Dishwashers are a fantastic way to save time and effort in the kitchen, getting your tableware, cutlery and cookware clean and shiny in no time. But, as you’ll find when you start browsing, there are many things to think about when buying a dishwasher. If you want to ensure you buy the perfect dishwasher for your home, then read this dishwasher buying guide from the Comet team…
What is a dishwasher?
This may seem like a question with an obvious answer, but what exactly is a dishwasher?
Put simply, a dishwasher is an appliance that is used to clean dishes, bowls, pots, pans, utensils - basically any item that is used to cook or consume food.
Dishwashers work on the basis of pressurised water. Instead of scrubbing the dishes - as happens when you wash up by hand - a dishwasher sprays hot pressurised water onto the dishes (usually at a temperature of between 45 and 75ºC) along with a detergent. Once sufficiently ‘washed’, the contents of the dishwasher are then sometimes dried as part of a drying cycle.
Today’s dishwashers have their roots in the late 1920s when the first electric dishwasher was invented by German appliance manufacturer Miele in 1929. (Previous dishwashers had to be ‘cranked’ by hand).
Fast-forward to today and the dishwasher has become ubiquitous, found in homes right across the UK and being offered in numerous forms by brands such as Hotpoint, Indesit, and Russell Hobbs.
What are the different types of dishwashers?
Once you start browsing for a new dishwasher, you’ll find that there are in fact several different types available - each type lending itself to a different kitchen setting.
Below, we’ll take you through each of the most common types of dishwasher.
Freestanding dishwashers
The classic. Ask someone to think of a dishwasher and the chances are they’ll think of a freestanding dishwasher.
As the name suggests, a freestanding dishwasher can ‘stand alone’ and be placed virtually anywhere that has suitable plumbing and power connections.
Because freestanding dishwashers are independent appliances that don’t have to fit within a kitchen unit, they are available in a wide range of sizes, dimensions and capacities. On average though, you’ll find that freestanding dishwashers are around 60 cm wide and have a capacity of between 120 and 150 items.
Freestanding dishwashers are also available in a considerable range of colours and finishes. This is largely because more of the dishwasher is visible (e.g. the sides and top) compared to other types of dishwasher.
Integrated dishwashers
As fitted kitchens have become increasingly popular and prevalent in UK homes over recent decades, so too have integrated dishwashers.
Integrated dishwashers - also known as built-in dishwashers - are designed to be placed within a fitted kitchen - slotting seamlessly into an open-fronted unit.
Fully integrated dishwashers feature the ability to add a front panel which will match the rest of the units in a fitted kitchen. When closed, the dishwasher effectively ‘disappears’ and blends in with the rest of the units.
Because integrated dishwashers are designed to be entirely hidden, you’ll typically find that their control panels are located on the inside edge of the front opening (see image below for example):
Popular built-in dishwasher brands include Indesit and Hotpoint.
Semi-integrated dishwashers
Semi-integrated dishwashers possess a similar design to fully-integrated dishwashers - slotting seamlessly in between kitchen units.
However, where semi-integrated dishwashers differ is that they don’t ‘blend in’ with the kitchen units in the same way that fully-integrated dishwashers do. In other words, instead of a kitchen unit style panel on the front, the front of a semi-integrated dishwasher will simply look like a regular dishwasher.
As such, semi-integrated dishwashers are good if you want easy access to the controls - as these will be on the front of the appliance rather than hidden on the inside edge of the front opening. This also makes it easy to check on the progress of a wash.
Slimline dishwashers
If your kitchen is tight on space, then a slimline dishwasher is the perfect solution. Being narrower than typical dishwashers, slimline dishwashers allow you to enjoy all the benefits of a dishwasher, but in a much tighter space.
To give you an idea of the difference between slimline and regular dishwashers, consider that your average slimline appliance will be around 45 cm wide, whilst regular dishwashers are approximately 60 cm wide.
Whilst they are able to fit into smaller kitchens, as you’d expect slimline dishwashers have a smaller capacity. On average, a slimline dishwasher will hold between 90 and 100 items. This makes them more suitable for smaller households.
Table-top dishwashers
Is your kitchen particularly short on space? Do you only need to wash a few items at any one time? If you’ve answered yes to either of those questions, then you may find that a table-top dishwasher is the best choice for your home.
As they can be easily placed on a table-top or counter, table-top dishwashers are ideal for small kitchens, flats, apartments and even for use in small bars and cafés.
On average, you’ll find that a table-top dishwasher is around 55 to 60 cm wide and approximately 45 cm high. With these dimensions, you’ll have a great deal of choice as to where you locate your table-top dishwasher.
