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Dishwasher 1 hour wash vs normal: know similarities, differences and when & when no to use each cycle.
Typically, dishwashers come with a variety of cycle options such as the one-hour wash, normal wash, heavy wash cycle and so on.
But, which one should you choose?
While the 1-hour wash cycle may seem like the more convenient option, it’s important to understand the differences between the two and how they affect the cleanliness of your dishes.
In this article, we will explore the similarities and differences between the 1-hour and the normal wash cycles.
Additionally, we shall see when it is best to use each cycle and much more!
Dishwasher 1 hour wash vs normal
Before we look at their differences (and similarities), let’s have a brief look at exactly what each cycle is.
Normal wash cycle
Inarguably the most used wash cycle, this cycle is a thorough wash cycle that uses more water and time to effectively clean dishes.
Another thing: the normal cycle is a good option for dishes with normal soils.
1 hour wash cycle
This cycle goes by different names depending on the dishwasher brand.
For instance, in Maytag and Whirlpool dishwashers, it is also called the Quick wash cycle.
In other models such as Samsung dishwashers, it is called the Express60 (in newer models) or Quick+ (in older models).
Yet still, other models such as Bosch will call it the Quick wash.
It is the shortest (fastest) wash cycle in a dishwasher but with high energy consumption.
Now, on to their comparison…
One hour wash vs normal wash – on water usage
Generally, the one hour wash cycle tends to use more water during washing.
Here’s the thing, the more water it uses, the faster it will wash the dishes.
On the other hand, the normal cycle is efficient in that it will use less water to clean your dishes.
But don’t get me wrong, it will still leave your dishes sparkling clean even after using less water.
On energy consumption
Since the express (one-hour) wash cycle is designed to quickly clean your utensils, it will heat the water more to clean faster.
In other words, this cycle is heavy on energy consumption.
As for the normal wash cycle, it will use moderately heated water to wash the utensils.
Again, the normal cycle is the more efficient cycle when it comes to energy consumption.
1 hour wash vs normal wash dishwasher – on time taken
As we have seen, the normal cycle will use less water at a lower temperature to clean your utensils.
This will result in it taking longer to wash.
Generally speaking, the normal wash cycle will take anywhere between two and three hours for both wash and heated dry.
However, for a wash cycle alone, it will take anywhere between 90 minutes and 2 hours depending on the soil level and the number of dishes.
On the other hand, the quick wash cycle will take around 60 minutes to complete a wash cycle.
However, if you had selected a heated dry time, the quick cycle can take up to 90 minutes to complete both cycles.
Dishwasher quick vs normal wash cycle – on utensils to wash
When it comes to the utensils to be washed, the normal cycle is more versatile compared to the one-hour wash cycle.
We can attribute this to the fact that the normal cycle is suitable for utensils with an average amount of soil level.
In contrast, the one-hour wash cycle is a good choice for quickly cleaning a load of lightly soiled utensils.
On extra settings to use
In general, you can use the normal wash cycle with several other settings on your dishwasher.
For instance, in Whirlpool dishwashers, you can use the normal cycle with settings such as the High Temp Wash, Sani Rinse, Heat Dry and Extended Dry.
On the other hand, you can only use the one-hour wash with the Heat Dry setting.
As for other models such as Samsung dishwashers, you can use the Normal cycle with pre-wash 1 and pre-wash 2 cycles whereas the quick wash cycle cannot be used with a pre-wash cycle.
The same applies when it comes to extra rinsing…
The normal cycle can have up to 3 rinse cycles whereas the one hour cycle can only undergo one rinse cycle.
Dishwasher 1 hour wash vs normal – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is 1 hour wash dishwasher?
Also known as the quick/express cycle, it is a cycle that washes your dishes fastest (takes around 60 minutes).
To achieve this, the washer will use more water and it is only suitable for lightly soiled dishes.
How long is a normal dishwasher cycle?
A normal cycle will take anywhere between 2 and 3 hours to fully clean and dry the dishes.
However, if you are not going to run a dry cycle, the normal cycle will take between 90 and 120 minutes to wash your dishes.
How long does a dishwasher take to wash dishes?
This depends on the cycle that you have selected.
For instance, the normal cycle takes around 2-3 hours, the quick cycle takes around 1 hour and the heavy cycle will take around 2 ½ to 4 ¼ hours.
Dishwasher 1 hour wash vs normal – conclusion
Ultimately, there is no better-than-the-other dishwasher cycle between the two – each has its own pros and cons.
However, the one-hour wash cycle is an ideal choice when you are in a rush to clean a load of lightly soiled dishes.
As for the normal cycle, it is the preferred option when you have moderately soiled utensils or when you prefer a deeper clean over speed.
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