Danby DDW621WDB Compact Countertop Dishwasher - 6 Place Settings, 6 Wash Cycles, Silverware Basket | Energy Star Certified, Low Water Usage & Quiet Operation | Perfect for Apartments, RVs, Small Kitchens & Office Break Rooms

In the past, I had always heard about how dishwashers were unsanitary/wasteful/expensive/etc, and I was adamant that I never needed one. For years, I did all my dishes by hand - sure, it took hours to do, every week, but at least I *knew* it was clean, right? Fast forward to when life made me unable to do it by hand for a month, and my wife finally convinced me to get a dishwasher. (Specifically, this one, since we don't have a place to hook up a full-sized one.)Now, if it were possible to legally adopt a dishwasher, I would.This thing isn't without its flaws - it's small, so I need to run it once every day or two in order to keep up, and it's not the most powerful thing, so I still rinse off everything before putting it in...but beyond that, little Danby has saved me a truly inordinate amount of time. I know some people have complained about it breaking down easily, but at least for me, it arrived undamaged and has been working for nearly a year, running every day, without a single problem. The dishes are just as clean, too. (They might even be cleaner, given the water's way hotter than I could stand handwashing with.)I've gone from cautiously giving it just the smallest amount of easily-cleaned ceramics, to throwing pots and pans in it daily. If it fits, it just...handles it. Even if you overcrowd the little guy, so long as you don't block the detergent release, he finds a way. (Do use powder, or at least gel, by the way - detergent packs are awful at actually doing their job, and not meant for a dishwasher this small anyways.) The only things I handwash any more are some wooden things, and I couldn't be happier with the time I've saved.If you're similarly cautious about dish washers but are considering this one, I'd say go for it. That said, given this one is small, there are a few things to keep in mind:For the love of everything, don't use detergent packs. They are awful for regular dishwashers and worse for this little guy. Powder's best, gel is acceptable.It's not that powerful, so rinse things before it gets to the washer. (So long as there's not visible soiling you should be fine.)Run the water for a minute to get it warm before turning this guy on - it has a heater in it, but it takes a while to kick in, and if you remember your middle school science classes, warmer liquids can dissolve more things in them. (That means more detergent in your water, and more grime off your plates.)Keep in mind that the jets are still strong enough to, say, knock a small dipping bowl around a bit, jamming the nozzle spraying arms. It wouldn't break the machine, but it would make you redo that load. Hypothetically speaking, of course. The loading tray is laid out poorly, but you should still respect it.