How to buy the right size dishwasher
Arguably the most important thing to consider when selecting a dishwasher is size.
By size, we’re referring to both the physical dimensions of the dishwasher (e.g. its height, width and depth) and its capacity (the number of items it’s able to hold).
How to measure for a new integrated dishwasher
Need to know how to measure for a new integrated, semi-integrated or slimline dishwasher? Then follow these steps:
- Ensure you have a tape measure and a pen and paper to hand.
- Take the tape measure and note down the height, width and depth of the space where the dishwasher will be installed.
- Add around five to seven centimetres to the depth - this will provide room for the plumbing and electrical connections.
- Double-check your measurements!
By being absolutely sure of your dimensions, you’ll make the whole installation process much easier.
Having said that, it’s also important to give some thought to the capacity of your dishwasher. Too small, and you’ll have to run multiple wash cycles. Too big, and you’ll find that you’re wasting energy and water.
How to buy the right capacity dishwasher
To ensure you buy a dishwasher of the correct capacity, there’s a single word you should pay particularly close attention to - settings.
You’ll find that the majority of dishwashers advertise their capacity in terms of the number of settings they can contain.
In this context, a setting (sometimes called a ‘place setting’) refers to all the dishes, cutlery and glasses from a three-course meal.
According to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, a place setting consists of:
- A large dinner plate.
- A small plate.
- Cup.
- Saucer.
- Bowl.
- Drinking glass.
- Cutlery - consisting of a knife, fork, two teaspoons.
Based on this, you can work out what capacity dishwasher will be best for your home. For example, if you regularly have four or five people around for dinner, then you’ll want a dishwasher that’s listed as suitable for five or five place settings (at least).
If you don’t want to be continually refilling your dishwasher, then it’s best to err on the side of caution and buy a dishwasher that can accommodate more place settings than you think you’ll need.
Think of it this way; if you buy a slightly larger capacity dishwasher you won’t have to refill it every night, you can fill it over two or three days and then put a wash on. For example, if you’re a household of four people, then a dishwasher that can accommodate nine to 12 place settings will provide plenty of washing capacity.
Dishwasher buying considerations
Aside from selecting the right type, size and capacity dishwasher, there are a number of other important factors you should think about when buying a dishwasher for your home.
We’ve detailed the most important of these factors below.
Energy rating
Energy prices keep rising - and it looks like they're set to stay high - so, one of the most important things to look for when choosing a dishwasher is its energy rating.
Here at Comet, energy ratings are listed within the product description and range from A to G. ‘A’ represents the most efficient type of dishwasher, with ‘G’ representing the least energy efficient dishwasher.
It’s important to note that when it comes to energy ratings, appliances are categorised based on their size. As such, two different sized dishwashers with the same energy rating may use different amounts of electricity.
The best way to choose an energy efficient dishwasher is to check the appliance’s energy rating label and choose the one that has the best energy rating for the size of washer you require.
Preset programs
If you find yourself cooking a variety of dishes at home throughout the week, then it’s a good idea to buy a dishwasher that features a variety of preset programs. This will allow you to set the dishwasher to tackle particular types of dishes and food grime.
For example, if you’re regularly having to clean bowls or pans that have baked-on food detritus, then look for a dishwasher that includes intensive cleaning cycles.
Other preset programs can include ones like Indesit’s Fast&Clean program which cleans and dries plates in as little as 28 minutes.
It’s also possible to buy dishwashers that have ‘delicate’ cycles so that you can use them to clean your best dinnerware and cutlery.
In other words, check that your chosen dishwasher features preset programs that cover all the cleaning scenarios you’re likely to encounter in your kitchen.
Baby mode
One preset to look out for in particular is ‘baby mode’. Dishwashers that feature a baby mode are able to very intensively clean plates and cutlery, ramping up the heat to 70 degrees or more.
A dishwasher with a baby mode will typically be able to kill 99.99% of bacteria that may be present on a bottle or dummy. So, if you have a newborn in the house, a dishwasher with a baby mode feature can be a sensible choice.
Adjustable baskets and racks
As anyone who has regularly used a dishwasher will tell you, one of the most time-consuming parts is loading and unloading the appliance.
That’s why it’s important to select a dishwasher that comes with the appropriate baskets and racks for your needs.
Some racks can be repositioned to sit higher or lower within the dishwasher - this can make it easier to load large plates or tall glasses on the lower rack. Some dishwashers feature one or more baskets which can be used to hold cutlery in one convenient place.
