In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleHow Dishwashers WorkWhat Are Kitchen Knives Made Of?So What Happens to Knives If You Wash Them in the Dishwasher?Is It Ever OK to Wash Your Knives in the Dishwasher?Bottom Line
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
How Dishwashers Work
What Are Kitchen Knives Made Of?
So What Happens to Knives If You Wash Them in the Dishwasher?
Is It Ever OK to Wash Your Knives in the Dishwasher?
Bottom Line
Knives are one of the most essential tools in the kitchen, and caring for them properly is key to their longevity, functionality and your own safety.
When cooking, it really doesn’t matter if you are practically a professional chef or a serious newbie, using a knife is going to be a big part of your culinary practice. But whether you have invested in aserious set of knivesor are just making do with a ragtag assemblage ofnecessary blades, caring for them properly is essential.
Not only does the proper care of knives keep them sharper for longer, but it also prevents them from becoming dangerous! A dull blade can catch on food and slip and needs more force to use, which makes it less stable and more likely to turn on you. Surprisingly, while dull knives have trouble getting through tomato skin, they will have no problem at all getting throughyourskin.
Getty Images
You put just about anything you use to cook or eat in the dishwasher, so your knives can go in there too, right? Not so fast. “It is our belief that cutlery shouldneverbe put in the dishwasher for a whole host of reasons,” says Griggs. Not only can the knife’s sharp edge maim the inside of the dishwasher and even lead to the inside rusting, but the process can damage the knife itself. “Most good-quality cutlery has been heat-treated and tempered during the manufacturing process, creating the optimal hardness of the blade, and the super high heat in a dishwasher over time can alter this tempering, leading to the steel softening and making it more difficult to keep and resharpen the edge,” Griggs explains. “And the dishwasher’s heat and aggressive detergents can affect the handle of the knife, leading to damage over time.” The knives can also bump up against other cutlery during the washing process, which can dull or even chip them or damage your other cutlery.
Ouch.
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Tell us why!
