Dishwashers: Buying Guide

Freestanding dishwashers are the most common types of dishwashers and are usually on the less expensive side. The primary and best benefit of a freestanding model is that you can place it anywhere. Whether that’s in your kitchen or utility room, as long as it’s close to a plug socket and can be easily connected to a drain, you’ll have very little issue installing it. This flexibility of placement also means you can simply slide it out if you need to make repairs, and the fact it isn’t connected to your kitchen also means you can take it with you if move home!

The only real downside to buying a freestanding dishwasher is their tendency to clash with prebuilt kitchen aesthetics. If you’re looking to maintain a consistent feel with your kitchen, you may struggle to find a model that suits your look unless you hide it away with a door under the worksurfaces.

As the name would suggest, an integrated dishwasher is one that’s part of a built-in kitchen. Often, this means that they’re hidden by a cupboard door, allowing it to seamlessly fuse with your kitchen cabinetry and appliances. Integrated models are ideal if you want your kitchen to look streamlined and maintain a uniform ambience.

Unfortunately, integrated dishwashers come with the downside of lacking all the mobility of a freestanding model as well leaving you unable to view remaining cycle time and controls without opening the door. Needless to say, with their added installation requirements, integrated dishwashers also tend to be pricier than their freestanding counterparts.

So, if you’re not sold on the idea of a free standing or integrated dishwasher, then a semi-integrated dishwasher might be just what you’re looking for. Combining the best of both worlds, a semi-integrated dishwasher blends seamlessly into your kitchen, either mostly hidden behind a cabinet door or by having matching cabinet panelling attached to its front. With the exception of the control panel, which is clearly on display, the rest of the dishwasher will be safely hidden away beneath your kitchen worktops.

However, semi-integrated dishwashers are by far the hardest versions to come by, and unsurprisingly, are often the most expensive option out of all dishwashers.

Perfect if you have a smaller kitchen and less space to work with, a slimline dishwasher is a full 15cm smaller than all of the typical full-sized dishwashers. Slimline versions are around 45cm wide and have a 90-100 item capacity, almost a quarter less than the 120-150 item capacity in most regular dishwashers, but still more than adequate for your needs.

There are, however, two drawbacks to slimline dishwashers. Their narrow shape can make them difficult to load, especially if you’ve a lot to put in. Studies have shown that some slimline dishwashers also have less-economical water usage than traditional types of dishwashers, meaning you’re potentially going to be paying a similar running cost to larger models.

If you’re really struggling for space or find that you don’t use that many dishes and bowls, picking up a compact dishwasher is the perfect accompaniment for any cosy kitchen. Also known as a table-top dishwasher, compact dishwashers are a bit wider than slimline models at 55cm across but they’re much shorter. They can either sit atop your worksurfaces or be integrated into your cabinets to keep a streamline kitchen feel. Worksurface models also have the added benefit of being easily portable, allowing you to take it with you when you move into a larger space.

While a nifty appliance to have in a studio flat or while living on your own, a compact dishwasher’s capacity is limited to 40-60 items, meaning you can’t wash too much in one go and you might find fitting large pans in troublesome. Compact dishwashers are also the least energy and water efficient out of all types of dishwashers.

Like with many other household appliances, including washing machines and fridge freezers, certain dishwashers can now be connected with various apps on your phone. While certainly being more expensive than standard models, smart dishwashers allow you to control their activation remotely, starting them at a specific time of the day that’s convenient for you so you can quickly empty it when you get home from work and avoid noise when you’re trying to relax after dinner. There are plenty of other features that come with them, all designed to make using your dishwasher hassle free.

Most dishwashers are now able to perfectly control the temperature of the water being used to ensure maximum efficiency and the proper activation of the cleaning agents in your detergent. Sensor washes can work out how dirty your plates are once an initial rinse has finished and then adjust the follow-up wash accordingly to use as little water as possible.

A staple of almost all types of dishwashers, and ideal if you have a slimline or compact model, practically every dishwasher comes with removable racks and baskets. These let you maximise every inch of available space so you can fit in as much as you need. Some dishwashers even have height adjustable racks that you can move up or down, depending on if you have bigger dishes you need to wash. Cutlery racks are especially handy for keeping knives and forks together but out of the way.

Simple and effective, these locks stop a dishwasher’s door from being opened once the dishwasher has been activated, as well as stopping any changes to programmes or temperatures being made whilst it’s in use.

Whilst choosing the temperature on your dishwasher isn’t always on option, like it is with most washing machines, some dishwashers have their own set of energy-saving options. A particularly common setting is an Eco wash, which can be used to reduce the amount of water and electricity spent each time a dishwasher is turned on, saving you money in the long-term.

Some dishwasher models come with a self-cleaning filter, others have manual ones that you’ll need to empty by hand. Self-cleaning filters are particularly handy, operating something called a grinder. The use of a grinder can make the washing process particularly noisy but their addition has the added benefit of effortlessly breaking stubborn food up into easily removed particles.

Some dishwashers come with a quiet mark, which means they use brushless motors when cleaning your dishes. This substantially reduces the noise they produce and are ideal if you have an open plan living space, meaning you don’t have to turn the TV up when your dishwasher is active. A decibel (dBs) rating of 50 or higher means that conversations will be audibly affected in the same room, but plenty of the higher end models have a rating of 30-45dBs, making these the preferable option if you enjoy peace and quiet.

Most dishwashers will have four standard cycles: a light wash, regular wash, heavy wash, and economy wash; though many higher end models come with their own dedicated set of cycles such as a quick wash, glassware, pot scrubbing, baby items, and sanitisation.

Some dishwashers even come equipped with a drying cycle, which means your dishes will come out dry once the cycle ends. This method of drying works by coating your dishes in a layer of hot water. The heat of the water contrasts with the relatively cool stainless-steel dishwasher interior to form condensation, which rapidly dries from the dishes. Not only is this energy and water efficient, but it’s also incredibly hygienic as you don’t have to wipe anything dry.

Inside a dishwasher, the tubs and racks that carry dishes, crockery and cutlery also tend to be made of a durable plastic or stainless steel. Both are constructed from long-lasting, hardwearing properties, but the advantage of stainless steel is that it better retains heat after each cycle has finished, which means your dishes dry more quickly.