A dishwasher is no longer a luxury but essential household equipment in the kitchen alongside ovens, toasters, and refrigerators. This isn’t surprising, considering using a dishwasher, besides being convenient, saves you a lot of hours you’d have otherwise spent washing and drying your dishes by hand. But before finding a suitable dishwasher to buy, you first need to determine which one is suitable for your needs from the numerous options on the market.
If you’re confused about where to start in your hunt for the perfect dishwasher, look no further. Fortunately, we made a post on the factors to consider when searching for a dishwasher. Here are the most important ones:
The Dishwasher’s Size
A dishwasher’s size is something you must always consider before proceeding with the purchase. After all, you don’t want to buy a dishwasher that ends up not fitting perfectly in the allocated space in your kitchen.
With this in mind, you should know that the in-built dishwasher’s standard size is 24 x 24 x 35 inches, regardless of the manufacturer. You can also decide to get a bigger one 30 or 36 inches wide but maintaining the standard height and depth. In addition, there’s a small dishwasher with a width of approximately 24 or 36 inches and a height of 19 inches. Alternatively, some manufacturers make slimmer models which are 18 inches wide.
Usually, the size of a dishwasher is directly affected by place settings and varies from 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16. But on average, a dishwasher with 12 place settings is more than enough as it can comfortably accommodate 12 items, be it forks, dinner plates, bowls, or spoons. The dimensions of this dishwasher are usually 24 x 24 x 35 inches. You can also get smaller options with either 6, 8, or 10 place settings if you have a small family.
Therefore, make sure to factor in the dishwasher’s size before buying one. This way, you’ll be confident that its capacity satisfies your needs and can easily fit into the available kitchen space.
Check For Essential Features
There are certain essential features you must look for in a dishwasher that can improve its energy efficiency, user-friendliness, and convenience. A decent dishwasher should incorporate at least a good number of these features. But if you want greater comfort, you should get one with more features to simplify your dishwashing task. Some of the features to look out for include:
- Water filtration
- Cycle selection
- Cycle time
- Temperature range
- Extra rack
- Wash programs
- Door safety lock
- Soil sensor
- Special zones
Besides these vital features, it would be ideal to have some additional functions, such as cycle time, auto restart, quick wash cycles, rinse bolsters, hard food cycle, and built-in detergent pumps.
Noise
Another consideration to remember when shopping for a dishwasher is how much noise it produces while running. Typically, older dishwashers produce more noise than newer versions. Make sure to check the dishwasher’s sound rating, which usually ranges between:
- 30 decibels: These are the most silent dishwashers and barely produce any noise while running, such that you can doubt whether they’re even working.
- 40 decibels: Dishwashers producing these sounds aren’t too loud, but you can still hear them. However, you can still go ahead doing your duties in the kitchen.
- 50 decibels: Such dishwashers produce too much noise and might require you to speak louder when holding a conversation in the kitchen.
Other models even produce 60 decibels, the same as that produced by an airplane passing overhead. If you value silence, it’s best to get a silent dishwasher with a stainless-steel interior since steel performs better at absorbing sound, unlike plastic.
Energy Efficiency
You’ll want to get a dishwasher that uses as little power as possible to reduce your electricity bill and reduce environmental pollution. You should look at a dishwasher’s energy efficiency to know how much water or electricity you’re consuming while using it.
You can easily see this information by looking at its Energy Star Label to determine whether it meets or surpasses national efficiency standards. Ideally, you want a dishwasher that uses less than 307kWh per annum and not more than five gallons of water for every cycle. If you are unsure, you might want to check out this collection of dishwasher manuals in case your original one is missing.
Takeaway
You don’t want to spend the money you’ve worked for on a dishwasher that won’t perfectly suit your needs or serve you for an extended period. To guide you in making an informed decision, consider the crucial considerations mentioned above to help you search for the perfect dishwasher suitable for your needs.
