Dishwashers: buying guide
Check the racks with your crockery, installation format and energy per defined wash programme.
Reviewed · Next editorial review by 5 February 2027 · Independent buying framework; no hands-on testing or product ratings.
Choose a dishwasher around the dishes that create the bottleneck in your kitchen. Large pans, tall glasses and everyday plates can matter more than a place-setting headline. Compare rack flexibility and installation fit first, then inspect the energy and water figures for the programmes you expect to use. Keep the same cleaning task visible when comparing costs.
Which type suits your home?
Full-width freestanding
Check the complete dimensions, hose access and open-door space. Compare rack layouts using the items you wash, rather than assuming equal place-setting counts mean equal usefulness.
Slimline or compact
Consider it when space or smaller batches are the priority. Check whether the intended pans and plates fit, and whether more frequent cycles would offset an apparent per-cycle advantage.
Integrated model
Include cabinet-door compatibility, plinth clearances and installation in the comparison. Verify what is supplied for fitting rather than treating the appliance's listed price as the finished cost.
What to check before buying
Crockery fit
Measure the awkward plates and glasses you use regularly. Check adjustable-rack limits, cutlery arrangements and whether the intended layout interferes with the supported loading pattern or moving parts.
Defined programme figures
Read kWh and water use for the stated programme, with its load assumptions and duration. A quick-cycle name alone does not establish lower energy for the same wash.
Door and access space
Allow room to stand and load with the door open. Check installation drawings and furniture clearances, particularly near corners, rather than judging solely by the closed cabinet footprint.
Filters and consumables
Review filter cleaning, water-hardness settings and supported detergent use. Budget for the consumables your actual model and local water require rather than assuming electricity is the whole running cost.
What ownership really involves
Compare annual cycles based on your household's usable loads. Add water, detergent, installation and possible accessory costs separately from electricity. If you are replacing a working machine, check purchase payback without assuming every wash matches the label test.
A common comparison mistake
Do not compare a small lightly loaded programme with a larger fully loaded one and call the result a universal saving. Published place settings, noise and energy figures describe different aspects and should not be combined into an invented overall score.
Compare running costs
A hypothetical 75kWh per 100 dishwasher cycles, with five matching cycles each week. These are hypothetical starting figures, not a measured product average. Scenario B starts equal to A: change it to your alternative's documented figure.
Annual difference: £0.00. Equal under these assumptions.
The figure is invented for arithmetic. Actual loading, selected programme, water heating and drying settings can change consumption. Electricity only; excludes standing charges and purchase costs. Monthly figures spread annual cost over 12 calendar months. Seasonal estimate uses active weeks × uses per active week; 52 weeks is 364 days. A and B share the same usage assumptions.
Your questions answered
Will a slimline dishwasher always cost less to run?
Not necessarily for your household. Compare the energy per suitable load and the number of cycles needed to wash the same dishes. A smaller machine may require more frequent operation.
What should I do with a per-100-cycle value?
Divide by 100, then multiply by the corresponding cycles you expect to run annually. Keep the programme assumptions visible and add non-electricity costs separately if you want a fuller budget.
Sources and evidence limits
Source links support the stated buying considerations. Manufacturer material is commercial information, not independent comparative testing. Our editable energy figures are hypothetical and are not taken from these products.
- Bosch UK: dishwasher buying guide ↗
Manufacturer buying guidance. Installation formats, racks and capacity; no brand reliability or savings claims adopted.
Check the current manual and product sheet for the exact model before purchasing. How we selected these 30 categories · Calculation methodology · Affiliate disclosure