A high-quality dishwasher is one of the best investments that you can make for your home. It not only saves you the time and stress of washing dishes by hand, but it also helps conserve energy and water while simultaneously lowering your utility bill in the process.
There are hundreds of dishwasher options available, and sifting through them to find the best one to buy is about as tedious as tackling a pile of dirty dishes. To save you time and effort, I've done the research for you to find the most reliable dishwasher models available today.
Editor's Note: The appliance industry is currently experiencing a supply chain disruption due to the global pandemic, a surge in demand, and widespread chip shortages. I did my best to find expert-approved models that are in stock at retailers Best Products trusts, with reasonable delivery estimates.
Best Dishwashers
- Best Overall: Bosch 300 Series Dishwasher
- Best High-End Dishwasher: Bosch 800 Series Dishwasher
- Best Cleaning Performance for the Price: GE GDP665SYNFS Dishwasher
- Best Feature Set and Design: KitchenAid KDPM604KPS Dishwasher
- Best Budget Dishwasher: Maytag MDB7959SKZ Dishwasher
- Most Reliable Dishwasher: Miele G 7316 SCU AutoDos Dishwasher
- Best Countertop Dishwasher: BLACK+DECKER BCD6W Dishwasher
- Best Portable Dishwasher: GE GPT145SSLSS Portable Dishwasher
- Best Smart Dishwasher: LG LDP6810SS Wi-Fi Enabled Dishwasher
- Quietest Dishwasher: GE Profile Series PDT785SBNTS Dishwasher
- Fastest Dishwasher: Thermador Star-Sapphire Series Dishwasher
- Best Narrow Dishwasher: Bosch 300 Series SPE53B55UC
How We Picked
For this guide, I spent more than 200 hours on dishwasher research. I compared thirty 24-inch built-in style dishwashers, 10 portable dishwashers (yup, those are a thing), seven countertop dishwashers, and five 18-inch dishwashers. I sifted through thousands of consumer and editorial reviews of them, too — including from our sister site Good Housekeeping, who tested many models in-house.
I consulted studies from experts in the appliance field and referred to the latest National Appliance Repair Report, which was published by San Francisco-based Puls, a company with more than 4,000 fully vetted appliance technicians across the country.
I also looked at repair and reliability data from Yale Appliance and Consumer Reports, in addition to J.D. Power’s annual Kitchen Appliance Satisfaction Study and the ACSI Household Appliance and Electronics Report.
While there may not be a singular perfect dishwasher that will work for every home since they vary in price and come in multiple finishes, shapes, and sizes — I'm confident your family will find a dishwasher in this guide that you’ll love.
Besides factoring in price, overall reliability, and cleaning performance to determine our top picks, I also took into account the following:
- Dish capacity
- Adjustable racks
- Drying performance
- Number of cycles
- Run time
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- Warranty length
I'm here to help you find the best dishwasher that suits your needs and budget constraints that will keep those pesky dishes from piling up in your sink. Shop our recommended models below and give your kitchen the upgrade you deserve!
Best Overall
Editor's Note: At the time of publishing, the Bosch 300 Series was currently out of stock at most online retailers. It will be back in stock at Wayfair on April 17, 2022. You can check Wayfair's current stock of Bosch dishwashers at the link here to see if any alternatives are available for delivery at your ZIP code.
If you're looking for the most bang for your buck, the Bosch 300 Series won't disappoint. Based on our evaluation, Bosch is one of the most reliable dishwasher brands. In fact, Yale Appliance found that only an average of 10% of Bosch dishwashers sold throughout 2015 and 2020 needed service in the first year of ownership.
This Bosch dishwasher is well-designed, and it'll look great in any kitchen. If you don't want curious kids fussing with its outer control panel, you also have the choice of a bar-handle variant. All 300 Series models are spacious, quiet, and energy-efficient, and they offer plenty of cycles.
If you have a big family or just need to clean lots of dishes, you'll appreciate its convenient V-shaped third rack, which offers up to 30% more capacity than other dishwashers. Bosch has more expensive models — the 500 Series and 800 Series — which add a more flexible third rack setup and lower sound ratings, but I think the 300 Series will work great for most families. Compared to the more affordable Bosch 100 Series, this one dries better, it's much quieter, and its racks are more spacious and adjustable.
The 300 Series is one of the highest-rated dishwashers by reviewers across Best Buy, Google Shopping, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and other major retailers. It’s also been heralded as the best dishwasher by Wirecutter for its effective cleaning, its convenient Speed60 cycle that washes and dries dishes in an hour, and its reliability.
