figures describe one run of the machine, not one dish, so a half load spends a whole run on fewer dishes.

Scrape off large food and load the racks so water can reach each dish. Our how to use a countertop dishwasher guide covers loading and cycle choice in more detail.

What counts as a full load

A full load depends on the dishes, not just the number of place settings. Plate size and rack space set how many dishes fit in one run.

Midea and COMFEE' both say their 6-place models fit up to 70 pieces of tableware and plates up to 10 inches across. GE says its 6-place Profile model fits 11-inch plates and up to 24 bar glasses.

COMFEE' says its 1.32-gallon model handles 30 or more items, with plates up to 9.5 inches. Count your largest plates before you decide that a model fits your normal load.

Large pots and pans are a separate question. Check the manual for what fits, and remember that anything you wash by hand still uses water.

If you are comparing units for a small kitchen, see best countertop dishwashers for apartments.

Which households fill a 6-place unit most days

Midea says its 6-place unit suits two or three people. A household that size can often fill it in a day or two, while a person who uses a few dishes a day may not.

A smaller household that washes only a few dishes may fill the unit less often, and that is where hand washing can use less water.

If you are not sure, count your dishes for one week and compare that count with a full load.

How much water hand washing uses

Hand washing uses as much or as little water as the tap and the basin allow, so no single number fits every kitchen. The total depends on how long the water runs and how much you pour into the basin.

Does a dishwasher use less water than a running tap?

Often, yes, when the tap runs the whole time you rinse. A running tap uses water for as long as it is open, so the total climbs with every dish.

Hand washing in a filled basin

A filled basin lets you choose how much water goes in, so the total depends on how you fill it and how many rinses you do. Keep the tap closed while you wash in the basin, so the water only goes where you need it.

Measuring your own hand washing

You can find your own number in a few minutes. Time how long your tap takes to fill a 1-gallon jug, then time a normal round of dishes with the tap running.

Divide the minutes the tap ran by the minutes it took to fill one gallon, and you have your gallons. If you wash in a basin, count the gallons you pour in, including each rinse, then set your total beside the dishwasher's per-cycle figure.

Tips for washing by hand with less water

A few habits cut the water you use by hand, and none of them needs a special tool. Fill the basin before you start, and wash one batch at a time.

• Rinse each batch once in clean water, rather than under a running tap for each dish.
• Keep one basin for washing and a second for rinsing.
• Use a rack to drain dishes, so you do not rinse them again just to dry them.

Water claims side by side

Each brand gives a different kind of water claim, so the table compares what each one says. None of these figures is an independent measurement, so read them as the brands' own numbers.

The COMFEE' 6-place figure is per cycle, while Midea gives its 2.77 gallons without naming a cycle. The GE and COMFEE' 1.32-gallon figures compare the unit with handwashing, so they do not give a gallon total.

A per-cycle figure and a percent against handwashing answer different questions, so compare models on the same basis when you can.

Scrape instead of pre-rinsing

A long pre-rinse under a running tap adds water on top of the cycle, so it can erase the saving. Scrape large food into the trash instead, and follow your manual on whether to rinse.

Detergent matters here too. COMFEE' says its 1.32-gallon model needs standard dishwasher powders or detergents, because regular liquid dish soap causes problems.

Our detergent guide covers pods, powder and gel, and how much to use.

What GE and COMFEE' say about water compared with handwashing

GE says its 6-place countertop Profile model uses over 75% less water than handwashing. COMFEE' says its 1.32-gallon tank model uses one third of the water of handwashing.

Those are the brands' own figures, so read them as claims and check them against your own habits. Neither says how the handwashing was done, so they can't tell you how your sink compares.

A tank model also lets you see the water going in, since you pour it in yourself. That makes it easy to notice how much each load takes.

Time at the sink

Hand washing takes your time at the sink, and a dishwasher runs on its own once it starts. Time and water are separate choices, so pick a cycle length that fits your load.

GE includes a 30-Minute Quick Wash cycle, and COMFEE' says its Speed program cleans dishes in 45 minutes.

Time saved on a short cycle is not the same as water saved, so check the per-cycle figure for the program you pick.

Energy use is a separate number

The brands give energy use in kilowatt-hours per year, which is a separate number from water. GE gives 155 kilowatt-hours per year for its model, and COMFEE' gives 174 for its 6-place model.

The energy figure describes the electricity a unit uses over a year, while the water figure describes one run, so the two answer different questions.

Hot water is the part of hand washing that uses energy, so a long hot rinse matters as much as the amount of water. ENERGY STAR certification looks at both energy and water use, so check the label on any model you compare.

Three kitchens, three answers

The right answer depends on how many dishes you wash and how you wash them. These three cases cover most small kitchens.

• Two or three people who cook at home most days: a 6-place unit fills quickly, so a full load is realistic and a dishwasher is likely to use less water.
• One person with a few dishes a day: the unit may take days to fill, so hand washing in a basin can use less water.
• A kitchen that washes mostly pots and pans: much of the washing stays in the sink, so count that water on top of the dishwasher's.

Does a dishwasher use less water in your kitchen?

It can, when you run full loads. It may not, if you run half loads most days or rinse every dish under a running tap first.

Pick a countertop dishwasher if you run full loads most days and want less work at the sink. Pick hand washing if you only have a few dishes a day and can fill a basin for them.

If you are still weighing the cost and the space, are countertop dishwashers worth it covers the trade-offs for small households.

Frequently asked questions

Does a dishwasher use less water than hand washing?

A dishwasher can use less water than hand washing when you run a full load, but it depends on how you wash. Brands say some countertop models use as little as 2.77 gallons per cycle, while hand washing has no fixed number.

Is it better to run a full dishwasher load?

Yes, a full load gets the most from each cycle. The brands give water use per cycle, not per dish, so a half load spends a whole run on fewer dishes, and your manual shows how to fill the racks well.

Does GE say its dishwasher saves water?

Yes, GE says its 6-place countertop Profile model uses over 75% less water than handwashing. That is the brand's own claim, and it does not say how the handwashing was done, so compare it with your own habits before you decide.

Do I need to rinse dishes before the dishwasher?

Scrape large food into the trash, and follow your manual on pre-rinsing. A long rinse under a running tap can cancel out the water a full load saves, so skip it unless the manual asks for it, and start the cycle once the racks are full.