I would do without a dishwasher way before I would do without a washing machine, if I was given a choice. The apartments I've lived alone in, though, I've had a dishwasher, but, couldn't afford a washer and dryer in the unit. Even if I had to choose the convenience of washing dishes in a dishwasher at home, or going to a public laundromat to wash my clothes in a washer, I'd still choose the inconvenient public washer as the one thing I couldn't do without. Dishes are easy, I hate washing handwashables by hand, I can't even imagine washing all my clothes that way. Ugh.