But when it comes time to purchase a brand-new dishwasher, it can be tough to decide which one is best. After all, dishwashers come in all shapes and sizes, boasting numerous unique features and abilities. How are you to know which one is perfect for you?
Want to navigate the intricacies of modern dishwashers and grab the perfect unit for your kitchen? Make sure to keep reading down below. In this ultimate guide, we’ll take you through the most essential considerations, so you can easily make the right decision.
What Should You Consider When Buying A Dishwasher?
Price
If you’re going to hunt for the perfect dishwasher, you’ll need to make sure to carefully consider your budget. Dishwashers can vary massively in terms of price. Do you have a set budget that you want to stick to? Or perhaps you are willing to push the boat out a little more in exchange for extra features. Either way, you’ll want to be sure to check the price of each unit you look at.
You’ll also want to be sure that you are grabbing a specific dishwasher for a fair price. Generally, the more features a dishwasher has, the higher its price will be. If you want numerous extra features, you should prepare to spend a little more. If you only need a basic dishwasher with fewer extra features, you’ll be able to spend a little less.
Either way, you want to ensure you aren’t paying too much for features that you may not ever use.
Capacity
If you want to make the most of a dishwasher, you’re going to need to be sure that there’s plenty of space inside! If you live in a busy household, it’s best to opt for a larger dishwasher, to be sure that you can wash everything without overstuffing it. Overstuffing a dishwasher quickly leads to inefficient performance!
However, you’ll also need to make sure that you are able to fill the unit up before each wash. Only half-filling your dishwasher before each cycle will easily lead to wasted water. After all, no matter how much you fill the dishwasher, the same amount of water will be used! So why not make the most of every drop?
You want to ensure that there is plenty of space in your dishwasher for everything. However, you also need to be sure that you have enough dishes to fill the dishwasher up before every cycle.
You’ll want to spend a good amount of time considering the total capacity of your dishwasher, to find one of the perfect size!
Cleaning Ability
What’s the point of wasting money on a dishwasher that doesn’t clean effectively? Be sure to look in depth at each of the dishwashers you encounter. This way you can be sure that they can do the job right.
Check out user reviews of specific models, to get a sense of how they perform. User reviews are a fantastic way to understand the user experience of a given dishwasher before even trying it for yourself!
As you comb through your options, be sure to look out for additional cleaning functions that leave your dishes truly spotless. It’s worth taking your time to look through the features offered by each model. Compare and contrast, and find out which machine offers you the greatest number of useful functions.
Different dishwashers also offer different washing cycles. You can easily choose one that helps you to clean up highly specific things. There are hundreds of different washing cycle types. As such, it’s important to carefully consider what kinds of jobs you need your dishwasher to perform! Keep in mind that dishwashers that offer more cycles tend to cost a lot more in the long run. Will you be using all of the different cycles? If not, save your money!
Drying Ability
There’s nothing worse than opening your dishwasher, after a long cycle, only to find that the dishes are still absolutely soaked. There’s nothing more annoying than having to whip out a tea towel just to pat everything dry before you put it away.
Dishwashers are designed to make the most laborious of kitchen chores a total afterthought. As such, we recommend spending a little extra on dishwashers that not only clean your dishes but dry them after the cycle finishes.
Energy Efficiency
Dishwashers can use up a lot of electricity, as well as a lot of water. This is why it’s crucial to always fill one up just right before starting a washing cycle. Want to save more on your electricity bills? We recommend opting for the most energy-efficient dishwasher you can find.
The “Efficiency” of any given dishwasher is denoted by the handy energy label usually fixed to the unit. This colour-coded label tells you, at a glance, how efficient a specific dishwasher is. Appliances are ranked on a scale of “A” to “G”. If you want an efficient dishwasher that uses the least energy, you’ll want one that ranks closest to “A”.
When looking for a dishwasher, be sure to check the energy-efficiency label. It’s always best to opt for a more efficient machine that ranks closer to “A”. Energy-efficient dishwashers will save plenty of money on your monthly bills!
It might be a little tougher to find an “A”-ranking dishwasher, but the more energy-efficient they are, the more money you will save in the long run. Nothing beats opening up your energy and water bills to find that they’re lower than you expected!
Just be sure to keep in mind that energy-efficient dishwashers tend to cost a lot more. Energy-efficient dishwashers usually have proprietary parts that are very expensive!
Reliability
What’s the point of buying a fancy new dishwasher if you’ll only have to replace it in just a few years? If you want a dishwasher that you can count on, then you should be sure to look for the most reliable models.
