Dishwasher-overwhelmed with the choices

[BuddhaAtSea]

I need a new dishwasher, mine’s just been serviced and the parts would cost more than a brand new one.
I live alone, so it goes on every 2-3 days maybe.
Free standing and in white, all the cabinets are white.
Don’t need lots of fancy options, price £3-400?
what would you recommend? I’m genuinely bewildered and overwhelmed, been spending most of today getting lost in a world of bloody dishwashers!
Thank you!

---

For more advice on choosing the right appliance for your home, we have guides to the best dishwashers, best integrated dishwashers, and best slimline dishwashers.

If you’re short on time, however, here’s a summary of the dishwasher brands Mumsnetters are recommending on this thread:

🫧 Best integrated: Bosch Series 6 SMV6ZCX10G Wifi Connected Fully Integrated Standard Dishwasher, £749

🫧 Best freestanding: Bosch Series 6 Freestanding Dishwasher, £699

🫧 Best value: Beko DVN04X20W Full Size Dishwasher, £249

🫧 Best for smart features: NEFF N50 S155HVX00G Wifi Connected Fully Integrated Standard Dishwasher

We hope you find these useful
MNHQ

Salt and rinse aid don't make things cleaner - salt mitigates hard water, and rinse aid helps the drying.

But cleaning the rotating arms (and the filter, and putting the machine on a cleaning cycle) will absolutely improve the cleaning performance.

Pick quick wash (1h), then use speed perfect to reduce the rinse cycle down and it's not far off the old 35 min Quick Wash they used to have.

Do not get a Kenwood. Or a Samsung. They were both awful.

I also have a Miele and know that I would also struggle to find a replacement brand.

I just wanted to ask what most don't like about the cutlery tray? I love it, never have the problem of cutlery touching and not cleaning properly, and it's a breeze to unpack. And there is so much more space on the bottom rack.

Check the dimensions before you buy especially if it's to go into the space between fitted units. That also includes the height so it also fits under the counter.

I've had my Bosch dishwasher for 16 years abd it's still going strong

I've always used salt and rinse aid

I've used the pre wash twice I don't see the point of it

I always obviously scrape food off plates into the bin

I sometimes rinse plates under the tap but generally not

I have a basket for cutlery which is fine.

But next time I might go for a cutlery drawer on top for the space.

I never use a quick wash or eco or low temp wash

I always use the highest heat wash that apparently adapts itself

I started off using the wash that's a slightly lower heat than that but but found the highest one was the best

I clean the filter out more regularly now but it's never that bad.

When I first got it I don't think I cleaned the filter for years but even then it wasn't that bad

I don't like that it means I can't fit a plate and a wine/pint glass in the same wash. I took both to Currys, and no dishwasher with a cutlery tray could also fit both of those things in at the same time.

I got an expensive Bosch and it’s the worst dishwasher I’ve ever had constantly leaving bits in cups and glasses I’ve had the arms replaced I take them off and rinse them and regularly use a dishwasher cleaner never used to do that with my previous much cheaper dishwashers

I have a Siemens. It has a cutlery drawer at the top. However, I can remove it if needed and kept my old basket (you can n also buy them on amazon etc.) it has WiFi so I know when a programme is finished, operate remotely but this may be less desirable if you don't use it frequently.

The only problem with mine is the bottom rack has holes/spaces that are too far apart for some items iyswim.

Also I usually use the 65 degree quick wash which takes an hour. It works brilliantly.

Don’t get a Bosch perfectdry model as they can’t be serviced / fixed by non Bosch repair people. Ours needed its heating element replaced which is usually a straightforward repair but we had to pay extra (and wait 2 weeks!) for a Bosch call-out as our usual appliance guy couldn’t remove the parts he needed to without proprietary tools. The Bosch guy who came did leave it in great nick tbf and told us just always use the auto setting which has improved how well it cleans. I love the cutlery tray and the extra room it leaves, but only because our cutlery drawer is right by the dishwasher. I can imagine if you have to carry it across the kitchen the usual removable caddy would be better.

Ours has the cutlery tray at the top and for that reason when shopping for it I took our tall water glasses, a dinner plate and bowl into the shop to see if they would all fit in nicely. Also my baking trays. I knew the tray would lower the top rack so needed to ensure everything I currently own fitted.

I like the cutlery tray as I can get in large items like my Instant Pot pan in the bottom but we are a family of 4.

My dad's one projects the 'time left' in red light onto the floor. Now that's space age!

I always swore by Bosch but last one was expensive, rubbish and only lasted 4 years.

I bought a Hisense instead! Fabulous!! Really good quality, very stylish, has a 1 hour programme, a 39 minute programme a standard, intense and eco programmes too.

Was way cheaper than the previous Bosch. Reasonable to run. I have had it 2.5 years now and still love it. Does a fantastic job!

Don't get a Samsung. They are a PITA. Ours has broken 3 times (it's not even 3 years old), luckily I extended warranty so it's not cost us anything yet but it's a PITA for an engineer to come out. Then there is the bloody singing...

Best dishwasher we had was a cheap beko.

Definitely check your cups, glasses and plates fit.

We had a Neff. It cleaned perfectly and was replaced because the plastic around the control panel had gone brittle with age and was breaking and we couldn't get a replacement. Racks had also started to rust. It was at least 25 years old though.....Would have replaced with a Neff/Bosch/Siemens but the quality has gone down - weak and wobbly racks etc. So we ended up with a Miele. Hideously expensive but does do a good job, though to be fair I do wipe all the food waste off of plates, and anything burned on gets a soak and a wipe off before it goes in the washer so as not to gunk up the dishwasher with food bits. No prewash - but I never used that anyway.

Also has very adjustable racks and rack positions. Haven't found anything that won't fit yet!

Oh see I love the tray! More room for pots/trays etc

I’m loving the image of you whipping out your crockery in Curry’s.

OP you need to decide what you prefer-tray or basket. Then just go on ao.com and filter by the option you prefer. Decide your max price and then go for the best brand that comes up in the results. They are all much of a muchness.

(I’m team basket the way, by the way).

Thank you all. I dithered for so long and ignored the ever growing pile of dishes (2 days worth. And not really ignored, I pulled 2 14h shifts). Then I asked DP to cook us some dinner, given I was at work. I did suggest his place, but he chose mine.
Big mistake. He ended up washing everything by hand and took him about an hour (dried and put away). Before the dinner was cooked, he’d ordered a Bosch series 6 and just forwarded me the delivery message 😂.
So. I didn’t ask how much it was or what it does, he just said it’s energy efficient and has a top tray and it’s coming on Tuesday.

Oh dear, I hope you like top trays!

He’s buying it for you as a present? Nice.

It doesn't sound like a mistake at all 😂 your washing up was done and a new dishwasher is on the way.

I love my top tray, but then again I don't have oversized plates (just normal sized) and I hand wash my fancy glasses. Your normal day to day sized stuff will fit in just fine.

I have a Siemens one and like the cutlery tray on top

Easy to unload quickly

The main issue for me with cutlery trays is not a space one, it’s an ease of use thing. With a basket you just throw the cutlery into the compartments, and you can also take the basket out, fill it on your counter then put it back in. (And in reverse for unloading, take basket to cutlery drawer).

The top tray ones have these little plastic prongs and you have to lay each fork, knife etc in carefully to fit between the prongs. Who’s got time for that?