Do you feel your dishwasher takes too long to run a cycle? Well, you are not alone! The average run time for a normal cycle is two hours. In recent years the federal water and energy efficiency guidelines have changed. In addition, The Energy Star Program also issued new standards. Both of these require using less water and energy. The changes have been made by the manufacturers. In order to ensure good performance and to meet these guidelines, dishwashers use less water but will spray longer. Pumps and motors run longer but use lower wattage so do not require as much energy. Consumers complain about these longer cycles so the manufacturers came up with other options.
Dishwasher Cycle
Most dishwashers today have an option to run a shorter cycle. The quickest cycle is offered by Asko (Quick Wash) which takes an average of 20 minutes. The next quickest are offered by Bosch Benchmark, GE and LG (Express Wash). These will run an average of 30 minutes. All of these cycles are designed to work with very lightly soiled dishes. Pre washing is usually a must. There are several brands that offer a cycle that will run approximately 60 minutes. Bosch (Speed 60), Jenn-Air (One Hour), Kitchen Aid (Express), Maytag (Quick Wash) and Whirlpool (One Hour). These cycles work best with freshly soiled dishes, pre-washing may be needed. Keep in mind that these quicker cycles do not include drying (only washing and rinsing), nor are any of these cycles considered to be energy efficient, they will use more water and more energy. Compared to the normal cycle, these ones may not be as quiet. Everything in the machine is being sped up and working harder so the sound will increase as well. Generally, these quicker cycles are best used for that occasion when you need the dishes in a hurry. Saving time does not save you money!