Josephine Cochrane - The Woman Who Saved Other Women's Lives

[launderess]

Well at least their hands and perhaps some measure of sanity, for it was she who invented the first domestic dishwasher.

Mme Cochrane's designs, patents and later company were aquired by the Hobart company and the rest as they say is history.

So the next time you load up that dishwasher (which really hasn't changed much from those early designs), and free yourself from hot water and wash day red hands remember it was a woman you have to thank.

http://colorcubic.com/2010/10/19/diving-with-josephine-cochrane/

 

[retropia]

I hate hand-washing dishes, so I tip my hat to Ms. Cochrane and her clever idea.

 

[joeekaitis]

She saved all genders.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

That man in that K/A ad looks like what Archie Bunker would look like if he didn't buy Edith a dishwasher in one of those ALL IN THE FAMILY episodes...!

As Josephine Cochrane was quoted as saying upon her invention of the automatic dishwasher: "Someone had to invent a labor saving way for a woman to do dishes, so I did...!"--or something to that effect...

-- Dave

 

[launderess]

Sad Thing Is

Had Mme Cochrane been a man her inventions may have been a greater sucess and she would have ended her days perhaps quite well off. As it was many husbands saw no need for the invention as their wives could stand doing dishes manually the same as *his* mother did, a woman whom apparently *never* complained. This mattered as it was men who controlled the domestic purse strings in most homes, so what His Nibbs said was the final word on such things.

Ironic how Hobart contiued to promote how it supplied dishwashers for commercial settings. This is exactly how Mme Cochrane hyped her units, and it was true. Mainly because large facilities such as hotels, hospitals et al saw the need and benefit at once.

 

[frigilux]

Ms. Josephine, I thank you from the bottom of my heart! Dishwashers rank very near the top of my must-have list.

 

[launderess]

It Is Really Hard To Imagine

Just how common automatic dishwashers have become in the past ten or so years. Can well remember back in the 1970's and 1980's the machines were considered a "luxury" and not all homes had them. Today just try selling a house or apartment without a dishwasher.

My mother, grandmothers and aunts always said when asked about automatic dishwashers that they already had one, us children! *LOL*

 

[lordkenmore]

"Just how common automatic dishwashers have become in the past ten or so years."

And I think this has caused me a great deal of pain. I don't have a dishwasher where I live. At one point, I was haunting Craigslist hoping that a portable would turn up near me. I found that portables were rarely advertised. I have wondered if they aren't uncommon now because most people have moved to built in models. Then, I noticed that portable prices are often much higher than the equivalent built in. My guess here, assuming they are selling for much more, is that they are rare, and people like me who are stuck with old construction really, really, really want a dishwasher.

One thing I can say: when I move again, a dishwasher won't be non-negotiable, but it will take a lot to compensate for no dishwasher.

 

[lordkenmore]

"My mother, grandmothers and aunts always said when asked about automatic dishwashers that they already had one, us children!"

Past this excuse for not getting a dishwasher, one thing that has interested me are those who have one, but don't ever use it. That was the case with my parents--a portable was in the house we lived the longest, and that portable was almost never used. I can only remember it being used one time, when my mother needed to do a fast wash of a mountain of dishes to prepare for family to visit. I'm not sure why the dishwasher was never used--I suppose there may have been an attitude of it's not worth it for the number of dishes we used. And I know my mother was convinced that dishwashers "break dishes."

I never had a working dishwasher until a few years ago. At that time, I thought something like: "It doesn't seem worth using, but since I have it here, I might try it!" Within a couple of loads, I was addicted. And it was actually surprising to me how fast that dishwasher could fill up (I always ran full, or nearly full loads), particularly when doing a lot of cooking.

 

[launderess]

Just Went Through That Last Bit With A Cousin

Whilst over at their house for a family dinner.

Brand new condo with DW but it is rarely used, more so even less now that their children are away at university.

Enquired as to why and was told:

1. It is just mostly the two of us here, and it takes too long to fill up the unit. Don't want things sitting in there mouldering and becoming smelly waiting for a full load.

2. The dishwasher uses too much water/energy. Washing dishes by hand is cheaper.

And so it went.

One time we were there for dinner insisted on loading up the thing and letting it rip. Couldn't see the point of my stand standing washing sinkfuls of dishes (as the youngest in the family yours truly is most always on KP duty at family events), when a perfectly good DW was a few feet away.

Being as all this may, can well remember back in the day (1970's and 1980's) when many a aunt or other female family member or at least in one's orbit finally got a dishwasher. Usually it was part of a major kitchen redo and thus was pride and place. Guess what? A majority of these women *still* washed dishes manually, and or had their daughters/children do so. The DW was only used like the good china and silver; at family or otherwise special events.

 

[launderess]

Portable Dishwashers

Have historically been priced higher than built in, IIRC. The gap has only widened as most all new contruction includes a DW and or people whom buy a home without quickly remodel and add the thing.