Flood protection
If you like to load your dishwasher and then go and do other jobs whilst it's running, a dishwasher with built-in flood protection will provide you with extra piece of mind.
With an anti-flood feature, a dishwasher will automatically cut off the water supply if it senses that something is wrong and save you from costly flooding damage to your kitchen.
Eco-features
Worried about energy bills? Concerned about the environment? Then in addition to buying a dishwasher that has a good energy rating, there are a few other features to look for. These include:
-
Eco-mode. Some dishwashers come with eco-mode features that allow you to wash your dishes at lower temperatures and/or with less water. These modes won’t necessarily be the best at giving your dishes a deep clean, but they are good if you just want to clean lightly soiled items.
- Sensor mode. Related to eco-modes, we have sensor-modes. These are effectively ‘intelligent’ wash cycles that figure out how dirty your plates are and then set the dishwasher’s performance accordingly. This ensures the dishwasher uses only the energy and water that’s really necessary.
Quiet operation
Gone are the days when dishwashers would sound like a jumbo jet taking off. Today, it’s possible to buy dishwashers that feature low-noise operation.
Some dishwashers actually feature the Quiet Mark which is an industry-standard accreditation which confirms that a dishwasher is much quieter than regular dishwashers.
Dishwashers that have a noise output of 44dB or less are considered to be ‘quiet’ (to give you some context, the average office has a noise level of approximately 60dB). Some dishwashers are quiet whenever they are used, whilst others have a specific low-noise operation which can be activated when you want to keep noise levels down.
We’d recommend a low-noise dishwasher if you live in a flat, apartment or have thin walls in your home.
Automatic dosing
Have you ever struggled to figure out how much detergent to use in your dishwasher? Join the club!
To try and make that sort of problem a thing of the past, an increasing number of dishwashers now come with an automatic dosing feature.
Auto dose dishwashers come with a detergent reservoir which will automatically dispense exactly the right volume of detergent based on the number of items in the washer, and how dirty they are.
It’s a great time and money saving feature!
Drying cycle
As we mentioned earlier, unloading a dishwasher can be a tiresome task. A task that’s made even more tiresome if the plates and cutlery are soaking wet.
That’s why many modern dishwashers allow you to run ‘drying cycles’ in addition to the regular wash cycles.
Most dishwashers will dry their contents by soaking the items with hot water near the end of the cycle. When combined with the cooler stainless-steel interior of the dishwasher, this results in the plates etc becoming hot, draining off any excess water.
Smart features and Wi-Fi
The smart home trend isn’t a new one, but it’s certainly taken off in recent years as more and more appliances in the home add the ability to connect to the internet.
Smart dishwashers are becoming available which allow you to control them using either your voice (via a voice assistant) or via your smartphone. The ability to do this can open up a wealth of benefits including remote operation, preprogramming and more.
Intensive zones
Sometimes a dish that’s been used to cook a lasagne will need much more intensive cleaning than a glass that has been used to drink water from.
In that case, it’s possible to buy dishwashers that apply different levels of cleaning to different items during the same wash cycle. These are dishwashers that have ‘intensive zones’ - usually located at the bottom and back of the washer - where particularly dirty items can be placed to receive some extra TLC…
Brand
Finally, you’ll want to ensure that you’re buying a dishwasher from a reputable brand. Many of the best dishwasher brands have been around for decades and have a long and proven track record in designing and manufacturing durable, high-quality dishwashers.
Here at Comet, you’ll find dishwashers from some of the very best dishwasher brands such as Hotpoint, Indesit, and Russell Hobbs.
How much do dishwashers cost?
Now we come to one of the most important questions when buying a new dishwasher - price.
How much should you expect to pay for a dishwasher?
Here at Comet, you’ll find everything from cheap dishwashers that are a few hundred pounds in price through to premium dishwashers that feature many of the more advanced features detailed above. These high-end premium dishwashers tend to cost several hundred pounds up into the low thousands.
Note - dishwashers are now such common household items that it’s possible to buy a dishwasher at most price points.
The best dishwasher deals online
We hope you’ve found our guide to buying a dishwasher both interesting and helpful!
If you’re now thinking of investing in a new dishwasher, then you’re in the perfect place. At Comet, we offer a huge selection of freestanding, integrated, slimline and table-top dishwashers at incredible prices.
We also make it easy to afford a new dishwasher with our flexible ways to pay. Choose from PayPal Credit or Klarna Pay in 3 and spread the cost of your purchase across three, interest-free payments.
Explore Comet’s complete dishwasher range now.
For more buying guides, advice and information, explore the Comet blog…
