One of the most common questions that people have is how long a dishwasher runs for. When you turn your dishwasher on, you probably want to know exactly how long it will take for you to have clean dishes. After all, we all have lives and things to do other than washing dishes. What we want to take a look at today is how long your average dishwasher runs for.
We want to take a look at some of the various washing cycles that a dishwasher comes with, and how long they each take to complete. We also want to take a look at some of the differences between older machines and newer machines. Let’s talk about everything you need to know about how long a dishwasher runs for.
Dishwasher Cycle Average Runtime
Right off the bat, we need to say that how long a dishwasher runs for varies greatly. Exactly how long a dishwasher is going to run for will depend on a variety of factors. For one, how new or old the machine in question is will make a difference.
Second, the specific type of wash cycle that you have chosen for your machine will also make a difference.
Next, the temperature at which the water enters your machine will also make a difference in terms of how long it runs. These are all things that we want to take a closer look at right now.
With all of that being said, the average runtime for a dishwasher cycle can be anywhere between one and four hours.
One of the biggest deciding factors here is going to be the type of cycle that you have chosen to go with. Generally speaking, you can expect an average dishwasher load to last four around two hours. That said, in regards to the factors above, these do need some discussion.
The Age of the Dishwasher
One of the most important factors to consider here is how old the dishwasher in question is. Now, here we aren’t talking about necessarily when you bought it, but when the model is from. The fact of the matter is that newer and more modern dishwashers are going to actually have a longer cycle than older ones.
Yes, this does of course seem counterintuitive. If an old-school dishwasher only takes one hour, but a modern model takes two hours, it would be safe to assume that the one that takes longer uses more water and energy.
However, the exact opposite is actually the case here. Newer and more modern dishwashers, although they take longer, generally use less energy and water. They are designed to be both energy and water-efficient.
This can lead to a cycle in the dishwasher taking a bit longer to complete. However, it also leads to you saving water, energy, and therefore money. In other words, older dishwashers used a heck of a lot more water electricity.
This means that they can provide you with an adequate level of performance in a limited amount of time. However, with modern water and electricity usage guidelines, to reach the same level of performance, modern dishwashers take longer. Because they use less water and electricity, to achieve the same results, they need more time.
Personally, we would rather have a dishwasher take twice as long to complete but only use half as much water and cost half as much money.
The Water Temperature & The Heating Elements
Another factor that will determine exactly how long a cycle in your dishwasher takes is how hot the water is when it enters the machine. As is the case with most modern washing machines, when water flows into a dishwasher, it is usually cold. A dishwasher has to heat the water up to the appropriate temperature.
Generally speaking, most dishwashers will heat the water up to anywhere from 160 degrees to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Of course, heating up the water takes time. Some dishwashers can heat up the water really quickly, whereas others take longer. More than anything else, this does have to do with the quality of the heating elements contained within the dishwasher.
A high-quality dishwasher may be able to heat that water up in just a few minutes. Therefore, it is worth investing in a higher-end model that works quicker. That being said, there is a little trick that you can use here to speed this process of heating the water up. You want to run the hot water in your sink for a couple of minutes.
This way, there will be hot water ready to go in the pipes right under the dishwasher. Therefore, the water that flows into your dishwasher will already be fairly hot when it enters. Of course, if hot water enters your dishwasher instead of cold water, it will be able to get up to temperature much faster.
The Condition of the Dishwasher – Deposits
Yet another factor that may affect how long a dishwasher takes to complete a cycle is the condition of the dishwasher itself. Here once again we aren’t really speaking about how old it is, but rather what kind of condition it is in.
Specifically, here we are talking about whether or not there are hard water deposits on the interior of the machine. To be even more specific, what we are talking about is debris and deposits that are located on the sensors. Most modern dish washing machines have sensors that can see how dirty the dishes are.
However, if those sensors are covered in debris and deposits, they won’t work properly. If your sensors are super dirty, the dishwasher will think that the dishes are very dirty. It will then automatically adjust its output and the cycle being used to ensure that dishes are clean. Therefore, even if you only want to run a one hour load, if the sensors are dirty, it may switch the cycle to something much longer.
Therefore, it is recommended that you regularly clean the interior of your machine to ensure that there are no mineral deposits present. You can try using some kind of water softener, or just run a cycle using some vinegar. Hard water deposits don’t only affect the runtime of your machine either, but also how effective it is at cleaning the dishes.
The Chosen Wash Cycle
Another thing that is going to make a big difference in terms of how long a cycle takes is the cycle that you choose.
Modern washing machines usually come with a variety of washing cycles to choose from. This could include, but is not limited to, cycles such as standard wash, sensor wash, heavy wash, pots and pans, crystal wash, sanitize mode, eco-friendly mode, and more. Each of these wash cycle types will have different runtimes.
For instance, your standard wash cycle is going to take anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 hours to complete. However, if you have very dirty pots and pans, and you choose the pots and pans option, it could take anywhere from 2.5 to 3.5 hours. Obviously, the more washing your machine needs to perform, the longer it will take.
On the other hand, there are also quick wash options and eco-friendly washing modes as well. Some machines also come with so-called half-load options. Quick wash and half load options may only take anywhere from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours to complete.
Moreover, an eco-friendly mode uses much less energy and water. Therefore, to achieve the same results, an ecofriendly cycle may take much longer.
The cycle type that is worth looking at the most is actually the sensor wash cycle. Modern washing machines have sensors that can see how dirty dishes are. Therefore, if the sensors see that your dishes are very dirty, it might automatically switch the machine to a longer cycle.
The First Cycle
One small thing that is important to talk about is the first cycle that you run through your dishwasher. If you have a modern dishwasher with sensors, that first cycle will likely take much longer than all of the next ones.
The reason for this is that in the first cycle, those sensors will usually have to calibrate themselves. This calibration process can take some time to complete, which explains the increased duration. However, this really shouldn’t affect the overall runtime of the dishwasher in the future.
Conclusion
Just keep in mind that if your dishwasher takes a long time to finish a cycle, you really aren’t wasting water or energy. Modern dishwashers are designed to take longer to achieve the same results with fewer resources wasted. Moreover, if you do want to save money, make sure to run your dishwasher during off-peak hours. During off-peak hours, electricity is much cheaper.