Dishwasher! The SG dilemma??

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Sat, 17 Sep 2011 11:34 am

In the kitchen-department? I'd call it 'peasant'.

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Sat, 17 Sep 2011 11:49 am

The other thing is that most here use instant hot-water heaters as opposed to storage type heaters. They take up lots of unnecessary space when looking at the size of HDB units. Now, when I first moved into Seletar Airbase 28 years ago, the old Black & White houses there (formerly British Military housing) all had storage type hot water heaters (probably around 15 to 20 litre tanks as they were mounted on the walls next to the sink) but most no longer worked and UDMC never bothered to remove them.

It's like what an old Singh taxi uncle (in an old Austin Marina Yellow Top Cab) told me back in around 1982/3 when driving down Bras Basar road straddling the dotted lined, when I asked him if he knew what the dotted lines meant......

.....Oh, they are just something left here by the British!

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Sat, 17 Sep 2011 11:52 am

Genuine lol

Calmday · Post by **Calmday** » Sat, 17 Sep 2011 12:41 pm

shakisg wrote:hello there!

relocating to SG next month and have to find an apartment. I've been told that most households in SG do not have a dishwasher! is this true?

seems hard to believe...especially while the renting prices in SG are sometimes ridiculously high (compared to Europe that is)....

grateful for any advice... in regard to anything ...totally new world for me!

BTW: are there any jour fixe meetings /locations for expats in SG?

thanks a lot!

The only people here who wash their own dishes are expats and most expats from the west have maids as well. No need for dishwashers.
As you spend time here you will learn that people here aren’t very self-sufficient. Anything considered manual labor or that could cause you to break a sweat or get a little dirty is done by foreigners.

gravida · Post by **gravida** » Sat, 17 Sep 2011 4:23 pm

That's funny. You really stick to local standards so easily?
Yes, one can survive without hot water in the kitchen, but talking about "4 millions inhabitants" makes me think what's next? Significant percent of that 4 millions do not brush their teeth, pick up their noses, walk without lifting feet, do not care about people around them, burp and fart, go shopping to entertain themselves, eat fish head curry and so on. The fact that I am a resident of Singapore doesn't mean I have to do it as well, or that I need to accept lack of basic utilities in the apartment. I am not complaining that I do not have golden taps and walk-in fridge. I do not have hot water, but I do have the tv socket in the kitchen. How useful

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Sat, 17 Sep 2011 4:36 pm

You new fridge might have a TV installed next to the computer screen or you might have a drop/flip down LCD TV that folds up under the cabinets that you can drop down to catch you favourite shows while you cook AND wash dishes.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sovos-SVKTV15-1 ... B001I1Z7TY

gravida · Post by **gravida** » Sat, 17 Sep 2011 5:17 pm

OK, now I got it why I do not recognize the real kitchen necessities, I do not have favorite TV shows.

It reminds me the time back home when I was getting the keys to our new two-story apartment and the developer "forgot" to install the stairs

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Sat, 17 Sep 2011 7:03 pm

As an expat, you have to remember, what's basic to you is not necessarily basic in the country you have been expatriated too. That's part of the experience. Learning how to do things differently and still get 'er done.

gravida · Post by **gravida** » Sat, 17 Sep 2011 10:18 pm

SMS, sure. That is why I am not getting surprised any more they do not have hot water in HDBs. BUT we are talking about condominium, for which we are paying couple thousands of dollars every month. As a thinking person,
I am aware that condo is not "a basic" accommodation, hence hot water is not ridiculous requirement, but standard. Especially that to be frank in my 8 years in Singapore this was the first time I encountered something like that in a condo (have been living in two others and have friends living in many as well). That is also a reason why it didn't even cross my mind to check it before signing the rental agreement.

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Sat, 17 Sep 2011 10:45 pm

Okay. Then I guess you've edited your check list now and made another box to tick off for the next time.

After 30+ years as an expatriate, I don't take anything for granted. Let's say I've been bitten too often as well.

boffenl · Post by **boffenl** » Tue, 20 Sep 2011 1:11 pm

I remember this conversation from a few years ago--when I was a newby.

Our second large purchase (after aircon for the whole 3 room HDB flat we rent) was a dishwasher. My husband was never so happy as when he got the pipes fitted and did the first load. Hey, I'm all for paper plates and plastic utensils but he has convinced himself it's environmentally friendly to use the dishwasher versus washing them by hand.

Hey-as long as someone else is worried about the dishes I'm o.k.

Post by **nakatago** » Tue, 20 Sep 2011 1:55 pm

I'm so used to washing dishes by hand that when I was in the US, my aunt found me having washed a few pieces. She asked why didn't I use the dishwasher. I told her it's ok and that it never occurred to me that there was one.

ecureilx · Post by **ecureilx** » Tue, 20 Sep 2011 2:39 pm

boffenl wrote:I remember this conversation from a few years ago--when I was a newby. Our second large purchase (after aircon for the whole 3 room HDB flat we rent) was a dishwasher. My husband was never so happy as when he got the pipes fitted and did the first load. Hey, I'm all for paper plates and plastic utensils but he has convinced himself it's environmentally friendly to use the dishwasher versus washing them by hand.

Hey-as long as someone else is worried about the dishes I'm o.k.

And I am having a little turf war here in our work place, as my division head took out the paper cups for the coffee dispenser and said "bring your own, in lieu of free coffee .. " as I was idly thinking, if paper cups are more environmentally friendly vs dish-washing liquid+lots of water

Our dispenser coffee is almost extremely thick-local standard, and sticks like paint, if we don't wash it immediately and in the rare occasions when we get tempted to use a cup of coffee, we wash before and immediately after, and then wash again for next use .. ..

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Tue, 20 Sep 2011 5:01 pm

The mug I use for my breakfast tea is black, and I've had it c25 years now.

Since I drink my tea black w/no sugar I don't wash it, just give it a swirl of fresh water.

Simples

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Tue, 20 Sep 2011 5:31 pm

Damn! I'm glad I'm not the only one! I use a black Guinness mug for my tea! And yes, I drink it black as well. Wife always gets mad, "how long as it been since soap has seen the inside of that mug?" What mug? "The one in yer hand!" I dunno?

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Dishwasher! The SG dilemma??

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