If something does go wrong, Bosch is known for its impressive customer service and a great warranty. Both labor and parts have a 1-year warranty, the racks and electrical systems have a 5-year warranty, and the tub and door liner are both covered for life.
According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index’s household appliance and electronics report, Bosch continues to be an industry leader for customer satisfaction in the dishwasher segment for a third consecutive year. Simply put: Should you need support, you won't be left hanging.
The 300 Series still offers Bosch’s signature height-adjusting RackMatic System, which quickly adjusts the dishwasher's middle rack to fit taller items, all in one easy step (you can even adjust it while everything is loaded). It offers up to nine rack positions, so you can make room for your entire dish load.
Because the dishwasher is so quiet (just 44 decibels), Bosch designed and added a nifty red light that beams onto the floor to let you know a cycle is in progress. Truly, it's so quiet that you likely won't even hear it running.
The only critique I'd give this Bosch dishwasher is that it isn't the best at drying plastic; this is mainly because it uses condensation drying instead of heat drying. On the plus side, it's incredibly energy-efficient and uses just 2.9 gallons of water per load during its normal cycle (Energy Star recommends a 3.5-gallons-per-load usage).
Best High-End Dishwasher
Editor's Note: The Bosch 800 Series is currently out of stock at most online retailers. However, it will be back in stock at Wayfair on April 28, 2022. You can check Wayfair's current stock of Bosch dishwashers at the link here to see if any alternatives are available for delivery at your ZIP code.
Also available at Lowe’s, AJ Madison and Home Depot
Many dishwashers have the unfortunate tendency to hold excess moisture, resulting in wet dishes that you have to dry with a dishcloth. If you splurge for one of Bosch’s 800 Series dishwashers, that’ll be a problem of the past.
The Bosch 800 Series (SHXM78Z55N) is one of the first dishwashers in the U.S. that harnesses the power of zeolite. This is a mineral that stores heat and absorbs water, which makes it an excellent aid to extract moisture from your dishwasher and speed the drying process. The tech has been used in high-end Thermador dishwashers priced as high as $2,000, although this dishwasher starts at a more reasonable asking price of about $1,200.
Bosch calls the tech CrystalDry, and its 800 Series models have a cavity at the backside of the dishwasher that stows the zeolite in a pebble-like form. Jonathan Chan, the lab manager at Reviewed.com, said the dishwasher is a “major step forward” and that it even dries stubborn plastics well.
“When we engaged the [CrystalDry] feature on the Autocycle, 100% of dishes and plates came out dry, and it even extracted all the moisture out of the interior of Tupperware containers,” he said.
Besides drying well, the dishwasher packs plenty of power to remove stains, and it shouldn’t have any issue cleaning greasy pots, stained plates, or bowls with crusty food remnants. It has a sanitize cycle, which will come in handy for cleaning baby bottles or sippy cups. I also appreciated the addition of a half-load setting that reduces water usage for times when you need to run a quick cycle and the dishwasher isn’t completely full.
Like the 300 Series, Bosch sells multiple variants of this dishwasher that come at different price points. The differences between them is the location of their controls and the type of handle you use to open them. There's a model with a recessed handle, a pocket handle, a bar handle, and the top-of-the-line Bosch SHEM78ZH5N model is quieter and has a larger third rack that’s big enough to stow deeper items like large cereal bowls.
I think the SHXM78Z55N stretches your dollar the furthest. It still has the adjustable racks that you'll love and tines that fold down to help it hold pans upright. Plus, it dries dishes better than nearly every other dishwasher out there.
Best Cleaning Performance for the Price
Also available at Wayfair
The GE GDP665SYNFS is a luxurious-looking dishwasher that will get your dishes sparkling clean almost every time. The dishwasher offers users an extra-large capacity that’s spacious enough for 16 place settings, plus the model is equipped with a stainless steel tub and built-in third rack so you can clean more items like spatulas, serving utensils and lids in fewer loads. It flaunts an attractive fingerprint-resistant finish, is configured with a sleek pocket handle, and has hidden controls, so it’ll truly shine in any kitchen — modern or otherwise. But there's more than just good looks that make this one of the best dishwashers on our list. Indeed, there’s a lot more to love about the GE.
