Consumer research champions, Which? has found that the most water-efficient dishwasher uses almost 10 times less water to wash the same amount of dishes as hand washing them. In fact, even the least water-efficient dishwasher on the market only uses half the amount of water.

Make sure you run your machine when it's full and select the eco-cycle, if you have one. This will cost you far less when it comes to bills, too. Don't waste water rinsing the dishes, simply scrape off any food, because most dishwashers are powerful enough to remove leftover debris.

How to save water at home and in the garden