All About Life Without Maids

[icemountain]

Breadandmuffins:

Ya, talking about the kitchen.....when we did our Reno abt a year ago, we installed steamer, oven and dishwasher in preparation for the day we go maid less. I have also not used dishwashers before. Now that we have one, we used it everyday unless we did not cook at all. Before u do major reno, u may wish to standalone ones, rather than built-in. Kids now hv to eat at the dining table together cos i busy in kitchen and cant feed the younger ones whereas when we had maid, maid fed them in front of tv. So now they talked non stop when they eat and made me so mad ......

No space for standalone dishwasher so reno is necessary. I will have to sacrifice cupboard space but I think it will be worth it. My hubs and I are particular about food so we cook at home a lot. I also bake at least once a week. I like to potter around the kitchen trying out new recipes so any gadget that makes my domestic life easier, I'll go for it!

What's a steamer btw?

[dasalo]

icemountain:

Breadandmuffins:

Ya, talking about the kitchen.....when we did our Reno abt a year ago, we installed steamer, oven and dishwasher in preparation for the day we go maid less. I have also not used dishwashers before. Now that we have one, we used it everyday unless we did not cook at all. Before u do major reno, u may wish to standalone ones, rather than built-in. Kids now hv to eat at the dining table together cos i busy in kitchen and cant feed the younger ones whereas when we had maid, maid fed them in front of tv. So now they talked non stop when they eat and made me so mad ......

No space for standalone dishwasher so reno is necessary. I will have to sacrifice cupboard space but I think it will be worth it. My hubs and I are particular about food so we cook at home a lot. I also bake at least once a week. I like to potter around the kitchen trying out new recipes so any gadget that makes my domestic life easier, I'll go for it!

What's a steamer btw?

Do you know some utensils can't go into the dishwasher? I don't know if dishwasher if can get rid of dried up cake that sticks on the side of pan. Unless you soak it first.

Anyone with dishwasher has this problem of not having enough crockery to use before washing the used ones?

[Breadandmuffins]

Nowadays, there is this built in steamer that is about the size of the microwave. It is for steaming stuff…I steamed my fish,chicken, heatup my bao and anything that I want to heat up. I find it very useful. I used my oven mainly for grilling stuff but it is very oily and difficult to keep clean. As for things stuck on yr utensils, u will hv to scrape off first bef putting into dishwasher. Most of my crockery can be put into dishwasher. The kids eat breakfast, snacks, fruits, lunch, dinner at home at least 5 to 6 days a week so u can imagine the amount of utensils we used…when dh cooks, we can’t even fit in all the used utensils as he used so many things as he cooked…a good place to see all these kitchen appliances is Harvey Norman at miilenia walk…

[dasalo]

Breadandmuffins:

Nowadays, there is this built in steamer that is about the size of the microwave. It is for steaming stuff....I steamed my fish,chicken, heatup my bao and anything that I want to heat up. I find it very useful. I used my oven mainly for grilling stuff but it is very oily and difficult to keep clean. As for things stuck on yr utensils, u will hv to scrape off first bef putting into dishwasher. Most of my crockery can be put into dishwasher. The kids eat breakfast, snacks, fruits, lunch, dinner at home at least 5 to 6 days a week so u can imagine the amount of utensils we used.....when dh cooks, we can't even fit in all the used utensils as he used so many things as he cooked.....a good place to see all these kitchen appliances is Harvey Norman at miilenia walk....

So, does that means you have to wash 2 cycle?

[b2b3m4]

dasalo,

I put in practically everything into my dishwasher. As my dishwasher doesn’t have a direct heating element, i have no problem with my lots of my kids’ stuff like plastic bowls, cups, water bottles and lunch boxes. I even put my wooden chopping board into the dishwasher. For wooden stuff just make sure that it is not those that are fraying from many washes.
The only problem i have is the bleaching properties of the detergent. Some of the kids’ lunch boxes after 1 wash, the cartoon on the boxes looked faded. And 1 of my old aluminium anodised pot also have a change in color after 1 wash. But it doesn’t affect the properties of my pot, so i am ok. My newer Berndes wok is ok even after a few washes.
For those really huge trays or pots that take up a big space in the dishwasher, i will wash these separately. It is easier to wash ONE pot than to wash multiples of utensils, plates, bowls, cups, lunch boxes etc. And when the dishwasher is not too full, i put in my exhaust or stove parts , brushes etc too.

