Dishwasher Review

Dishwasher tests and reliability ratings

According to our research, ConsumerReports.org provides the most credible dishwasher reviews. Editors test new dishwashers on an ongoing basis, updating their ratings about once a year. More than 50 dishwashers are ranked and evaluated for loading flexibility, cleaning ability and noise. In addition, ConsumerReports.org offers repair data culled from a yearly survey of more than 110,000 subscribers. Subscribers are invited to write product reviews online, and some dishwashers receive a substantial number of owner reviews here.

Which? magazine editors offer similarly detailed testing of more than 150 dishwasher models sold in the U.K. The reviews are updated continually, and there's a bit more discussion for each model. Although some dishwasher brands may be familiar to a U.S. audience, the models tested here are not available in the United States. The editors of Choice (Australia) and Consumer (New Zealand) magazines also provide detailed and objective reviews of dishwashers, but again, none of the tested dishwashers is sold in the U.S. The brand reliability information and general shopping information provided by all three magazines is universally helpful, however.

J.D. Power and Associates, best known for its surveys on vehicle satisfaction and reliability, also surveys appliance owners. Almost 3,500 respondents evaluated their dishwasher brand for reliability, price, performance and style. However, J.D. Power and Associates doesn't ask owners to rate specific models, so it's hard to draw big conclusions.

Finally, we considered some user-written reviews found at sites such as Epinions.com, Viewpoints.com and Sears.com, which provide insight into customer-service issues and how well a dishwasher holds up over time. Owners are also pretty vocal about noise issues.

Overall, experts say the technology used in dishwashers hasn't changed much in the last decade, and tests indicate that basic cleaning ability is excellent for all but a few models. One thing that has changed, however, is efficiency. Most modern dishwashers are Energy Star-compliant and consume far less energy and water than older models. According to National Geographic's Green Guide, 10-year-old dishwashers use between 8 and 15 gallons of water per cycle, and the average Energy Star-model uses only 4 gallons. However, water usage is not part of the Energy Star-rating criteria, and you should be sure to check any models you are considering. Energy Star-rated dishwashers must use at least 41 percent less energy than non-Energy Star-models. And if you think you'll save energy by washing your dishes in the sink, think again. According to a 2004 study at the University of Bonn in Germany, the most energy-efficient dishwashers consume only one-sixth as much water and half as much energy as hand washing.

The amount of noise a dishwasher creates can vary considerably by brand. Most dishwashers output between 50 and 60 decibels of sound, but luxury models can be as quiet as 42 decibels and extremely low-end (builder's grade) models might produce a louder 70 decibels or more. In general, dishwashers under 55 decibels are described as "quiet" or "very quiet" by owners posting reviews to retailer websites, but your own noise tolerance -- and the layout of your kitchen -- matter as much as your dishwasher's decibel rating.

Reliability is also important. We found this can differ significantly among brands -- and in some cases, by individual model. The best scores for overall satisfaction and reliability go to Bosch and Miele, according to J.D. Power and Associates. The highest repair rates go to Asko (an import from Sweden), GE and Frigidaire. In a separate survey of more than 100,000 dishwasher owners, LG is the big loser, with a reported repair rate of 23 percent; in the J.D. Power survey, LG rates about average.

A higher price tag doesn't always equal a better product. In general, the more expensive a dishwasher is, the quieter it tends to be. Many luxury dishwashers offer sleek, stylish designs, with hidden controls and, in some cases, custom front panels that blend in seamlessly with surrounding cabinets. Some are also slightly more energy-efficient. However, experts say expensive dishwashers don't offer better reliability or cleaning capability compared to midpriced dishwashers. Certain imported brands, including Asko and Fisher & Paykel, are unusually prone to breakdowns (according to user reviews and owner surveys), and even $1,300 dishwashers don't get dishes any cleaner than their $600 counterparts. Most recently, ConsumerReports.org tested a handful of new dishwashers equipped with a steam cycle. However, the steam cycles didn't make any difference in overall cleaning ability.