I don't know about two dishwashers but considering that an excellent disposer can be had for under $200 and it doesn't take up much space I would do (and did do) a disposer for the prep sink.

We run our dishwasher a lot, almost always twice a day, but as of yet I haven't thought to myself, "gosh, if I only had a second one."

That's just me. Others may feel differently.

-Stooxie

We are installing 2 DWs. We have 5 people in our house and eat breakfast and dinner at home most days and my husband comes home for lunch most days. We can fill a dishwasher before dinner, particularly in the summer when everyone is home.

My husband didn't get it but he doesn't load or unload them and has no idea how quickly they fill up!

We have a garbage disposal in the kitchen sink and don't have a prep sink so can't comment to that!

Yes to 2 DWs. Before we built our new house last year we had only ever had 1 and while it definitely beat handwashing, it would get full fast & I'd always end up having to handwash anyway. 2 DWs takes care of that--cleanup is quicker & easier and there's never an excuse for dirty dishes in the sink :-)

Yes to two disposals if you have two sinks.

Yes to two dishwasher only if either you might use them or you're planning to sell soon and it actually is important for resale. (I kinda doubt it unless you're in a way kosher neighborhood.)

I have two sinks and two garbage disposals.

My dream kitchen would have two DWs. I gave it up in favor of storage in my new kitchen. My DW is full before the day is out, and I can't stand hand washing things that could go in the DW. If you have the space and cash for two, I say go for it. Lucky!

I have 3 sinks with disposals under the main and prep sinks. The bar sink is in it's own alcove and doesn't need one.

We were a family of 6 until the kids unexpectedly grew up and left home! But the only times where a second DW would have been handy was during big dinner parties. Instead we installed a trash compactor - remember this was before recycling became de rigueur. The cabinet was designed with decorative spacers so that we could trade it for another DW if we wanted.

If your kitchen is large enough and you entertain a lot then go for it.

I don't quite get the whole "two dishwashers" thing myself. Too all the people that say the dishwasher gets full so then you have to hand wash dishes . . . why don't you just run the dishwasher and then fill it up again? Or is it just that one meal generates more than one load of dishes so you don't want to have dirty dishes waiting around for the dishwasher to run so you can do the rest? I've also never owned a new generation dishwasher. Mine has never taken over 45m-1h to wash dishes but I hear the new efficient ones take 2 hours. Perhaps that means you only have time to run it once between dinner and bedtime? I'm all in favor of helping the environment, but I think this kitchen renovation is going to make me long for my old environmentally unfriendly appliances.

I'd have to have a huge kitchen before I'd prefer a 2nd dishwasher over more storage space though!

Two garberators for the two sinks that will make use of them will prove essential. You may be constrained or thwarted by the available space under the sink and/or the height of the plumbing trap weir.

The only time I've felt the need for two dishwashers is when the one dishwasher failed. However, a second would take up cabinet space, probably more important in many constrained configurations.

kas

We have plenty of cabinet space. We just installed 2 bosch 800plus models and 2 sinks with disposal.

It works out real well. We dont use them both all the time, but its a pleasure to have when we do use them. Also i fyou go with a $500 unit, it could be cheaper or the same price as the cabinet itself.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I agree with you all and am going to put in 2 disposers. Still debating whether the second dw is going to justify itself.

I'm planning on the main one to be a panel covered Miele in the kitchen. If I put a second one in the servery, I was considering stainless steel, thinking it would be cheaper and i'm not fussed about the look as much in there. Thoughts? I've add a link to my layout, but i will be having a 48" range and no wall ovens, if that matters.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1402727}}

My friends did 2 DWs when they upgraded their kitchen. They entertain a lot (business clients), so it was not out of the ordinary to have 20+ people in the house, much more on holidays. The 2nd machine meant they could do quick washings of plates and glasses (not crystal), pots and pans and such as the evening progressed. It also meant cleanup at the end was quicker.

The 2nd machine was not top-end, but a middle-of-the-road workhorse. They didn't use it that much except for the parties. The other machine was higher end and handled the crystal and such.

We have two Miele's in the kitchen, plus a Bosch in the basement (part of a mini-kitchen we put down there which was great during the kitchen reno).

