Well, I put them in both ways, except knives and they go in handle first! Not sharp knives though. I don't like to nest spoons, forks, etc. so that is why I mix it up in each compartment of utensil holder.

I put sharp objects down. I've never learned to load a dishwasher correctly. When my daughter visits, she can get twice as many dishes in the washer than I can, and yes they come out clean. Old habits die hard!

I have a feeling they get cleaned better if they're down.

Always handles up, and they get clean. Too dangerous to have knives and forks facing up, a habit from when my children were small. They are just at the right level for curious hands to grab.

Handles up to prevent accidental puncture, and unwantedadvice, LOL, I thought I was the only one making sure they're mixed up so that the spoons can't "spoon," as we all know what unsupervised spoons left to their own devices will do in the wash... ;)

Everything up except the knifes

I read somewhere to put some up and some down so the water can spray around better, so that is what I do. I take the cutlery basket out and to the cutlery drawer so less chance of getting stabbed as you can see everything

What ever way they land;))

If you're talking about stainless steel "silverware," it probably doesn't matter. However, in reference to silverplate or sterling, these should be done my hand. Dishwashers, over time, will create a dull surface that silver polish won't totally remove. In addition, the hot drying cycle may loosen the material that binds the handle and blade of knives.

Martha Stewart says mix 'em up, so that's what I do! Some up, some down.

@Barnhart Gallery, make infant feeding spoons?!?!

Handles up. Was required that way as a diner dishwasher so eating ends got more forceful spray for cleaning and avoid cutting hands on knives. Also mix the spoons around so they don't 'spoon' as others noted. Always figured the inspectors had done their homework.

In the UK a year or so ago there was a tragic story of a woman who slipped and fell onto the upward knives in her dishwasher basket. She was killed. Lesson learned.

@miniappleman, but forks can spoon too. Lol! Love your username!

Don't own a dishwasher, chose more space for storage. LOL

Our dishwasher has a horizontal drawer for cutlery, so there's no up or down (did I get the question right?) - give me two minutes, I'll go take a photo.

I'd prefer to have someone reaching for a handle rather than the fork I will have in my mouth at some point.

No dishwasher. But I always "face" the silverware in the dishpan and I always put the pointy parts facing down in the drainer. I wash sharp edged knives individually, never submerging them in the dishpan. "Safen up!" as Homer Simpson would say.

Handles down, except for knives!

Handles up so I you don't touch every eating surface when taking it out and putting it away. Likewise, handles towards the front of the drawer for storage, so when you grab them to set the table you again don't touch the eating surface.

@Luciana, I have never seen a drawer like that in a dishwasher before, very cool! @bluenan, I always wash my hands before unloading dishwasher so it doesn't matter to me if I touch the eating part or not. You are right about the storing part in drawer.

@Luciana, what brand is that dishwasher? And certainly houzz can be a hobby, so you are good!

I always read the owners manual for the dishwasher and follow the recommendation for that machine. I moved to different apartments/houses 8 times in the years between 1997-2007 and it seemed like about 50% want them handle up and 50% wanted them loaded handle down. As for sharp knives, only cheap ones go in the dishwasher. The better ones get hand washed so they don't lose their tempering and will hold a good edge when sharpened.

@unwantedadvice - it's a Siemens. The only reason I chose it is because it has a blue light inside (looks very sci-fi in the evening when you open it); also it has a blue light projected on the floor, so you know it's working and not open it by mistake. You can modify drawer height, it's very quiet, etc - you would think with so many million options it would bloody cook as well - it doesn't! http://www.siemens-home.co.uk/our-products/dishwashers/full-size-dishwashers/SN66T197GB.html?source=browse
We had a Neff dishwasher with cutlery drawer, my mum-in-law had a Miele one when she lived in Dublin... they are not so uncommon in Europe.

@unwantedadvice -I never debated that spending time on Houzz is not ok for a hobby - it's totally great! I'm just worried because today I photographed my dirty cutlery drawer, who knows what I'll do tomorrow.... it's rather scary... so Houzz may not be safe for me any more...

@Luciana, thanks for the info. Have heard of that brand but not the Neff. And I figured you were European as I could not figure out what the brand was on the item in your pic! Btw, your cutlery rack didn't even look dirty so again, you're good!

handles up! Too dangerous the other way.

everything up, including knives ... wash your hands before unloading anything.

I have no choice, I put the handles up. Otherwise they would fall through the holes.

That dishwasher with the shallow cutlery tray at the top is from Bosch, Miele, et al. I've always thought I couldn't be bothered, at the end of a meal, with carefully balancing every.single.fork.knife.spoon, but ymmv.

ASVInteriors, my daughter told us a similiar story about a young boy that hopped onto the open dishwasher door and slipped and was blinded by a knife. I agree, lesson learned.

I recently got the Bosch with the third rack for cutlery, etc...very handy. The silverware basket has spacer guides that dictate "handles" first. I firstly thought this is crazy fitting the handles in the slots...turns out...not so bad...probably a little OCD. LOL.

Handles down except for the knives. This is what the owners manual says to do.

Everything but sharp knives handle-down.

The manual that came with my new dishwasher said you should load utensils in both up and down to avoid nesting

I vote handles down so that it's easier to keep items from nesting and not getting washed.

Down ... easier to take out of the dishwasher!

Sharp ends of forks and knives down-less likely one will injure her/himself when in a hurry to get things out.

If you own sterling or plated flatware, they should never go into the dishwasher. I'm a professional silver conservator who deals with this issue on a constant basis. Collectors send me their dulled flatware for polishing. Read all about Silver & Dishwashers here. Another problem with loading a dishwasher with sterling or plated flatware is that a lot of scratching goes on.

Handles up only because I have very skinny flat silverware handles. They fall through the basket if I place them handles down. I also have to mix up every basket so those pesky spoons don't spoon.

I prefer handles down, because then I know the silver wear is getting a better wash on the ends.

nearly a tie vote... wow

Have had the third drawer for cutlery for 15 years, wouldn't do without! Love it!

If Martha Stewart says to mix them up, who am I to argue otherwise? If Donald Trump says to...