do not think that it uses as much energy or water as a dishwasher. But I don't really know. But really, is it a significant difference? I don't think it is. My opinion of the this-or-that being more efficient arguments is that it often is only a small savings one way or the other, and can be affected by things like how you do it. I wash a small amount of dishes in about an inch of hot water with dish soap, and I think that is not normal---so how do they factor things like that into their statistics? To me, it is just easier and part of that reason is what you said about things you use all the time.
As to whether the tap water is hot enough, I am at a loss as to whether that can be factored in----doesn't the dishwasher hook up to the same water supply as the faucet? 
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