The current dishwasher market offers a huge, varied range of products with many colors, shapes and sizes to choose from. Naturally, choosing the right dishwasher for your kitchen can be very confusing, especially as it is such an expensive appliance.
Buzzrake conducted a thorough examination of online opinions on dishwashers to determine the absolute best models on the market. Each model was given a cumulative score based on the attributes that users describe as the most important: ease of use, ease of installation, internal layout, performance, durability and noise level.
User opinions revealed some interesting findings about what makes a spectacular dishwasher:
- Style: all-in-all, users strongly favor the standard 24-inch built-in design over the many countertop and portable options currently available. In addition, dishwashers with larger capacities (14-16 place settings) consistently receive better cumulative scores than those with smaller capacities (6-8 place settings).
- Certifications: users recommend looking for Energy Star qualified dishwashers, as these will not only save you $$ on electricity, they will also deliver better results. However, opinions show that an NSF certification is non-reflective of the dishwasher's overall performance.
- Price: the best dishwashers are not necessarily the most expensive ones: the top 3 best-rated models include a high-end option (over $1000), a medium-priced unit and a budget-friendly model (under $600).
- Controls: users do not agree as to the best type of control panel - fully integrated, semi-integrated or full-console. While full-console models are considered easier and more intuitive to use, fully integrated dishwashers receive higher quality ratings on average. You should opt for the style that suits your needs.
- Brands: among the different manufacturers of dishwashers, LG and GE receive the best cumulative scores. The bottom 2 brands are Frigidaire and Danby.