[dasalo]

b2b3m4:

i put in my exhaust or stove parts , brushes etc too.

I only keen on the above and Hood filter.

I use Le Creuset pot and was told it cannot be used in dishwasher. These are the pots that should go in IMO. It's super heavy...so sianz...nice to cook in it but hate to wash the heavy pot. That includes Happy Call pans too.

[icemountain]

Breadandmuffins:

Nowadays, there is this built in steamer that is about the size of the microwave. It is for steaming stuff....I steamed my fish,chicken, heatup my bao and anything that I want to heat up. I find it very useful. I used my oven mainly for grilling stuff but it is very oily and difficult to keep clean. As for things stuck on yr utensils, u will hv to scrape off first bef putting into dishwasher. Most of my crockery can be put into dishwasher. The kids eat breakfast, snacks, fruits, lunch, dinner at home at least 5 to 6 days a week so u can imagine the amount of utensils we used.....when dh cooks, we can't even fit in all the used utensils as he used so many things as he cooked.....a good place to see all these kitchen appliances is Harvey Norman at miilenia walk....

Hi, I think my situation will be very similar to yours. We eat practically all meals at home too. Does this mean you leave all dishes from morning till evening and run the dishwasher after dinner? That's the only thing I don't feel comfortable about...leaving dishes unwashed all day and having enough crockery and utensils to last through the day. However, I'll still choose this option rather than wash and wash all day long.

[icemountain]

b2b3m4:

dasalo,

I put in practically everything into my dishwasher. As my dishwasher doesn't have a direct heating element, i have no problem with my lots of my kids' stuff like plastic bowls, cups, water bottles and lunch boxes. I even put my wooden chopping board into the dishwasher. For wooden stuff just make sure that it is not those that are fraying from many washes.
The only problem i have is the bleaching properties of the detergent. Some of the kids' lunch boxes after 1 wash, the cartoon on the boxes looked faded. And 1 of my old aluminium anodised pot also have a change in color after 1 wash. But it doesn't affect the properties of my pot, so i am ok. My newer Berndes wok is ok even after a few washes.
For those really huge trays or pots that take up a big space in the dishwasher, i will wash these separately. It is easier to wash ONE pot than to wash multiples of utensils, plates, bowls, cups, lunch boxes etc. And when the dishwasher is not too full, i put in my exhaust or stove parts , brushes etc too.

Hi, you mind telling me what brand you use? I didn't know a wok can fit into a dishwasher, among the other stuff!

[b2b3m4]

dasalo:

b2b3m4:

i put in my exhaust or stove parts , brushes etc too.

I only keen on the above and Hood filter.

I use Le Creuset pot and was told it cannot be used in dishwasher. These are the pots that should go in IMO. It's super heavy...so sianz...nice to cook in it but hate to wash the heavy pot. That includes Happy Call pans too.

If u read the care info on Le Creuset product, they actually says u can put it into the dishwasher BUT it MAY dull the colors over time. I dump my Le Creuset into the dishwasher a couple of times, looks fine to me. But i do try to hand wash the pots as much as possible. I have the all black grill which i threw into the dishwasher all the time, to me dull the black grill- no difference to me.
But i do realise with a dishwasher now, i use my WMF stainless pots more often than my le creuset.
BTW, same thing apply, if u do not mind the dulling of colors of your le creuset, then by all means put it in. Just make sure that u put your pots securely, u do not want the pot to be hit by other objects casuing chipping of the enamel.

[b2b3m4]

icemountain:

Hi, you mind telling me what brand you use? I didn't know a wok can fit into a dishwasher, among the other stuff!

Miele, bought it during the Harvey Norman promotion at less than $2K. With the cutlery tray instead of a cutlery basket, it free up so much more space at the lower basket. Then just tilt the wok slightly, u can fit in the glass wok cover and a small pot. The large plates all go to the front side. Then i put the kids's bowls, plates, cups in the middle basket. The cutley tray is used for cultery, knives, scissors and all the covers of the lunch boxes or water bottles.
So i fit practically the whole day's dishes PLUS lunchboxes into the dishwasher at night. Every night i will have 4 lunchboxes to wash even before i prepare dinner.