Dishwashers can easily last for more than ten years of frequent use, so you should be sure to look for models that can offer you this extensive lifespan. Look for dishwashers that are made from the highest quality materials, as these are guaranteed to last much longer. You will usually find higher-quality materials used by more prestigious brands.
To gauge the longevity of any dishwasher, you should also try to keep your eye out for any generous warranties offered by the manufacturer. Not only will a healthy warranty help to cover the costs of any unexpected breakages, but it also acts as a fantastic seal of quality. If a company is willing to cover a dishwasher for more than seven years, you can be sure that it is built to last.
Noise Level
No one wants to be woken up by loud appliances whirring away in the middle of the night. Luckily, dishwashers are actually remarkably quiet. Despite all of that water rushing around inside!
Dishwashers tend to range around 40 to 50 decibels. This may look like a significant decibel level, but it’s actually not too loud. 50 decibels is about the same amount of noise as rain tapping against your window. If your dishwasher is placed in a closed-off room like the kitchen, you won’t even notice it!
It’s worth checking the decibel level of your chosen dishwasher, just in case you want a truly low decibel level for a silent home!
Ease Of Use
You don’t want to find yourself grappling with your new dishwasher, trying in vain just to find out how to set up a simple washing cycle. Make sure to look for dishwashers that prize ease of use above all else.
A good dishwasher should make control a total breeze. Whether that be through interface buttons or smartphone connectivity. To make the most of a dishwasher, you need to make sure you can work seamlessly with it.
Smart dishwashers are a great option for households that are always up to date with the best tech. Smart dishwashers can connect to your local wifi so that you can control them from wherever you are, and monitor them while in action! Smart dishwashers are highly recommended for those who use of smart-home assistants like Alexa. With just a few voice commands, you can easily set a washing cycle off!
Things To Consider When Buying A Freestanding Dishwasher?
Size
Freestanding dishwashers are individual units that can be placed anywhere in a given space. Just make sure there is easy access to electricity and water supply. These types of dishwashers offer a lot of flexibility when it comes to designing a kitchen space, but you’ll want to make sure to pick one of the right size.
Be sure to consider the kind of kitchen space you want to create, and balance this against the amount of dishes you need to wash. Dishwashers with greater capacity will need to be much larger!
Space
When considering the size of your chosen dishwasher, you’ll want to match this with a consideration of your chosen space. Do you have a desired spot for your dishwasher? Is there plenty of space for it?
You’ll want to be sure to grab a dishwasher that will fit comfortably into your chosen room. You don’t want it to be too large, and to risk jutting out awkwardly, making it hard to move about the space.
Things To Consider When Buying An Integrated Dishwasher?
Price
Integrated dishwashers are more expensive. This should come as no surprise if you have been considering opting for one. If you want an integrated dishwasher, you’ll have to think a little harder about your intended budget.
Integrated dishwashers need to be professionally installed. You’ll not only have to consider the price of the unit but also the price of the installation.
Size
If you’re planning to integrate your dishwasher, you will be much more limited in terms of the total size of the unit. You’ll want to be sure that your new dishwasher fits perfectly into your chosen integration plans.
In order to target a specific dishwasher size, you may need to be a little more flexible with your budget. You may have fewer options if you are looking for highly specific dimensions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Things To Consider When Buying A Dishwasher?
The first thing you’re going to want to consider is your budget. Dishwashers each feature a range of different abilities, so you’ll want to make sure that your budget is suitable. You’ll also want to think carefully about the size of the dishwasher, and where you plan to place it. Otherwise, it will just prove to be a nuisance!
Is It Worth Buying A More Expensive Dishwasher?
This will depend on what you want out of your dishwasher. Pricier dishwashers tend to have greater overall capacities and offer a range of extra features to make them more effective. If you need a large washing machine that has a number of optional washing cycles, by all means, opt for a more expensive model!
Is It Worth Paying More For An Energy Efficient Dishwasher?
While energy-efficient dishwashers may cost more upfront, they can help save you a lot of money in the long run. Energy-efficient dishwashers will naturally use much less electricity, which means that they will have less of an impact on your monthly energy bills. Thus, you can easily save enough money on your bills to cover the cost of the dishwasher itself!
Is It Cheaper To Run A Dishwasher At Night?
It might come as some surprise to hear that dishwashers actually cost less to run at night. The reason for this is that other major electronics will be switched off at this time, which puts less of a strain on the grid. This in turn results in the process being much more affordable.