We are just a family of four, but we cook a ton, and often fairly complex recipes. We always have both DW's in rotation and would be very sad to lose one. Re bohdi's comment-we both hate leaving a ton of dirty dishes in the sinks and on the counters, waiting for a single DW to finish. Remember too that DW's without heating elements, like the Mieles, typically have cycles that are significantly longer than those with heated dry cycles. So having to wait for 1.5-2 hrs to get rid of dirty stuff is not an option for us.

Believe it or not, there are times we use the third machine. It's great when we entertain as we can dump big pots and pans etc downstairs and keep the upstairs units free for dishes etc. At Thanksgiving, all three are in constant cycle.

Is it necessary? Of course not! But then neither is our Lacanche range, or the uber-fancy stone counters, Sub Zero refrigerators, and twin zone wine coolers that GW posters love so much.

We have 2 dishwashers, 2 sinks, and 2 garbage disposals in our new kitchen. We're not in the new house yet, but I'm excited for my new kitchen. We plan to entertain a lot so the 2 dishwashers will be useful during those times. A second dishwasher is also nice to use as a drying rack so you don't have stuff all over the counters. You just have to find a way to designate which one is clean and which one is dirty so family members don't put their dirty dishes in the wrong washer. You can also alternate using your dishwashers which will decrease wear/tear on the appliances. HTH :)

Ok, you guys are starting to sway me over to the 2nd dw, maybe i'll even put one in the bar downstairs. Would those who have 2 mind opining on my layout and where the 2nd one should go? Link to pic is below, the first dw is to the left of the sink at the top of the pic.

Thanks again.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1402727}}

We were fortunate to have a much larger area to work with, so our second one ended up to the right of the prep sink in the island, which places it right by the kitchen tablw where we eat. That's great for loading dirty dishes after dinner straight into the DW. The other unit is to the left of the main sink on the other leg of the L-shaped island, where it's great for cleanup after prep work.

In your case, I'd definitely put it in the pantry if possible. Friends of ours who redid their kitchen around the same time we did have their second in the butler's pantry. It is a great location for folks who don't generate as many dirty dishes as we do--we seem to be in the 98th percentile, based on how often four people fill two dishwashers. If your're more a 50th percentile user, then the advantage is that you have the second DW out of sight, you don't lose storage (as kas points out) in your working kitchen. Would be ideal for doing the pots and pans while you eat, leaving the main DW available for dishes after the meal. You already have water and sewer on the other side of the wall in the PR, which also should help.

Alternatively, and this is again just a personal bias, I'd sacrifice the built-in desk, as I find these tiny kitchen "work centers" typically end up as clutter-magnets, that are too small to actually get real work done. I prefer to haul an iPad or laptop to the island or kitchen table.

Thanks for the feedback clinresga. I'll need water and sewer in the servery anyway, as I'll have a sink there. I can't see us ditching the desk, it's a high demand spot in our current (smaller) kitchen. I think we've got enough cabinet space to keep it, but I'm open to otherwise opinions.

Proof's in the pudding. If you use the desk now then certainly keep it: suspect you're just neater than my crowd. I like the DW in servery concept, will watch to see what you decide on.

When I redid my kitchen -in Manattan -my neighbor insisted I put in a second dishwasher. I've never regretted it for a second, although I've regretted that one is a top of the line Bosch and not a Miele.

And this is true even though the kids have graduated from college and are, usually, only home occasionally.

And we don't entertain a lot.

When the kids were teenagers and supposed to do the dishes it was essential. When you have big items. when you want to let the dishes accumulate for the cleaning lady. When you want to wash things separately.

The basic point is that it give you flexibility and freedom.

It is much more useful than one would imagine. It makes life less stressful.

Even when there are just the 2 of us, I work at home.

There's nothing wrong with running a small load --well, there is actually, because then even 1/2 a Method tablet is too much soap. But the fact remains that dish input (I) is a variable number as is the pre-loaded dishes (P). Capacity (C) is a constant. I+P may be > C at any time. With 2 dishwashers, no problem.

It also makes loading the dishwasher easier. Anything that upsets my pattern, I just put in the 2nd dishwasher.

It's not the 1950's any more.

BTW, there's nothing wrong with making the 2nd dishwasher a dish drawer or a slimline model. That's probably what I'd do today.

We are installing two Miele Futura Dimension dishwashers and will also have two garbage disposals.

We have large extended family and entertain a bunch! Certainly have the space for it and DH was thrilled with the idea since he's the main dishwasher! We have the "I cook, you clean" understanding! :)