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Cooking is fun. Cleaning up isn't. A dishwasher certainly makes the job easier but only if it can handle everything you dish out. As long as you are doing your part by loading it correctly, cleaning it regularly and using the best dishwasher detergent, your dishwasher should be doing all the heavy lifting when it comes to washing, drying and leaving items, especially glasses, spot-free. If not, a new model may be what you need.
In the last few years, the Good Housekeeping Institute Home Care and Cleaning Lab, has tested over 40 dishwashers. We meticulously soil plates, bowls, cups and saucers, glassware and cookware and make sure everything we've applied is dry and baked on.
During our last test, we spent four months (and over 374 hours) testing 17 dishwashers. In the last month alone, we reviewed four new dishwasher models all in the running for our soon-to-be-revealed Good Housekeeping Best Cleaning & Organizing Awards. Capacity, energy consumption and ease-of-use are some of the other assessments we make on each model so we can recommend the ones we'd want in our own kitchens.
After reviewing our top models, keep reading for a deeper look into how we test dishwashers, some of the most useful features you should consider while shopping for one and answers to some popular questions about a dishwasher's lifespan and pricing. And if you don't have room for a full-size model, don't despair. One of these best countertop dishwashers could be just the space-saver you need.
Good Housekeeping Seal star Miele is a pro at producing well-designed, great-performing cleaning appliances and this dishwasher with its hidden top controls is no exception.
In our tests, it was stellar at cleaning even our toughest messes, and it's loaded with features and options that make it easy to use. Unique to Miele is its AutoDos system which works with Miele’s PowerDisk to dispense the precise amount of powder detergent for the cycle you've selected based on the soil level of your load. One disk contains enough detergent for up to 20 washes. If you prefer to add your own detergent to each load, you can do that instead, but you probably won't want to. Miele detergents are also top performers in our tests.
Miele's version of a speed cycle is its QuickIntenseWash, and in our testing, it was outstanding. It cleaned and dried a very heavily-soiled load in just 58 minutes. When we used it in combination with Miele's detergent tablet, it blasted through the baked-on, burned-on deposits on our casseroles and cookware.
While it is one of our most expensive picks, we believe Miele dishwashers offer lots of valuable extras. Choosing a different door design, like a pocket handle, can save money, and lower-priced models in this same series offer the same cleaning and many of the same features but just may not be as quiet. Don't overlook that Miele dishwashers come equipped with a variety of energy-efficient features, like EcoStart, which allows you to program the dishwasher to run when utility rates are lowest, and a heat exchanger that captures heat already in the dishwasher and transfers it to the incoming water, so it isn't wasted.
One thing we've consistently found in our years of testing dishwashers in the GH Cleaning Lab is that Frigidaire dishwashers offer very good cleaning performance and lots of nice high-end extras at a very reasonable price. And with a 4.3-star average rating at Home Depot from over 2,600 reviewers, consumers seem to agree.
Similar to models we've previously tested, this Gallery dishwasher has a sleek hidden control panel that's very clear and easy to use. It includes a "favorite cycle" that, once programmed, selects your preferred options with one touch. This dishwasher offers the option to wash half loads in the upper rack for greater energy savings when you don't have a full load. Some brands keep prices down by switching to plastic tubs, but not Frigidaire.
The tub here is stainless steel which we think is a great perk at this price. Other pros include a fingerprint-resistant stainless steel front, cushioned stemware holders, adjustable water pressure for the type and soil of the load, an NSF-certified sanitize option and a light beam that projects on the floor to let you know when the cycle's complete.
At first glance, it could pass for a pricier model, but part of what keeps it so reasonably priced is its lack of a top-level flatware tray and no Wi-Fi capabilities. It's also not as quiet as some. But none of those things affect its cleaning abilities.
Most dishwashers have cleaning down to a science, but drying is another matter. All we hear from consumers is how so many items — especially plastics — come out wet at the end of the cycle. So, if plastic storage containers, water bottles and cups make up a big part of your load, this Bosch dishwasher is the answer to your drying needs.
It uses an innovative system of minerals in a special sealed CrystalDry chamber that transforms the moist air in the dishwasher at the end of the cycle into dry heat that’s pumped back into the dishwasher for better drying. A small heating element refreshes the minerals so they are ready for the next load and never need cleaning or replacing. This option adds 30 minutes to the wash cycle, but it's still energy efficient. In our tests, plastics dried with this option were noticeably and significantly drier than those dried without it.
And like all Bosch dishwashers we’ve tested, it cleans well, accommodates big loads and is very quiet. Other standout features include an extra-deep third rack to hold small bowls, lids and wide utensils like whisks; a red light that shines on the floor to let you know the appliance is running (trust us, you won’t hear it) and a little compartment on the middle rack to catch detergent tablets as they are dispensed for better dissolving. Unfortunately, the stainless steel finish on the dishwasher model we tested wasn't fingerprint-resistant.