It delivers above-average cleaning performance, and an editor at Wirecutter said it even cleaned better than a nearly $300-more-expensive Miele dishwasher they tested. That’s probably because it has three wash levels to ensure every dish gets sprayed with water and detergent. Its integrated hard food disposer uses stainless steel impellers to pulverize food particles, meaning there won’t be any leftover gunk on your plates after the fan-assisted heated dry cycle. You can also enable a “Steam + Sani” cycle to deep-clean your dishes and kill 99.99% of bacteria. Since there’s a soil sensor onboard, the dishwasher will know when to shorten or extend the cycle based on how much debris remains mid-cycle.
Not only that, it's packed with four bottle wash jets that spray deep within tall items like water bottles, narrow glasses, and jars that you’d otherwise wash by hand. Overall, you’d be hard-pressed to find a dishwasher that cleans as well this one and that is packed with as many premium features.
Best Feature Set and Design
Editor's Note: The KitchenAid KDPM604KPS was available for immediate purchase at the time of publishing. However, if it is currently out of stock, we also recommend the Lowe's-exclusive KitchenAid KDTE104KPS dishwasher. It's more affordable because it lacks the third rack and the ProDry feature, but it still delivers decent cleaning performance.
This KitchenAid dishwasher is an easy-to-load, effective cleaner that does a great job at removing debris and stains from dishes without being too noisy.
The dishwasher — which has room for 16 place settings — is packed with a stainless steel tub, nice extras like a deep, angled third rack with rotating jets to clean your glasses, mugs, and bowls, and a convenient ProWash cycle for the messiest of dishes. However, its third rack can’t be reconfigured in as many positions as the Bosch 300 Series, our current top pick.
However, what makes the KitchenAid (and its dishes) really shine is its “ProDry” feature that delivers an impeccable drying performance. Most dishwashers rely on rinse aid, but this one uses a recessed heating element and a fan to draw moisture out of its stainless steel tub. That way, when it’s time to unload your dishwasher, your plates won’t come out sopping wet.
Its “Clean Water Wash” tech continually removes food particles from the wash water, so you won’t have tiny food bits stuck on your clean plates when all of the cycles are complete. The dishwasher runs quietly at just 44 decibels, which is about as loud as a hushed conversation in a library.
It's available in both a traditional stainless steel finish as well as a black stainless steel variant. For those who prefer a bar handle, consider the similar KDTM604KPS (stainless) and the KDTM604KBS (black stainless) instead. All finishes resist smudges and fingerprints quite well, which you'll appreciate.
Best Budget Dishwasher
Editor's Note: The Maytag MDB7959SKZ was available for immediate purchase at the time of publishing. However, if it is currently out of stock, we also recommend the Whirlpool WDT750SAKZ, a budget-friendly dishwasher that even packs a third rack for long utensils that might be too bulky for the silverware basket.
Also available at Home Depot
Technically, this dishwasher from Maytag isn’t the most inexpensive dishwasher you can buy, but I think it’s worth spending a little bit extra, considering its significantly better cleaning and drying performance and its much more expensive-looking design. For more than 2 years, I recommended Maytag’s MDB4949SKZ dishwasher as our best budget dishwasher, but the newer MDB7959SKZ model features a steam-sanitized option, it holds two more place settings (14), and its control panel is no longer on the front of the unit. I think these features are worth its slightly higher price point.
Compared to the top-rated and oftentimes cheaper Whirlpool WDT730PAHZ, this one offers homeowners a quieter operation, an extra rack, and a more durable stainless steel tub compared to Whirlpool’s plastic one. In comparison to our best overall pick, the Bosch 300 Series, the Maytag is noticeably louder (50 decibels versus the Bosch’s 44 decibels). It also lacks a third rack — which might be a dealbreaker for some — and it has slower runtimes. On the plus side, it dries plastic better and has a more versatile bottom rack that better accommodates large pots and pans. Another plus is its hard food disposer that grinds down food particles.
The Maytag is a reliable dishwasher, and it's backed by a 1-year warranty for parts and labor. Even better? It has an additional 9 years of coverage for the grinder, tub, liner, and nylon racks.
Most Reliable Dishwasher
Also available at Abt and AJ Madison
Miele dishwashers are the longest-lasting dishwashers that you can buy. The company claims that its products will last for 20 years of average use. Steve Sheinkopf, the CEO of Yale Appliance (which publishes 1-year repair rates), owns a Miele dishwasher and says Miele appliances have problems like any other brand, but when issues arise, they are “more of a nuisance than the product not working.”
“The company handles the issues honorably,” he writes, adding that Miele sometimes even covers repair costs when the products are outside their warranty period.
This dishwasher's performance is impressive, and its look and features are as well. It has a logo-free stainless steel front and a hidden top-mounted control panel, and it can be programmed to start at predetermined times via a downloadable app. All racks are adjustable so that you can fit practically anything inside. For even more room, the dishwasher is equipped with a third rack that's ideal for stowing utensils and silverware.
