If you have a sterling silver set of flatware then you are going to want to avoid putting it in the dishwasher. This is not to say that people don't do it, but it will heighten the chances of rust and damage to what is likely a very valuable investment. If you have sterling steel tableware, then so long as it doesn't have anything attached to it that renders it non-dishwasher safe, you should have no problems saving your time and using a dishwasher.