 If you’re in the market for a new dishwasher, there are many options and features to consider prior to making your purchase. Dishwasher design and performance have both changed over the years. These machines feature stylish, sleek designs and top-notch performance that cleans dishes quickly and efficiently.
Today’s dishwashers leave dishes, glassware and silverware with a lustrous finish while ably conserving water and time. When shopping for a dishwasher, you’ll find a range of sizes, including some as small as a drawer and others large enough to fit 16 place settings and more. There will be numerous options regarding racks, cycles and cleaning features. And many of today’s models are amazingly quiet, décor conscious and versatile.
In this article, we’ll consider various aspects that will influence which dishwasher you purchase, including capacity and size, features, power and performance, and styles and colors.
Capacity and Size
Whether you live in a tiny apartment with an even smaller kitchen or a huge house with a good-sized kitchen and a space to match for your dishwasher, there’s a machine for you. There are compact and countertop models that are about as large as a kitchen drawer and will fit four to five place settings or about 50 to 60 items. You’ll also find portable machines that can be wheeled over to your sink, hooked up and turned on and when done unhooked from the faucet and stored in a corner. These can fit up from six to eight place settings or somewhere around 80 items.
Built-in styles can be found with either moderate or large capacities. Moderately sized models can accommodate eight to 12 place settings or 80 to 145 separate items. This type of machine ably serves a family of four to six. The largest residential machines can wash up to 180 to 195 separate pieces or approximately 16 place settings.
In terms of size, compact models range from 18-22 inches wide, 18-22 inches deep and 18-22 inches high. Portable models are narrow with a width at 18 inches, height at 36 inches and depth at 24 inches. Dishwashers with moderate and large capacities fit in the same size space, measuring approximately 24 inches wide, 24 inches deep and 35 inches high.
Features
The basin or tub will partly determine how much you pay for a dishwasher. Models with plastic basins tend to be less expensive, while those with stainless steel tubs are pricier. The stainless steel basin tends to be more durable and it also resists stains and odors.
When researching dishwashers it will become clear very quickly that there are various options and features from which you may choose. Optional features give you more flexibility but they will also raise the price of the machine.
A dial control with a basic timer feature works well and is less expensive, while LCD readout, which are set by pushing easily manipulated streamlined electronic buttons, are easier to read than dial controls. Stylistically, the LCD readout projects a 21st century look. Some dishwashers may be preprogrammed to start at a specific time. This feature allows you to run the machine at off-peak hours.
Machines with collapsible racks that can accommodate a range of shapes and sizes, removable racks for out of dishwasher loading, independent drawers that allow you to wash heavy duty and delicate items at the same time and folding tines that give you options when it comes to loading items are found in higher priced models.
Self-cleaning filters and grinders that act like miniature garbage disposals help to ensure uninterrupted performance by keeping the basin and drain clean. However if you’re concerned about noise, then be aware that grinders are the loudest feature on a dishwasher.
As far as noise is concerned, the sound from a dishwasher can range from 45-60 decibels, which is the rate of normal conversation. A lawnmower runs at about 90 decibels and a whisper is 15 decibels. Each machine will be listed with a decibel rating.
Even if you purchase a dishwasher that runs at a lower decibel level, it could still sound loud depending upon various factors related to your kitchen. Dishwashers that are installed in kitchens with ceramic floors will be louder than those that come in contact with wood floors. Also, if a kitchen has fewer sound dampening materials, such as furniture and curtains, the machine will sound louder.
Power and Performance
Dishwasher design and performance—are they equal in your mind or does one carry more weight for you? For most people, dishwasher design is less important than performance, since the whole point of purchasing the machine is to make cleaning up after meals as effortless as possible. Here are some power and performance options to consider.
The size of the spray armholes is directly related to the amount of water pressure the machine generates. The smaller the holes in the arm then the finer and more powerful the spray, creating more scrubbing muscle and resulting in cleaner dishes.
A stainless steel tub also helps to improve performance and save money. The stainless steel aids in increasing the temperature of the water, which means there’s less power used to heat the water to its proper cleaning temperature. Also, the items in a stainless steel machine dry more quickly.
Purchasing a machine with a rinse aid will help reduce spotting and machines with a sanitary wash rinse, which heats water to 150 degrees, will ensure that dishes are as close to bacteria free as they can be.
There are three basic dishwashing cycles—light, normal and pots and pans. However many dishwashers include an array of cycles, including a delicate setting for crystal and china, an extra high-pressure cycle for tough, baked on food and a rinse and hold setting, which is used to clean food off of items that will be in the dishwasher for a few days prior to getting cleaned. These extra cycles, all of which expedite cleaning, can be useful to those who are stressed for time.
The extra power and heat features discussed can be useful and offer numerous benefits. Your budget and needs will determine if you buy a model offering high-end options.
Styles and Colors
Most manufacturers offer dishwashers in four standard colors—black, white, bisque and stainless steel. And although a majority of dishwashers are sold in one of those four colors, you are not limited to those choices. There’s a range of options now available to consumers, including doors that can be made to match your cabinets, candy colors such as red and blue and special order kits that include copper, chalkboard and pebbled metallic finishes and trims. There are also curved and flat door designs.
Stylistically, stainless steel offers a classic look and black gives a neutral feel that’s easy to keep clean. Purchasing a machine with a door that matches your décor is certainly a fine touch while a kit can really make your machine standout and create a personal statement.
What to Consider
The first thing you need to do is decide what size machine meets your needs and fits into your kitchen. Then look into basic features, research consumer reports regarding performance and dependability and determine if you need high-end options.
The most important thing is that you purchase a dishwasher that will make your life easier and, at the same time, fits into the style of your kitchen.
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