Miele is also one of the only dishwasher brands with top, middle, and bottom wash arms so that your dishes are sure to get sparkly clean every time. When the cycles are finished, the dishwasher door automatically opens partially to let moisture escape, which helps with drying and lets you know that your dishes are clean.
The dishwasher is a pricey but reliable, efficient, and stylish offering. If the G 7000 line is too far out of your budget, Miele recently launched its G 5000 dishwasher line, an entry-level model that should provide similar cleaning performance and reliability.
Our colleagues at Good Housekeeping were fans of the G7000's fingerprint-resistant stainless steel finish and its QuickIntense cycle that cleans a load in under an hour. What I love most about the Miele is that it automatically dispenses the correct amount of detergent based on whatever cleaning cycle you select. However, the PowerDisk detergent is much more expensive than store-bought cleaners. Fortunately, a 6-month supply is included when you buy the dishwasher.
Best Countertop Dishwasher
Editor's Note: Due to supply chain issues, the BLACK+DECKER BCD6W has nearly doubled in price. If its too steep for your budget we also recommend the Danby DDW631SDB, a budget-friendly countertop dishwasher that packs eight cycles and an extra dry option.
Also available at Lowe’s
This small countertop dishwasher from BLACK+DECKER is a relatively inexpensive model. It rests on your countertop and accommodates six standard place settings in a single rack. Plus, it leaves room for an included cutlery basket.
This dishwasher sports a sleek stainless steel finish, and it’s 21 inches tall. It features a stainless steel tub, seven wash cycles, and a rinse option. The speed cycle takes just 45 minutes, while the Heavy Duty cycle takes an hour and 40 minutes. The normal cycle finishes in an hour and 10 minutes.
I like that it has a delay-start feature and child safety lock — both rarities among countertop models. Its control panel is digital and shows what cycle the washer is on and how much time is remaining. This compact dishwasher is easy to use, and it simply connects to your faucet. It's not too loud, and it's extremely convenient for those tight on space.
I also recommend the Danby DDW631SDB countertop dishwasher. It may not have the sharp, ultra-modern look like the Black & Decker, but it can still fit six place settings, and this model is oftentimes cheaper. It's also a top pick at Reviewed.com.
Best Portable Dishwasher
Portable dishwashers make the most sense for long-term renters who don't have a dishwasher in their unit. In this category, I most recommend this 18-inch-wide model from GE. It may not be the quietest — it reaches noise levels up to 52 decibels — but it looks nice, has a stainless steel interior, and cleans thoroughly.
During Reviewed.com's test with the dishwasher, they found that it dries better than the competition, and it cleans just as well as some higher-end, fully installed dishwashers. Users should make sure that they can accommodate this model's 5-foot-long power cord and 3-foot-long hose.
This dishwasher is on wheels, so you can easily roll it around your kitchen to hook it up to your sink, but the wheels can also be removed for permanent placement. Our only complaints are that it uses a lot of water — more than twice the amount of traditional dishwashers — and it has limited cycle options. There are only three cycles to pick from: Normal, Auto-Sense, and Heavy. Also, this portable dishwasher is only compatible with threaded sink faucet spouts, not with faucet spouts that have built-in sprayers.
There are a handful of 18- and 24-inch portable dishwashers available from other brands, but they typically feature plastic tubs, are loud, and don't clean as well as this one — not to mention that they're just as expensive as standard dishwashers. If you're looking for a quality portable dishwasher for a great value, you can't go wrong with this one from GE.
For larger families, I also recommend the GE GPT225SSLSS, which offers enough room for 12 place settings compared to this one's eight place settings.
Best Smart Dishwasher
Editor's Note: I previously named The LG STUDIO dishwasher as Best Products' top smart dishwasher but it is consistently out of stock at most online retailers. Our new pick, the LG LDP6810SS is less expensive and still packs LG's signature QuadWash feature, but lacks an interior light.
Also available at Home Depot, Best Buy
You'll love this LG dishwasher's sleek stainless steel design. It has built-in Wi-Fi and even a complementary app that alerts you when your dishes are clean. You can ask your Amazon Alexa-powered smart speaker or your Google Assistant to check the status of your dish cycle.
Not only is this dishwasher smart, but it's also a beast at cleaning. It is equipped with four spray arms — instead of the standard two — and packs plenty of high-pressure jets to power-clean your dishes from every angle. There's even a steam-cleaning function, which minimizes annoying water spots.
