Available at the end of 2018 for just $300, the Tetra Countertop Dishwasher is the answer to every tiny house and micro-apartment dweller’s dish cleaning fantasies. Without a need for a water hook-up (or even a designated space within your kitchen), this Frog-designed piece of smart home tech only requires a standard electrical outlet to operate. For those who are also concerned about saving water and energy usage, the Tetra is a great alternative to a full-sized dishwasher.
According to Jerry Callahan, CEO and founder of Heatworks, “Research indicates that although the average household is comprised of 2.58 people, the modern dishwasher holds place settings for 13 or more. This makes people believe that they either need to hand wash their few dirty dishes — which wastes 10 times more water than using a dishwasher — or wait for a fill load to run a cycle. With Tetra, we hope to change people’s mindset.”
As a person who lives in a two-person household, I can confirm that this is the case. I would rather wash three plates immediately than let them sit overnight (or for a couple of days) in the dishwasher until it’s collected enough dirty dishes to be worth a cycle.
I would also like to save money on my water bill, too, which is something Heatworks claims Tetra will do — to the tune of 1500 gallons of water a year if you’re a two-person household who consistently uses a conventional dishwasher. That’s like saving the equivalent of an average American swimming pool every single year. The fishes, too, must love Tetra.
Using about a half-gallon for each cycle, the countertop dishwasher uses Heatworks’ patented Ohmic Array Technology, which it states, “does not use traditional metal heating elements that can rust and scale over time. Instead, through graphite electrodes and advanced electronic controls, the naturally occurring minerals in water are excited, directly and efficiently heating the water.” This provides precise temperature control, allowing you to not only wash dishes, but sanitize baby bottles and accessories, wash delicate wine glasses, clean plastic without melting, and even cook seafood (yes, really). In all, the Tetra can hold two full place settings (including plates, bowls, cups, and flatware), 10 plates, or 12 pint glasses.
And, clocking in at just ten minutes a load, you’ll never again have to suffer through a two-hour pot and pan wash cycle disturbing your day of binge watching.
