10 Kitchen Tools You Should Never Put in the Dishwasher (Unless you enjoy broken handles, dull blades, and weird smells)

You’ve cooked. You’ve conquered. Now you’re staring at a mountain of dirty dishes and thinking, “If it fits, it ships.” The dishwasher is right there, looking like a shortcut to sanity. So you start loading… everything.

But hang on—some things should never go in there. Not because you’re doing it wrong, but because the dishwasher is kind of a bully when it comes to certain kitchen tools.

Let’s talk about the stuff that needs to steer clear of that steamy chaos.

Your sharp knives? Dishwasher = blade cemetery.

If you’ve ever noticed your once razor-sharp chef’s knife turning into a glorified butter spreader, this is probably why. The high heat, harsh detergent, and general clang-fest dull the edge fast. Plus, they can chip. Or worse—rust.

Hand-wash your good knives. Dry them. Put them away. It’s not about babying them—it’s about keeping them useful. You wouldn’t send your barber scissors through the car wash, would you?

Wooden spoons, cutting boards, or anything with a rustic vibe? Not dishwasher friends.

Wood soaks up water like a sponge, then throws a tantrum—warping, cracking, sometimes splitting right down the middle. That gorgeous olive wood spatula you bought at the farmer’s market? It’ll look like driftwood if you toss it in the top rack.

Wash by hand. Wipe dry. Maybe rub in a little mineral oil now and then. Yes, it’s a little extra, but so is wine pairing, and we still do that.

Cast iron: treat it like royalty or not at all.

If there’s one thing you should never ever put in the dishwasher, it’s your cast iron skillet. It’ll strip off your seasoning, leave it vulnerable to rust, and you’ll spend the next month trying to re-season it and pretending it’s “getting better.”

Water’s fine. A little salt scrub. A quick dry. A bit of oil. Think of it like skincare for your pan.

Nonstick pans: dishwasher-safe-ish (but not really)

Look, the label might say “dishwasher safe,” but nonstick coatings are a little fragile. After a few rounds with hot water and strong detergent, the coating starts to break down. Suddenly your eggs are sticking, and your pan’s flaking like bad sunburn.

Keep your nonstick out of the dishwasher. Wash with a soft sponge and a quiet apology for even thinking about it.

Aluminum bakeware gets weird in the dishwasher.

That shiny sheet pan you use for cookies? It’ll come out looking cloudy, pitted, or worse—like it spent a weekend under a leaky sink. The dishwasher messes with the finish and leaves a chalky residue you’ll never quite trust again.

Baking pans, muffin tins, roasting trays—if they’re bare aluminum, give them the gentle treatment. Warm water. Dish soap. Nothing wild.

Insulated bottles and travel mugs can lose their mojo.

You know that double-walled coffee tumbler that keeps your drink hot for four hours? The dishwasher can wreck that vacuum seal. Once water sneaks in between those layers, insulation’s gone.

You’ll think your coffee’s fine—until you take a sip and it’s lukewarm 20 minutes later. And if you’ve ever dealt with a stinky, moldy lid from trapped moisture, you already know the nightmare.

Graters, zesters, and other sharp-edged gadgets go dull fast.

A microplane zester is magical when it’s sharp—it turns hard parmesan into fluffy snow. But let it sit in the dishwasher a few times? Those tiny teeth dull out, and suddenly it’s just dragging across your lemon peel like a broken nail file.

A quick rinse and scrub is all it needs. It’s faster than digging it out of the silverware basket anyway.

Plastic that isn’t heat-resistant = warped, bent, or useless

You know the cheap measuring cups or serving spoons that go all wobbly after a few washes? Not every plastic can handle high dishwasher temps. Even some that say they can end up looking like they got stuck in the sun too long.

And if they melt even a little? You’ll notice. In the smell. In the texture. In your soup.

Copper pots and mugs? If you care about shine, steer clear.

Copper’s delicate. It gets angry in the dishwasher. All that heat and detergent can strip away its shine and leave behind blotchy marks. If you’re into that antique patina look, fine. But if you want that beautiful glow to stick around, wash by hand and dry immediately.

Also, who wants their Moscow mule mug looking like it’s been through a decade of garage sales?

Anything with a glued-on handle, label, or decoration

Ever run a cute mug through the dishwasher and have the decal half peel off like a bad tattoo? Same goes for utensils with glued-on handles or labels. That sticky stuff starts to melt or loosen, and suddenly you’re drinking coffee from a chipped “World’s Best Mom” mug that’s missing the ‘B.’

If it looks like it might not survive a steamy rollercoaster ride, it probably won’t.

Here’s the thing…

Dishwashers are great. They save time. They make life easier. But they’re not delicate. They’re like the power washer of the kitchen—great for your plates, awful for your heirlooms.

So when you’re standing at the sink wondering if it’s really worth hand-washing that knife, spoon, or skillet—ask yourself: “Would I be sad if this came out bent, dull, or ruined?”

If yes, don’t risk it.

Use your hands, a soft sponge, and maybe a podcast to make it go faster.

Because the only thing worse than a mountain of dishes… is replacing half your kitchen tools because you tried to take a shortcut.

Ever ruined something you loved in the dishwasher? Melted a spoon? Destroyed a beloved pan? Share the pain in the comments—or the laugh, depending on how you look at it. Misery loves company, and honestly, so do good kitchen stories.