I do handles up so that you can easily pick them up when they are clean.

Same here. Handles up, much for hygienic to pick up when it is done.

Down, except for the sharp knives I'm willing to put in the dishwasher. I feel it gets the part you eat off of cleaner, and it's not that hard to grab them by the handle when unloading.

I wish I had a dishwasher. I wash all my dishes by hand.

I prefer handles up, because I don't like touching the dirties when they go in - and I think it's more "sanitary" coming out. But my system was foiled with my new dishwasher with the little spaces to put them in "heads-up" (except the knives which go in handles up in an end compartment. I have to admit, I have fewer re-washes with them heads-up than heads-down.

It's probably like the toilet-paper debate - I was always a paper rolls off the front gal, until I had toddlers, and realized it was much harder for them to rapidly grab and unroll the TP with the paper rolling from behind.

When I use the silverware compartment, heads up (especially for soony-type things). This is also true of my flatware. Otherwise, the water flows and gathers on the surface of the utensil (gravity being what it is).

But for the most part I use the utensil basket in the door, which, in my dishwasher, its just above the silverware basket.

Everything sits sideways in that one.

Forks ~ Handles down
Knives ~ Handles Up

More of a grip on the forks to pick them up Handles down, and you can tell what you're picking up before you actually do. But knives hurt when they're handles down. =(

Up.

I have three teenagers and one baby and I don't use the dishwasher. I know, I'm an enigma.

Yes, it works fine. I just got tired of explaining to people how to actually load the darn thing ("Bowls do not go right side up!"). So now they wash their own dishes, except the baby...yet

I'm a handles up kind of gal. And, I have a "thing" about utensils in the dishwasher. Our utensil basket is on the door and is segmented into about 6 compartments. When loading the dishwasher, I have to put one fork, one spoon and one knife in each compartment before moving on to the next...no doubling up in a compartment. When I get through all 6 compartments with the spoons, say, then I start again, this time handles DOWN, that way they don't nest inside each other. Now, if I get to the end again and still have silverware, I go ahead and grit my teeth, starting again with handles down.

i know, it is an illness.

Handles up. Nobody gets stabbed that way...

Handles down. What good is grabbing them by the handles for "sanitary reason" if the food is still in the tines?

I can't wait 'til we have one again. {sigh}

The guide that came with ym dishwasher says to alternate up and down, to maximize cleaning and prevent like items from "nesting" (spooning, if you will). I also am meticulous about spreading like items across the different chambers... Spoon up, spoon down, next chamber for the next spoon.

I was going to say "handles up" and leave it at that, but I read JUdy's comment and I realized that is exactly what I do. Is it an illness? I prefer to think of it as "highly organized" and also "thorough".

I seem to be the only type-B dishwasher loader up this morning. My answer is "however they get put in there is fine with me, especially if I don't have to do it."

I'm down.

My wife? Up. Sometimes.

Causes confusion, especially when pressed for time.

What were we talking about again?

I like heads up because they fit better that way.

Handles up because I've had one too many forks/knife blades under the fingernails. Ouch.

I put handles down because I have cut my silverware holder with the knives. I put the spoons that would go through the bottom if I put them handles down in handles up...;)

Handles up. Who wants to eat off utensils that have been pawed by my kids? eww.

Handles down, except for sharp knives.

What every is faster!. Take a big handful out of the sink and which every way they fall in your hand is how they go in the dishwasher. Except of course for the very sharp knives. They go handles up (sharp down).

Linda's right on this one. I used to be in the handles up camp, because it makes unloading easier. But for maximum cleanliness, alternating is the way to go.

The way my silverware basket is set up, I can't do forks and spoons down, so I don't get to choose. Knives go pointy parts down though.

Gotta go with handles up, although I see the reasoning in handles down. I can see where they'd get cleaner that way, but then you'd have to be handling the eating part to take 'em out. Oh, now my head hurts from all the thinking ....

Handles up, obviously. Imagine stumbling in the kitchen, and falling boob onto fork. Or eyeball onto knife.
Perhaps, however, I've watched too many horror films...

I long for a dishwasher...

Preferably 6'2'', blond hair/blue eyes and doesn't speak a lick of English. ; )

Spoons/Forks - handles down
Knives - handles up so no one gets stabbed

Handles up. Is there any other way?

We wouldn't want someone to accidentally trip and impale themselves on a fork or knife now would we? Sheesh.

Handles up-especially the knives -did you hear about the little girl that tripped and landed on a knife that was handle down in her grandmother's dishwasher?!?!?

Exception would be spoons-I alternate so that they can not "spoon" each other and not get clean.

How dorky am I?!

there are 5 of us that load and unload the dishwasher. 4 of whom are men/teenage boys. I am just thankful it gets filled and I look before unloading.

that was a very 'coffee talk' topic you started. i applaud.
park in a driveway, drive in a parkway....
discuss

General Rule: Handles down.
Otherwise: Water settles in the spoon and dries with a ring. Also, forks seem to have food bits left on them.
Exception: Knives go handles up.

Handles up! I'm always afraid someone is going to trip at an inopportune moment and become impaled on something. Our dishwasher manages to get everything clean.

I've often wondered this as well. I do handles up so that I can grab them easier. But I see so many people do handles down. I don't see me changing my ways though.