GE's been hard at work innovating ways to solve consumer complaints around bothersome and lingering appliance odors. With its UltraFresh front-loading washing machines, it introduced technology that pulls in fresh air to dry the tub and prevent the growth of odor-causing bacteria. And now, it has incorporated similar technology into its dishwashers.
On this GE UltraFresh dishwasher, the handles, controls, filter, flatware basket and more are all treated with Microban to help keep these high-touch areas clean and germ-free. In addition, fresh air and water circulate inside the tub between cycles to help keep the entire dishwasher clean and odor-free.
This GE model did a very good job in our cleaning performance evaluations and was quiet and easy to use. Hard-to-wash items like water bottles and dirty forks and spoons are no match for the water jets in the top rack and beneath the flatware basket to ensure that these pesky items emerge their cleanest. We particularly like the extra space between the tines that's standard in all the GE brand dishwashers we test.
This extra room makes it easy to load curved or deep plates without compromising capacity, though we couldn't fit more items than our standard load and didn't find any fold-down cup shelves in the top rack like others have. The front display is discreet but still makes it easy to know when the cycle is finished.
JennAir is a brand in the Whirlpool family of appliances along with its very familiar and formidable dishwasher sibling, KitchenAid. And true to family tradition, we found this JennAir Rise dishwasher has both beauty and brawn — stunning on the outside and hardworking inside.
In our GH Cleaning Lab tests, it plowed through our dirtiest loads with ease, and at 38 dBA, it was so quiet we had to put our ears to the door to be sure it was working (though there is a light on the front panel that makes it clear). It's intuitive to use and easy to program, and when we selected the Precision Dry option, everything inside emerged both clean and dry.
Loading is easy, though we couldn't fit in more than our standard load, and other than six stemware holders, the top rack isn't particularly flexible. Most unique is its high-capacity third rack that holds bowls, cocktail glasses, cups and other small deep items. There is also a removable side caddy for utensils, but don't worry, you won't need it for flatware because the bottom rack steps up there. The oversized flatware basket has slots of all sizes, plus two very large sections at the end to accommodate a wide variety of pieces and there's a knife holder on the left side of the bottom rack for safely cleaning sharp cutlery.
As we test more cleaning and kitchen appliances from Beko — a new name in the US appliance market — we continue to be impressed with their innovations, performance and features. A prime example is what the brand has done to help eliminate the need to clean the dishwasher filter.
Cleaning the filter is important to ensure good performance, but it's a step that's easy to overlook. Here, Beko took that task off your hands by putting water jets inside the filter well. Just select the option on the control panel when you want the fine mesh filter cleaned, and it's done. This, combined with its CornerIntense square water spray pattern for better coverage and cleaning helped make Beko a winner in our 2022 Best Cleaning & Organizing Awards.
In our tests, it completely cleaned our charred cookware items with ease. When it came to capacity, we fit in our full test load plus an additional nine glasses and one extra dinner plate. It's super quiet, so there's a light that shines on the floor to let you know what stage it's in — red when it's running and green when it's done. The only hiccup we could find was that the controls needed a firm touch to engage but with practice, it got easier.
When we test dishwashers, we challenge them with loads dirtier than you would ever have at home. Plus we assess the capacity and flexibility of all the racks, trays and baskets and evaluate how easy each dishwasher is to use, load and program.
Prior to testing the cleaning performance of various cycles, we uniformly apply, then bake-, dry- and burn-on mac and cheese, hamburger, oatmeal, egg yolk, milk and more to cookware (pictured) and 10 five-piece settings of dishes, glassware and flatware. We even "kiss" each coffee cup with lipstick, a stain that many dishwashers struggle to completely remove.
Between staining, drying and cleaning each load, we spend at least 7 hours testing just one cycle, not counting the time it takes to examine each piece once the cycle is done. We test multiple cycles on each machine, including any special options and the app if the machine works with one.
We follow the manufacturer’s loading guidelines and use the same detergent in each machine to wash our dirty loads. Post-cleaning, we examine and score every item for any specks of soil that remain and check the glasses for spots and leftover film in a special lightbox (pictured). A weighted cleaning score is calculated for each cycle, and all the cycle scores are averaged to get an overall cleaning score for each dishwasher. We also assess and rate each appliance for energy efficiency and sound.
Fortunately, you don't have to decide what size to buy. Unlike the best refrigerators or ranges, virtually all dishwashers — except for compacts and countertops — are a standard 24 inches wide and will fit into the space your current one now occupies. Here's what else to keep in mind:
✔️ Dishwasher cycles: When buying a new dishwasher, you’ll want the basics (and some bells and whistles too):
✔️ Dishwasher racks: As you’ll soon find out, not all dishwasher racks are created equal. Here are the features we recommend considering:
✔️ Features: Folding shelves are great for double stacking cups and mini serving dishes and folding tines make room for large bowls and cookware. Stemware holders are a life-saver if you wash lots of wine glasses and extra powerful water jets throughout tackle tough stains and hard-to-clean items like water bottles and vases.
