Choosing a dishwasher to fit your needs and the space within your household doesn’t have to be tedious as long as you know a few key factors.
With that said, today we will go over the main specifications you need to focus on, what accessories you might want to purchase, and what things to take into consideration depending on the type of dishwasher you’re looking at.
Basic Specifications
Think of choosing a dishwasher the same way as you would think of choosing a PC or other appliances – look at the spec sheet. Let’s go through each specification that matters and see what it means.
Place Settings/Load Capacity
Often used interchangeably, these terms refer to how many dishes a dishwasher can fit. If you live alone or with just one other person, five or six place settings should suffice.
However, if you have a large family or plan on using the dishwasher for your restaurant, then you’re going to want the capacity to be as high as possible. Some of the most spacious dishwashers go up to 16 place settings.
Wash Cycles
All dishwashers have several cycles to choose from. Of course, some have more than others. Choosing a dishwasher based on this spec depends on your needs.
To give you an idea, the most relevant cycles that many people will choose are the following:
- Regular wash
- Eco wash (economy/environmentally friendly)
- Light wash (for fragile dishes)
- Hard wash (for tough stains, pots, and pans)
- Sanitize (for baby utensils)
Noise Level
At first, you might not even consider this specification, but if you’re a really busy person and can only afford to wash dishes at night, getting a noisy appliance is the last thing you’ll want to do.
The average noise level of a dishwasher is 46 decibels, like on the Miele Futura Classic Plus, while there are also quieter dishwashers at only 39 decibels (though those are usually much more expensive).
Size and Weight
Finally, and probably the most important factor, is how much space the dishwasher takes up and how easy it will be for you to carry it.
Of course, this will depend on your needs, but as a general rule of thumb, a countertop dishwasher might be the best for a rental apartment, while a high-end dishwasher goes well with spacious houses that want the latest technologies.
Tips for Using a Dishwasher
These appliances have come a long way since the 70s, but that doesn’t mean you can just throw dishes in there at random and expect great results. To get the most out of your dishwasher, consider the following:
Never stack dishes. The spray arms need to target every individual plate and utensil, so you need to leave some space between items.
Put steel and silverware items separately. The chemical properties of these two metals don’t mix well when they are being washed, so it’s much safer to put one type of utensils on the 3rd rack, and the other in the utensil basket.
Load bowls and plates on the bottom rack and put glasses and cups on the top rack. This creates the necessary conditions for water to reach every single dish and wash everything thoroughly.
Do Dishwasher Brands Matter?
Yes and no. Just like with every gadget or appliance, there have been instances where a known brand has made an underwhelming product, while a far less known brand has managed to surprise people at a relatively low cost.
At the end of the day, it’s a matter of looking up the specs, price, and user reviews for the model that you’re interested in. The reviews are usually far more honest than what a salesman has to say about the product.
Final Thoughts
Dishwashers are a blessing in any household because they make a menial task much simpler and convenient.
As long as you follow the basic advice from this article, you should have no trouble finding the dishwasher that suits your needs and budget.
