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Nerdy Science in the Kitchen

What’s the Best Dishwasher for Pots and Pans

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A good dishwasher can get your soiled stainless steel ready to cook again.
A good dishwasher can get your soiled stainless steel ready to cook again.

Washing your dirty old pots and pans can be a real pain. Nobody likes to have to clean up the mess they’ve made after they’ve already spent hours cooking. It’s even more annoying when you own a pretty set of stainless steel pots and pans that need extra care.

Are you concerned about using aluminum cookware? Read more about aluminum-free stainless steel cookware sets.

Can you put stainless steel cookware in the dishwasher?

Owners of quality pots and pans made from stainless steel should know a few tips to clean them. Stainless steel, despite its name, can become marked (or stained) over time. You can avoid this issue with proper maintenance.

Stainless steel has a chromium film that makes it more resistant to rust and general tarnish. This needs protection. You can preserve the quality of your stainless steel by using non-abrasive cleaning products and some elbow grease.

See this post to read about the best sponges for stainless steel.

But, as previously mentioned, nobody wants to use elbow grease. You’ve used enough of that stuff in the cooking process. You’re greased out.

Cleaning your cookware in the dishwasher

Step forth the dishwasher. In the 1920s, some clever guy developed the domestic dishwasher and put an end to all our woes. Instead of manually scrubbing the debris from your pots, pans, and plates, the dishwasher cleans them by spraying hot water (about 130 to 170 °F) and detergent across the surface to leave them sparkling. This handy device even does the drying for you!

Are you still manually washing and drying your cookware? If so, you might like this article on the best dish drainer for pots and pans.

The problem

Save precious time by using a dishwasher large enough to handle all your cookware!
Save precious time by using a dishwasher large enough to handle all your cookware!

The problem with a dishwasher is that sometimes you have more pots and pans than you can fit inside. This is a frustrating thought. Considering what a dishwasher can do for your plates, it’s unfair that you have to go back to scrubbing whenever you break out the pots and pans.

Do you have a little one at home? Learn about safe dish soaps to use on baby items, such as bottles.

What can we do to avoid spending more time at the sink? What you need is a larger dishwasher! One that is high-performance and spacious.

The solution

GE’s Profile line of dishwashers offers all that, and then some. The Profile is large enough to fit all your dirty pots and pans, and very powerful. It also has a number of wash cycle and drying options. That’s right. Drying options.

Don’t throw those stained kitchen towels out just yet! Visit this article to find out how to clean kitchen towels so they’re as good as new. You might not need them for dishes, but they have plenty of uses around the kitchen.

Environmentally-conscious cooks may also be pleased to know that many of these models are ENERGY STAR Qualified. If you were feeling guilty about using a dishwasher for the environment’s sake, don’t!

Frigidaire FGID2479SF 24" Built In Fully Integrated Dishwasher with 8 Wash Cycles, Quick Wash, in Stainless Steel

See the Frigidaire 24″ Stainless Steel Fully Integrated Dishwasher at Amazon

The versatile Frigidaire offers all the features necessary to make it an effective and convenient machine. It has an adjustable loading capacity, so you can maneuver it to your desired size in order to fit in as many pots and pans as you please.

This model is made from stainless steel. Not only will it will match your pots and pans, but it also blends neatly into just about any kitchen. The GE Profile is a sleek, efficient product, and a lifesaver for the busy cook.

The perfect kitchen

For more kitchen product reviews, see my posts on the best eco-friendly paper towels and which bleach to use to clean coffee pots. Also, see the best oven cleaner for baked-on grime.