Recently, we brought you a guide that could help if you're in the market for a dishwasher at the moment.

But we also thought it could be helpful to look at some little ways it's possible this appliance could become an even more wonderful part of your kitchen.

Like most kitchen appliances, dishwashers are designed to be super-simple to use, but that doesn't mean a little advice can't help now and then.

Before we start: some time back, OnePoll compiled a list about so-called 'First World Problems' and one of the humorously minor niggles included was 'I bought a dishwasher and now spend longer packing and unpacking it than I did washing up'. 

We don't think anyone should need to be in this position with their appliance really, and we're sure even if it takes a while to get used to a dishwasher, the time you spend sorting it out should decrease very quickly with practice.

Now, perhaps especially useful for new users, here are just a few dishwasher tips:

Reading the instructions: When you first got your dishwasher, did you read through the manual that came with it, or did you assume that this new model would be exactly like your old one?

Scanning or even completely neglecting to read the instructions may not have led to big problems given that appliances are designed to be user friendly and work in a way that we can easily work out for ourselves.

But it goes without saying that you should always give proper attention to official instructions. If you've not looked at the literature that came with your dishwasher yet, or feel like you need a refresher, you might be surprised at how useful it is to dig those instructions out and make a proper job of reading through them.

Scraping: One big tip when it comes to dishwasher use is that you shouldn't be putting things in there with loads of food remains all over them. Just as you would before washing up in the sink, it's best to scrape it all into the bin, compost or wherever is appropriate.

Some people get a bit carried away and start to completely or almost completely wash their dirty items in the sink before these have a chance to see the inside of the dishwasher.

This is going beyond the call of duty -  you have an appliance to do this job, so you really shouldn't need to do it yourself!

Go fuller: You may be able to cut-down on energy usage if you stick to using the dishwasher once it has been filled to capacity.

Fill well: Perhaps one of the most important tips for dishwashing. If you get things in the machine in the wrong way, the results could be disappointing.

This is one of the things we all learn about our dishwasher as we use it and sometimes in households, people can have differing opinions over how to get everything in the machine for great results! Save yourself the hassle of trial and error by reading up on the correct way to do things. Yes, common sense normally works, but you never know, there could be tips you're missing!

Give it a wipe: Even though it's an appliance designed to wash things itself, that doesn't mean your dishwasher won't be happy to have a little wipe down now and them in certain places, like the seal around the door that helps keep the water in.

Refresh detergent: If your detergents gets too old, it will have trouble doing its job properly. Also, find somewhere nice and dry to store the detergent.