So everyone else is talking about how yes, it is generally better (at least in the US). But what I think is missing is that once the hot water is there, there’s no reason to not use cooler water at the sink. The dishwasher isn’t pulling its water from the sink, but if the hot water makes it to the sink then it’ll make it to the dishwasher more effectively.
this post was submitted on 12 Sep 2026
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For my specific setup, the hot water from the sink is hot immediately if I've already been running the dishwasher. So, just by that, I'd assume that clearing out all of the cooler temperature water by pre-running the sink could provide some benefit. As to whether it makes a substantial difference or not, I don't know. I'd say it's certainly possible though.
This is the correct answer. Turning on the hot water before the dish washer starts clears out the not-too-hot water that was in the line. They don't use that much water so it apparently makes a difference.
ETA: but washing your hands (with hot water I presume?) won't impact the machine.
The dishwasher has a booster that brings to steaming- much hotter than your full-home water heater should be set to.
I wouldn’t worry about it. The difference in efficiency is negligible.
no!
No, buy a better dish washer. Mine heats the water after fill and before washing starts. The only reason to do this is if gas heat was cheaper than electric and the money saved is less than the hassle and the waste in doing it.
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You guys don't hand wash?
It's my understanding that dishwashers generally do not have a heating element, so the hot water is coming directly from your water heater. I believe you should run the sink water till it gets hot before starting the dishwasher, and not run cold water until the dishwasher stops filling. They generally share the same line. If the dishwasher had a dedicated water line I imagine it wouldn't make a difference, but most inexpensive dishwasher models and homes share with the sink.
Hot and cold do not use the same line. Dishwashers tap off the hot water pipes to your sink. They also commonly have heating elements. Even my $150 landlord special Midea has one. Running cold water in the sink after it starts has no effect. There’s no cold water connection to the dishwasher.
Yeah, I was wrong about the heating element, but I would still run the water hot. Check out the video I posted
Yeah, I’m echoing my knowledge from that video as well.
And yeah, the hot water cleans better, especially if you have stuck on food.
Ok edit: your dishwasher DOES have a heating element, but it's not enough on its own, so the logic still applies. If you want the full deep dive check this out, I love this guy's videos. https://youtu.be/jHP942Livy0?is=KOvmqlGaLBekpM6Y