Like other dishwashers in its price range, the LG has a stainless steel tub and a soil sensor that adjusts the cycle time to make it more energy-efficient. In total, it has three racks: a small one at the top for utensils, a middle rack for bowls and glasses, and a lower rack for larger items like mixing bowls and dinner plates.
This dishwasher is powerful, decently quiet, and does a fantastic job of washing and drying dishes. Its speed cycle will get your dishes sparkly clean in just over a half-hour. I also love that it's one of the few smart dishwashers that allows users to download a handful of custom wash cycles.
Quietest Dishwasher
Editor's Note: The GE PDT785SBNTS dishwasher was available for immediate purchase at the time of publishing. However, if it is currently out of stock, we also recommend the Samsung DW80R9950US which is available for purchase in a wide array of finishes. GE's latest Profile dishwasher should provide even better cleaning perfomrance, but it's 1.23x louder.
Also available at Best Buy
In our research of hundreds of dishwasher models, I've found that the GE Profile Series is the best quiet dishwasher that money can buy. In previous iterations of this guide, I've favored KitchenAid dishwashers for their quietness, and although the manufacturer's quietest appliance, the KDTE204KPS, is cheaper than the GE, this one has a larger capacity, a better cleaning and drying performance, and is equipped with smart features. It even has a hard food disposer that pulverizes food particles.
So just how quiet is the GE? It measures in at just 39 decibels. For context, a whisper checks in at 15 decibels, an air conditioner is 60 decibels, and a lawnmower is about 90 decibels. If you want to hear the difference between two dishwashers side by side, Yale Appliances miked up two dishwashers so that you can compare their sound levels for yourself.
You'll only be able to hear the murmur of this GE dishwasher if you're standing directly next to it, making it perfect for open-concept homes. This model features a fingerprint- and smudge-resistant exterior to keep its stainless steel finish looking sharp. It also has hidden controls, so curious kids don't accidentally start a wash cycle.
With its stainless steel interior, you'll also find a third rack for long, flat items like spatulas and a dual-fan system that delivers superior drying without the use of a rinse aid. It even has a bottle-wash option, and it's equipped with four spray nozzles that can be placed inside tall or oddly shaped items like water bottles, travel mugs, or vases for optimal cleaning. Lastly, there's a steam prewash that loosens tough grime before washing cycles, meaning that you won't have to soak or pre-rinse your dishes ever again!
Fastest Dishwasher
Also available at Best Buy and Abt
Thermador is the premium version of Bosch. This top-of-the-line dishwasher has a third rack, an illuminated stainless steel interior, Wi-Fi, a touchscreen control panel, and a specific caddy for washing wine glasses. Best of all, it has a Star Speed cycle that fully washes your dishes in just 20 minutes.
This ultra speedy cycle will come in handy for folks who need to clean lots of plates in the shortest amount of time. When the speed cycle is enabled, the Thermador continuously heats up water and keeps it on reserve for subsequent cycles. This means that you can run five loads of dishes in the same amount of time that it would take to run a single load of dishes using an average dishwasher.
The Thermador is also more effective at drying dishes than most other models because it uses zeolite, which emits heat and helps absorb water faster than traditional drying techniques.
Like Bosch dishwashers, this one is packed with special features: It’s ultra quiet, it shines a light on your floor to show the status of the cycles, and it’s equipped with adjustable racks. There’s also a neat leak-protection system called AquaStop Plus. It detects leaks in the base, and if there are any, it immediately shuts down the operation of the dishwasher and automatically starts pumping out the water, so it never makes it onto your floor.
Because of its speediness and cool features, it rings up at a price of over $2K, so it's definitely a splurge. But if you want the best of the best, you won't be disappointed.
Best Narrow Dishwasher
If space in your kitchen is tight, and you only have an 18-inch-wide cutout to work with, I recommend the Bosch 300 Series SPE53B55UC. Just like the 24-inch Bosch 300 Series I mentioned earlier, this more compact model is quiet, reasonably priced, and effective at removing grime from all your dishes. It even has the useful third rack for bowls and utensils.
This smaller model will hold about half as much as the full-sized Bosch — it also uses the same drying method, so it isn't the best at drying plastic. It's quieter and holds more place settings than the similar 18-inch Whirlpool WDF518SAHM.
Overall, this dishwasher is reliable, backed by an incredible warranty, and is more water- and energy-efficient than 24-inch dishwashers. It has the same RackMatic system that I raved about, enough room for 10 place settings, and operates at a quiet 46 decibels.
