Best Dishwashers of 2016
Manufacturers continue to add dishwasher features that improve cleaning or convenience, or grab your attention, such as WiFi-enabled dishwashers that allow you to track the cycle status from your phone. But as you stand at your sink before a stack of dirty dishes and silverware, a dishwasher that does an excellent or even a very good job at cleaning is the priority. Here are five dishwashers to consider, from basic to splashy:
Whirlpool WDF110PABW
It's a basic machine, with few features and a plastic interior, but it's very good at cleaning, energy efficiency is impressive, and Whirlpool's median repair costs are notably lower than those of other brands, according to our dishwasher reliability survey. So here's what you need to consider. This dishwasher used 6 gallons of water to wash our test load—most tested models used 4 to 5—and took 160 minutes. It left some drops of water on plastic items, which are among the most difficult to dry. It's a bit noisy, and you'll need to clean the filter by hand every so often to prevent funky odors. But that takes just a few minutes, so it's not a big deal.
Bosch Ascenta SHX3AR7[5]UC
Bosch is among the more reliable dishwasher brands—that's what our reliability survey found. This Bosch delivers excellent overall performance for hundreds less than models scoring higher, and it's faster, by up to 50 minutes. The normal cycle took 95 minutes, used almost 6 gallons of water, and was excellent at cleaning a full load of very dirty dishes.
Drying plastics? No problem. Energy efficiency was excellent, and this dishwasher is relatively quiet. A stainless interior resists stains better than plastic, and the Bosch's interior is mostly stainless with a plastic bottom. There are many features that make it more convenient to use. The soil sensor improves cleaning and efficiency by adjusting the cycle's time and water use to the load's soil level. You'll have to clean the filter by hand from time to time.
KitchenAid KDTM704ESS
Stylish in an understated way, the KitchenAid does an excellent job cleaning a full load of very dirty dishes while using about 4 gallons of water. Energy efficiency is superb, and the normal cycle took 110 minutes. This dishwasher is relatively quiet, but it left some drops of water on plastics, earning just a good in this test, so you may have to finish drying by hand.
The interior is stainless, and loaded with features, including a soil sensor and a self-cleaning filter. Spray nozzles on the upper rack are designed to clean bottles and tall glasses. The third-level rack allows you to spread out spatulas, whisks, and other hard-to-clean items that you won't have to cram into the utensil baskets, but it may be a feature you can skip.
Miele Futura Crystal G6165SCVISF
In the world of appliances as status symbols, Miele competes with Viking, Thermador, and a few others. In our tests Miele competes with every brand and model, including Ikea. This Miele was excellent at cleaning, drying, and energy efficiency. It used 5 gallons of water and took 150 minutes using the normal cycle. The interior is stainless, of course, and loaded with features—third rack, soil sensor, delayed start, and time-remaining display, but you still have to clean the filter by hand. See our dishwasher ratings for more high-end models.
Blomberg DWT55300SS
Blomberg is well known in Europe and gaining appeal here. You'll see a number of Blomberg dishwashers in our dishwasher ratings, along with models from Beko, which Blomberg owns. In our tests, the Blomberg featured here was the best from these two brands. It offers excellent cleaning, drying, and energy efficiency. It used about 5 gallons of water for a normal cycle and took 130 minutes. It's a tad noisy and has a manual-clean filter. But the stainless interior, soil sensor, and adjustable upper rack are nice features to have.
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