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Eco vs quick wash - which dishwasher program is cheapest and best?
We pitted eco and quick wash against the main program to see how much each costs to run, and which performs better
All dishwashers have three core cycles – main/auto, eco and quick wash. Our snapshot test of three big-brand models exposed the limitations of quick wash (also known as 'fast', rapid' or 'express').
It doesn’t clean and dry as well as the main program, uses more energy and water, and costs more to run. It only realistically saves you time.
Eco mode doesn't clean and dry quite as well as the main cycle, but it uses less energy and water and is much cheaper to run over a year. Read on for the full results of our latest snapshot test.
If you're finding dirty or dripping wet dishes after a cycle, it could be time for a new machine. Our rigorous tests reveal the best dishwashers
Eco mode vs quick wash
We test all dishwashers using their main or auto program, so any Best Buy dishwasher or Eco Buy dishwasher will clean and dry well well using this program, and be affordable to run.
In our snapshot test, we ran the quick-wash program from three big-brand dishwashers. This revealed that quick wash cleaned less effectively than the main program (74% efficiency versus 83%).
Quick wash also did a slightly worse job of drying the dishes, scoring 76% efficiency versus 82%, and left more watermarks on items after a cycle.
Eco mode also didn't clean quite as well as the main program (79% compared with 83%), and didn't dry the dishes as effectively, either (76% versus 82%).
However, as you'll see further down, eco mode uses less energy and water. We estimate you'd save around 30% in running costs over a year by switching to eco.
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Is it cheaper to run a dishwasher on eco or quick wash?
Based on five washes per week using the main cycle exclusively, it would cost £62.82 a year, on average, according to our snapshot test.
By contrast, exclusively using quick wash would cost a bit more – £68.07 on average.
This is where switching to eco really starts to pay off, as you pay just £46.13 in annual costs.
Over five years, eco mode would save you £83.45 over the main program and £109.70 over quick wash.
Our pick of the best cheap dishwashers includes plenty of Which? Great Value recommendations, which give an impressive clean for a budget-friendly price
How long do dishwashers take?
Based on the dishwashers we've tested, the main program takes, on average, around 2 hours 30 minutes to complete.
Eco mode does take longer, at 3 hours 55 minutes on average, so you'll wait another 1 hour 25 minutes for the load to finish compared with the main cycle.
Quick washes vary in length by manufacturer (some offer multiple fast-wash options, including cycles that complete in just 15 minutes) but typically take around an hour to complete.
Based on our analysis, it appears that the shortened time window means the machine has to shift more rapidly between temperatures and water use.
This is potentially why the quick wash in fact uses more energy and water on average, despite it being a shorter cycle. Think of it a bit like comparing a sports car to a family saloon based on fuel efficiency.
Discover the most energy-efficient dishwashers we've tested or use our dishwasher running cost tool to find the models that cost the most and least over their lifetime
Why does eco mode take longer?
Just as the quick wash has to produce enough water for the wash and reach the required temperatures in a short amount of time, eco mode does the opposite. It has a longer duration, so the machine can reach the required temperatures slowly and gradually.
While you might think that a longer duration would mean more water being used, our snapshot test actually showed the opposite.
Eco mode used 8.88 litres of water during a wash cycle, whereas the main program used 10.79 litres and the quick wash used the most, at 10.46 litres.
Which dishwasher program is best?
When it comes to cleaning, drying and balanced efficiency, the main program remains a very good cycle to choose with any dishwasher (as long as it's well rated in our test lab).
By contrast, quick wash is worse at cleaning and drying, uses more energy and water, and will cost more to run. Only use it when you're in a real hurry.
Eco mode typically can't clean quite as well as the main program and it takes longer to run. However the running cost savings you'd make by switching to eco make it well worth considering – both for the environment and your wallet.
To find out more about the various cycles and what they do, read dishwasher programs explained.
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