“I can’t wait to do dishes!” said no one ever. Because let’s face it, after a long day, a divine meal, or an evening of entertaining, there’s no joy in standing over a steamy sink—even if you do have the prettiest dish-washing gloves in town.

So why do you continue to torture yourself, night after night, while your dishwasher sits there idly, almost mockingly? Maybe you hate the desperate jigsaw puzzle of squeezing in the dishes, cups, and plates. Maybe you think a lot of your cookware just isn’t dishwasher-friendly. And maybe (and you know in your heart this makes absolutely no sense at all), you often hear yourself saying, “It’s just easier to wash them myself.”

Truth be told, in the great dishwasher vs. hand-washing debate, the dishwasher emerges victorious almost every time. So if you’re looking to make your day a little easier—not to mention get your dishes a whole lot cleaner—read on to see why you should be running that bad boy for all it’s worth.

REASON #1: You’ll save time and effort. Even though running the dishwasher involves some work on your part to load and unload, these actions should take under 10 minutes combined—far less time than it would take to wash an entire load by hand.

REASON #2: It’s better for the environment…and your wallet. Do a quick online search of “dishwasher vs. hand-washing” and you’ll find countless stats that prove dishwashers require less water, less energy, and less soap. Bottom line: Less waste and lower household bills.

REASON #3: It’s cleaner all-around! Not only will you avoid sponges and towels that harbor bacteria, the dishwasher’s super-hot temperatures and powerful cycles are more effective than your toughest elbow grease. Your kitchen will look better, too, with dirty dishes stowed out of site and drainboards and counters cleared of clutter.

REASON #4: Dishwasher technology is better than ever. With models like this you can finally have it all: efficient performance, sparkling clean, maximum flexibility, quiet sound, and innovative design. There’s even a worry-free digital leakage sensor that will shut the appliance off before water damages your floor. Click here to take a closer look at how Samsung has reinvented dish-washing.