Here in NYC area portables are still common enough both used and new due to the older housing stock combined often with cramped kitchen spaces.

Will keep my eyes peeled when trolling CL and other places for a good portable in your neck of the woods.

Maybe you should consider asking a member to sell one on and or purchase and ship. Most units are small and light enough to go via UPS if well crated. Indeed if still in their original shipping box can easily go directly as is.

 

[arbilab]

DW was welcome for a family of 6 when we got our first in 1953. Dad probably wouldn't have sprung for it but it came with the house.

In 20 years having a DW that "came with the house" I have only used it on thanksgiving. And maybe one other time to get the stains and spiders out. I use it as a drying rack for handwash. (I live alone.)

 

[jakeseacrest]

I have had a dishwasher for over 11 years and cannot honestly remember the last time that I handwashed a dish. A dishwasher is as essential to me as the stove and fridge.

 

[bosch2460]

For me, dishwashers rate as one of the best inventions. Ever. Along with the washing machine. There are way too many advantages to a dishwasher, versus hand washing. I could not live without one. Or two. In fact, when I cook a lot, I could use 2 dishwashers. I hate hand washing, and if it fits in the dishwasher, that is exactly where it goes. My mom lives alone and rarely entertains, but she still uses her dishwasher. It might only run once a week, but I am sure she would not do without it. I hand washed dishes for part of my childhood, and I have worked the past 17 years in foodservice. I have washed my share of dishes in my lifetime....and I trust my dishwasher to do a better job than I could do by hand.

 

[frigilux]

Joel---I'm with you; two dishwashers would be awesome. I cook a lot and often run 3-5 loads between food prep and tableware.

I don't wash so much as a fork in my own home. Everything--and I mean everything--goes into the dishwasher. On the other hand, I always volunteer to wash dishes if I'm at someone's house, and I certainly washed thousands of them back in the catering days. Go figure!

I'm also a bit mystified by the "uses too much water/energy" argument. The person who says that probably wastes more water/electricity in other ways. I often run top-or-bottom-rack-only loads in my LG, which has a single rack option--although that didn't stop me when I had a Maytag without it.

My dad included a drawer-style Westinghouse dishwasher in a 1957 kitchen remodel. Ironically, we didn't have an automatic washer and dryer until 1960.

 

[DADoES]

 
<blockquote>I'm also a bit mystified by the "uses too much water/energy" argument.</blockquote> Not unusual that people simply don't understand how appliances work.  I'm sure the misconception is that dishwashers fill completely with water to submerge the dishes, as a washer does with clothes (well, a traditional deep-fill agitator washer).

I recall the first time years ago when my mom's aunt was over to our house for one of the holidays (probably Thanksgiving) after we'd gotten the KDI-17a.  I could tell the machine made her quite nervous.  She eyed it warily as I loaded-up and started the Soak cycle, and listened intently as it ran.  When the soak pause came, she said quietly "I guess it has to fill."  I tried explaining that it doesn't fill completely, just a few gallons and the pump sprays water up on the dishes, but I could tell she didn't really understand.

 

[lordkenmore]

"uses too much water/energy" argument

I've heard this argument, too. Another argument: people who have septic tanks who are worried about overloading the septic system.

I'm preaching to the choir, er, appliance enthusiast here, but I have seen "official" numbers that show that dishwashers use less water in general than hand washing IF full loads are run. Obviously a large chunk of the energy bill is with heating the water. Dishwashers have certain options that can increase energy use, but condemning them on those grounds doesn't seem fair since they are options that have capabilities that go beyond what one can practically do with hand washing. Like a high temperature, sanitize wash.

 

[lordkenmore]

"Everything--and I mean everything--goes into the dishwasher."

As I mentioned above, I don't have a dishwasher right now. But the future day I have one again is definitely shaping my kitchenware decisions. I buy my kitchen stuff used, and one question I always ask is if the item will survive a dishwasher. If the answer is no, and that item doesn't have some compelling value (like my cast iron skillet), it stays on the thrift store shelf. Regardless of how good a buy it is.

At some point, I need to clean out kitchen cupboards. And when that day comes, dishwasher safety will definitely influence what stays and what goes.

 

[lordkenmore]

Launderess--thanks for the UPS idea. It's not something that occurred to me. I should get an idea of various shipping options that go past my default (US Mail). It might be useful to know in any case.

Transportation has been one issue all along. I can find easily a portable at any given on time on Craigslist, but the cost of moving it might end up being more than the cost of the dishwasher. And then this opens questions of will I be here long enough to make it worth it? (This is not my "forever" home by any stretch of the imagination.) And then with used dishwashers, there is the question of how much longer it may last. I've passed on several Maytag models (roughly 2000 and newer) that are similar to one I lived with 5 years ago. Maybe the Maytag I lived with was a bad example, but the experience was such that I wouldn't gamble more than a few dollars on one.