Skip the Dishwasher—10 Kitchen Tools You Really Should Hand Wash Instead (2025)

• Some kitchen items need to be washed by hand, not in the dishwasher, to prevent damage.
• Blenders, stand mixer attachments, chef's knives, and wood cutting boards should be hand washed.
• Other delicate items like stemmed wine glasses, copper mugs, and fine china are best washed by hand.

Not every kitchen tool or utensil can, or should, be tossed in the dishwasher. In fact, there are several items you should avoid putting in your dishwasher to prevent cracks, chips, or other damages.

We spoke to two professionals with expertise in cleaning and kitchenware to provide you with a list of the top ten kitchen tools you should hand wash. If you want to keep everything from wooden cutting boards to fine china in their best shape for years to come, find out why it's best to wash them by hand.

Blender

If you're a big fan of smoothies and sauces, your blender likely gets a lot of use. Unfortunately, we don't always give this common kitchen appliance the same time and attention when it comes to cleaning.

Marissa Hercules, baking blogger at The Curly Spoon Blog, says hand washing your blender is worth the effort.

"It’s best to wash your blender by hand to avoid damaging the seal at the base that attaches the spinning blades to the blender jar," she says. "Washing your blender in the dishwasher can cause this seal to become loose over time, causing your blender to leak."

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Stand Mixer Attachments

As with the blender, avid bakers often toss the attachments for their stand mixer into the dishwasher to save a little extra time. Again, Hercules advises against this habit, unless you want to replace this pricey appliance sooner than necessary.

"Most stand mixer attachments, like the dough hook and paddle attachment, have a special coating that can chip in the dishwasher," she shares. "To make sure they stay looking and performing their best, be sure to hand wash them and dry them immediately."

Wooden Utensils

Wooden spoons and spatulas are another commonly used kitchen tool that many people mindlessly add to the dishwasher. Unfortunately, when these tools face the intense conditions of a dishwashing cycle, the wood can warp, crack, and even dry out.

"Extreme heat and exposure to water for prolonged periods in a dishwasher can do great damage to wooden utensils," says Scott Schrader, a cleaning expert and the chief marketing officer at CottageCare.

Instead, our professionals recommend a mild dish soap to clean your wooden utensils by hand, and be sure to dry the tool immediately.

Nonstick Cookware

It's a common misconception that nonstick pots and pans can be safely washed in the dishwasher. However, Schrader says it may do more harm than help.

"Dishwashing detergent can be too abrasive for the nonstick coating and will most likely compromise it," he says.

Instead, use a mild dishwashing soap with a gentle cleaning tool like a soft sponge. For stubborn stains, you can also use baking soda to clean your nonstick pots and pans.

Wooden Cutting Boards

Wooden cutting boards encounter everything from cheeses to raw meats, so it's essential that we clean them well. But as is the case with your wooden utensils, Hercules and Schrader agree these kitchen tools should steer clear of the dishwasher.

If you want to keep wooden cutting boards in good shape, wash consistently with a few drops of dish soap and warm water. You should also disinfect the board at least monthly with distilled white vinegar, 3% hydrogen peroxide, or chlorine bleach and water, or after working with raw meats.

Cast Iron Cookware

Cast iron cookware is another versatile kitchen tool, which needs not only proper cleaning, but seasoning as well.

"Cast Iron cookware requires regular seasoning to keep its nonstick surface," says Hercules. "This is a process where a layer of oil is baked into the pan itself."

You might assume that a dishwasher wouldn't affect cast iron too severely, but the harsh environment will actually strip away that essential seasoning over time. This also leaves your cast iron vulnerable to rust, which will eventually deteriorate the iron itself.

Instead, Hercules suggests washing your cast iron cookware with hot water, salt, and a scrub brush, then drying the pot or pan thoroughly afterwards.

Stemmed Wine Glasses

Stemmed wine glasses and other cocktail glasses are certainly beautiful additions to any kitchen, but they're also quite fragile, and as we've established, the dishwasher is no place for delicate kitchenware.

Exposure to sloshing water and high heat can damage certain materials like wood and nonstick surfaces. When you clean stemmed wine glasses in the dishwasher, you risk not only scratching or dulling the glass but breaking the stem entirely as it's tossed back and forth in the cycle. To protect your glassware, opt for hand washing instead.

Chef's Knives

Chef's knives are another kitchen tool that many people assume can weather the harsh environment of a dishwasher with ease. Once again, our experts say otherwise.

"Excess moisture and heat from dishwashers can dull or damage the blades and even cause them to rust," says Hercules.

Instead, she recommends carefully washing your knives by hand after each use to maintain their sharpness and quality.

Copper and Gold Dishware

If you have a pair of cute copper mugs for the occasional Moscow mule cocktail, keep in mind that these should never be washed in the dishwasher. The harsh detergent and high heat will not only dull the finish, but it may also tarnish or scratch the copper material.

Likewise, if you have any glassware or even coffee mugs with gold trim, keep them away from your dishwasher, as the gold will wear down and even peel off.

For both copper and gold kitchenware, use lukewarm water and a mild dish soap and avoid any abrasive cleaning solutions or tools.

Fine China and Silverware

Last, but not least, never use your dishwasher to clean fine China or other delicate, antique kitchen goods. This applies to many antiques and heirlooms, but particularly those with hand-painted designs or gold and other metal details. If your fine dining collection includes sterling silver, hand wash these as well, to prevent tarnishing

"High heat and the intense action of water during the wash cycle can cause chipping or damage the finish, so personal washing is a better option," says Schrader.