✔️ Dishwasher tub: The two most popular materials used inside the dishwasher are stainless steel and plastic. Both can be durable, but our vote here goes to stainless steel. Once reserved only for the most expensive models, stainless steel tubs are common on virtually all but the most inexpensive machines these days. Stainless steel retains heat, stays clean and lasts forever.
✔️ Dishwasher door: This decision is purely a matter of personal preference. Here's what you'll see when you hit the stores:
✔️ Energy efficiency: All dishwashers carry Energy Guide labels, so you can compare models for how much energy they use and approximately how much they will cost you per year to run. For a dishwasher, energy use is almost entirely tied to water use. The less water it uses, the less energy it consumes. All new dishwashers use less water per cycle than those made 10 or even five years ago and can be considered efficient, especially since they have to pass federal energy efficiency standard tests. Manufacturers usually do all their required energy testing on the normal or auto cycle and calculate the cost based on an average number of cycles. So, if you do more loads than average or use other cycles, you'll likely use more water. Energy Star-certified models are even more efficient than the federal standards require. And the costs are figured on water from an electric water heater, so if your water is heated by gas your yearly cost to run the dishwasher may be less than what's shown on the guide label. Don't worry that long cycles use a lot more energy. They don't. They still use little water and the machine itself doesn't add much to the appliance's energy usage.
✔️ Loudness: Dishwashers are one of the few appliances where manufacturers disclose the decibel level of the model based on standard testing (check on the manufacturer's website if you can't find it in-store). The quietest models are around 40 dB or below.
Today's dishwashers have an average lifespan of about 10 years. And as long as it is installed correctly and you take care of it by loading it correctly and keeping the dishwasher clean and maintained, those 10+ years should be trouble-free and may even stretch to 15 years or more.
However, warranties exist for a reason. Sometimes things do go wrong. Most appliance manufacturers offer at least a one-year full warranty, meaning that both parts and labor are covered for any repairs within the first year. If you need repair, it's always best to use a manufacturer-authorized repair service. They have access to the correct parts and the most up-to-date information from your model's manufacturer. Using an unauthorized repair service, especially on a new machine, can be problematic and leave you without recourse if something goes wrong. At the very least, you may have to fork over the cost of another service call to reassess the situation.
After the first year of the warranty expires, some manufacturers offer limited five-year (or more) warranties on parts (not labor), like the electronic controls and dish racks should they be defective. Some offer lifetime warranties for the stainless steel door and tub if they should rust through. Always check the warranty terms for any model you are considering and look for our Good Housekeeping Seal, like on the Best Overall Miele above, to be covered by our Limited Warranty. Before the first year full warranty is up, we recommend using the appliance often and trying as many cycles and options as you can to make sure all work to your satisfaction.
There are dishwashers to fit every budget. You could get a very basic, bare-bones model with only a few cycles in a standard finish for about $500. What you likely won't get is a model with a wide assortment of cycles, a stainless steel interior tub, stylized controls, flexible racks, a front panel that matches your cabinets or one that's noticeably quiet. For those perks, you'll have to trade up.
While it's not necessary to go totally top-of-the-line to get good cleaning performance, spending at least $1000 to $1500 will get you solid cleaning performance along with a nice assortment of perks and maybe even Wi-Fi connectivity. At the very least, we recommend getting a stainless steel tub, all the basic cycle features — including a boosted drying option — and if possible a fingerprint-resistant door.
Carolyn Forté is a consumer products expert with over 4o years of experience evaluating cleaning products and appliances for Good Housekeeping, including dishwashers and dishwasher detergents. She has attended and presented at many industry events related to dishwashing and writes the "Inside the GH Cleaning Lab" column for the magazine.
She regularly interacts with appliance and detergent manufacturers to stay on top of the latest technologies. Some of the most frequently asked questions Carolyn answers are about how to properly load a dishwasher and whether pre-rinsing is really necessary (often to settle the all-too-common marital and family spats). In Carolyn's opinion, dishes aren't worth fighting over!
Carolyn Forté brings more than 40 years of experience as a consumer products expert to her role as executive director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Home Care and Cleaning Lab. Using deep analytical testing and writing expertise in appliances, cleaning, textiles and organizational products, she produces cleaning and home care advice for GH, has authored numerous books and bookazines for the brand and partners with the American Cleaning Institute to co-produce the Discover Cleaning Summits. She holds a bachelor's degree in family and consumer sciences from Queens College, City University of New York.
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