See, this is why the Internets were created - so we could learn more about other ideas and cultures. Brava, Busy Mom, for taking the initiative in bringing this issue to the forefront. >>she says with a smile>>

Handles up, except for knives and things that fall through the bitty holes otherwise. Although, I wish the kids would stop referring to the dishwasher as "the place we store the dishes."

Most definitely handles UP. That's why they're called handles because you're supposed to handle them that way, and not sully the actual utensil.

Handles up! Incredibly talented me, I managed to cut myself on a not-so-sharp knife with the handles down. Not a minor cut either, a slash across the wrist that required 7 stitches and LOTS of questions from the Docs. Yes, I know, what a clutz!

What I'd like to know is, how are all these people getting their teenagers to load & unload or even (gasp!) handwash the dishes? Yes. I'm a failure. Thanks for the update. "I" put them in tines up so they get washed well. My really sharp utensils all have wooden handles so I hand wash them all, anyway.

Handles up. Never really thought about it.

I'm with Libby on this -- we have to investigate Coma Girl and Lisa. Who are they? What planet are they from? Teenagers loading dishes into the dishwasher? Washing dishes?

Getting them to get some of their stuff near the sink sometimes is about the best we ever get.

But on the initial question: Handles up.

Wow, what a great debate! You really know how to stir the pot, dontcha? ;)

This is a huge issue in our house right now. I say handles up, Hubs (because of his mother, of course), says handles down. Therefore, I am continually stabbed by an errant steak knife, at which time I make sure to emit howls of pain and horror.

I wish someone other than me would tell my husband UP! The handles go up so you don't stab yourself.
(Yes, you pervs, I prefer up.)

My dishwasher has a caddy that has individual slots for each piece, ensuring clean silverware every time, heads up. I put all the like pieces together so when I unload, I just grab a bunch and put them away. The caddy comes out and sits on the counter so I load it at the sink, not bending over the dishwasher. Sorting in the beginning instead of the end, I guess. My 13 yr old son loads, unloads and washes by hand when needed. . Started doing it when he was about 11 1/2. He fought me for the first year, then gave up. It is one of very few chores he has to do and he tells me he would rather do anything else but that. He does his own laundry, too. Of course it is all darks and it all goes in the dryer but at least he does it, right? He also changes his sheets when remind him. He doesn't do it my way, but he does it well enough that it looks pretty neat.

Handles Up!
My mom does handles down, do you do it the same way as mom?

I used to be a handles down person until an old roommate insisted that the handles go up. Since changing I tend to like this way better.

www.totalmommyfitness.com

okay, i saw a show about this and the etiquette lady said to "mix up your silverware, some handles up and some down for maximum cleanliness- so that they have their own spaces. knives should always go handle up, blade down so you don't cut your self." i started doing that and it really works. for those of you worried about keeping things sanitary, wash your hands before you touch your clean dishes.

Since I just picked you up from the airport I figured I would actually say hi on your blog! LOL!!!! It was GREAT meeting you,

Now, for me, we don't have a dishwasher, but back in the day when I did have one, HANDLES UP! In other words... the sharp pointy edges DOWN! You will get cut up if you leave the working end of the forks and knives up. Besides, I somehow believe silverware gets cleaner when it's down in the rack. And, when you pull them out you aren't touching the clean parts you eat from with your dirty hands:)

Oh and toilet paper goes OVER not under as well. Another debate for another time.

Handles up; I worked in the dishroom for a while in highschool (boarding) and we always washed the utensils twice, handles down and then we switched them to handles up to sanitize. I guess it always stuck with me to do handles up, especially when my dad insisted on doing handles down. I would put them up just to be ornery.

It doesn't matter because there will STILL be peanut butter on the knives.

(Stupid Dishwasher!)

I've always mixed them up (knives down though) so that the spoons don't spoon together :)

Handles up. That way those annoying plastic-handled pieces of shit wont leak water on your hand when you turn them over

I haven't had a kitchen for 6 weeks. I don't remember how to use the dishwasher.

May be that my dishwasher is different than many others, but I pull the silverware basket OUT of the DW by it's handle when I'm unloading, and place it on the counter.

Then, the utensils, that I put in handles down--so the ook drips off as they are being washed--can easily be taken out without handling the tines, blades, or bowl of the spoons.

I rinse any left-over food off my utensils before I load the diswasher, so I always do handles up. If the water comes from the bottom anyways and there's no stuck on food, do they really still get less clean? It's also much easier to just grab the handle (for sanitary purposes) from the top when you have to bend over to get it. If I had to actually make a conscious effort to pick a spoon up by the handle when the handle was facing down, the job would never get done.

Handles up. And knives go with knives, forks go with forks...etc.

That way, you not only avoid putting your hands on parts that go into your mouth or on your food, you have the added bonus of grabbing a section...and putting it away with ease, rather than having to sort it out.

Userful blog. Thanks!

Userful blog. Thanks!

Wow, I love the internet! First of all, according to the manufacturers you're not supposed to leave any food on your flatware to dry. So unless you run it after filling, they should be clean when you load your dishwasher. Love the idea that handles up are safer and more sanitary.......never even thought of the sanitary aspect! Yes, they're cleaner with tongs up, but if they're clean to begin with, no problem! Those funny little rust spots and discolorations can be from letting the food dry first and who wants those?? So, with my new set of stainless, it's clean first-rinse well-and handles up for safety & not putting fingerprints on newly cleaned flarware! Thanks you guys!!!!!