Why are dishwashing cycles so, so, long? Is it necessary?

If your dishwasher has a light load, or half load setting try that. It cuts way down on the time, and unless the dishes are really heavily soiled, they come out perfectly clean.

Between federal energy standards and the Energy Star program, dishwasher manufacturers face myriad restrictions—some mandatory, some voluntary—that require them to make dishwashers that use less water. and energy But when they do, something has to give and that something is time. Some of today's dishwashers take more than three hours to complete a normal cycle.

The U.S.-based Energy Star program issued new standards that came into effect on Jan. 20, 2012, requiring dishwashers to use less water and energy. Specifically, to receive Energy Star designation (something manufacturers aspire to because it can help boost sales) machines on a normal cycle must use no more than 4.25 gallons (about 16 litres) of water per cycle, and no more than 295 kWh of electricity in a year, assuming a machine runs roughly four times a week. Water entering the dishwasher is expected to be hot enough, and doesn't need to be heated by the machine.

Manufacturers had several years to redesign their machines. There was a dishwasher summit in October 2010 to hash out the particulars.

The objective was to have dishwashers clean just as well despite using less water and electricity. Manufacturers accomplished this, in part, by having their machines run longer. With less water to spray, the machines spray longer, using higher-efficiency motors and pumps.

In addition to the longer run times, the better energy efficiency seems to involve refinements to how spray arms work, the design of dish racks, and motors that despite running two and three times as long in a cycle, use less electricity than older motors.

It’s a simplification, but no regulation addresses how long a cycle can run. So don’t expect normal cycles to drop anytime soon from their 2- to 3-hour mark. Fortunately, there’s some good news: While dishwasher makers are limiting the water and energy their normal cycle uses, no regulation blocks them from also offering quicker cycles that claim to wash either a fully soiled load or, more commonly, a lightly soiled one.

I have a 22 yr old dishwasher..and looks brand new, glasses come out crystal clear, I use shirt cycle many times , do not overload your dishwasher .. But I use SUNLIGHT POWDER OR LIQUID Its Made in Salt lake city utah... Until recently you could buy it in Dollar stores.. But now Walmart had it and Amazon. ... Please try it I love it so much

I rinse most dishes before loading them into the dishwasher and always use the light wash setting on my dishwasher - cuts down on run time. I use a liquid dishwasher soap and Jet Dry. In 2 years, I've never had to rewash a single thing.

I threw out my dishwasher, and made a real nice cabinent where it used to be. #NORegrets

If you can't wait for the dishwasher, hand wash the dishes. I have the same complaint about my Maytag dishwasher. I use it a couple times a month to keep the seals from drying up.

Me too Sharon. They use so little water, it takes a long time and pressure to clean them. I don't like the damage they do to dishes. I just wash them the old fashioned way and I know they're clean