I was surprised to see that Plaza Lama carried only 1 model of dishwasher - a Frigidaire. It seemed fine and reasonably priced, but if feels strange not to have a choice.The salesman explained that not many people use them and my builder ditto'd that opinion.
There seem to be a decent selection of stoves and refrigerators in Dist. Coripio and Plaza Lama, but can someone please direct me to a good source of dishwashers and over-the-range microwaves in Santiago? I come in from NY for very short visits, so I don't have much time to explore. - D
In Latin American countries dishwashers are rather known by the name of "Maria" or similar names instead of Frigidaire or Whirlpool... "Maria's" can't keep food cold nor thaw a pound of ground meat in 5 minutes so you do find fridges, micro waves and the sort of stuff offered more often in local stores.
What I am trying to say with this more humorous note is, that in house holds which could afford a dishwasher, besides fridges and micro waves, there is, or until recently still was, a tradition of having house hold employees... and it seems to have occurred only to a very few to acquire a dishwasher only to make "Maria's" life easier.
Additionally, some have found that it does not help much to try to confront house hold employees with too much technology, because some just plain won't use it anyway.
Btw: A little Spanish here: Some may say: "
Ai, es que no se usar eto no". Literally translated this could be understood as: "
Oh, I don't know (how to) you this". But in this and some other countries the verb "
saber" (
to know) can also mean "
accustom"... so, the sentence may indeed mean: "Oh, I don't use to use this!"... in other words, little sense in trying to show HOW it's used.
I observed my house hold help using a "swappe" and a plain bucket to clean the floors. She would would wring out the "swappe" by hand. I felt bad about it, after all, it's dirty water, so I went and bought a bucket with a wringer basket insert. The next day I proudly presented to her my acquisition and all she said was: "Ai, pero es que no se usar de estos, no"... I tried to show her how easy and much cleaner it was to use it... but I soon discovered that she'd taken the little basket out and proceeded to use the buckets without them, wringing out the "swappe" by.... hand.
Things will change... but slowly.
... J-D.