A high-quality dishwasher is a sound investment for any kitchen. It saves you the time and hassle of scrubbing dishes by hand, and it also helps you save water and conserve energy along the way.
Finding the right dishwasher can be as frustrating as the stack of dirty dishes staring back at you each night, but to make after-meal cleanup less of a chore, our team at Big Sandy came up with our list of the best performing dishwashers. This latest guide includes product recommendations, features, shopping tips, and more.
Best Overall Dishwashers
Everyone will have their own idea of what the best dishwasher looks like. It could be energy efficiency, smart features, finish options, custom handles, you name it. Thankfully, our industry experts have a pulse on all the top-of-the-line products, features, and accessories.
LG 24-Inch Stainless Steel Dishwasher (LDT7808SS)
When it comes to high-level cleaning prowess, LG’s exclusive QuadWash technology leaves dishes squeaky clean the first time. With four spray arms instead of only two, QuadWash uses a Multi-Motion spray to rotate the arms back and forth while power-cleaning dishes from multiple angles throughout the entire cycle.
LG TrueSteam saves the time and headache of prewashing thanks to a blast of steam that shoots out at the start of the cycle to penetrate and dissolve tough stuck-on food remnants. However, this steam setting is still gentle enough for your favorite wine glasses. And a second dose of steam during the dry cycle helps eliminate water spots by up to 60 percent. Plus at 42 dB this unit is extremely quiet!
And the best part is, LG built in dishwasher makes dish care easy with smooth gliding racks. Even your heaviest dishes slide in and out smoothly with the help of LG's Glide Rail and Ball Bearing Wheel design. The glide rail system keeps the upper rack on track while the ball-bearing wheel provides a smooth lower rack for easier loading and unloading. Also, something you never knew how much you missed until you have it, this unit has a tub light to make it easier to see into the cavity of the unit to make sure you don’t leave anything behind!
Samsung 24-Inch Fingerprint-Resistant Stainless Steel Dishwasher (DW80R9950US)
Samsung has taken their model for high-tech electronics and translated that into their line of dishwashers. AquaBlast jets provide corner to corner coverage for superior cleaning, and you’ll experience far less noise than similar models with a virtually silent wash cycle that operates at 39 dBA.
At the end of a cycle, the door automatically opens to circulate air and improve drying performance, and the flexible 3rd rack provides extra space to load silverware or oversized utensils. Zone Booster provides an additional water stream for hard-to-clean pots and pans, and you can easily monitor and control the Samsung built in dishwasher from your smartphone with Wi-Fi connectivity.
KitchenAid PrintShield Stainless Steel Dishwasher (KDFM404KPS)
A 24-inch KitchenAid built in dishwasher allows you to keep your cooking tools clean and ready for use with three racks of versatile loading possibilities and complete wash coverage. The FreeFlex Third Rack fits glasses, mugs, bowls, silverware, and cooking tools, freeing up space below for pots, plates, and mixing bowls. The Advanced Clean Water Wash System circulates clean water to dishes in all three racks, so you don’t have to go back to scrub any leftover food debris.
The ProWash cycle uses sensors to measure soil levels throughout the cycle and adapts wash time and water temperature as needed for tough messes or lighter loads. And the Heat Dry option cranks up the temperature in both the final rinse water and the air inside the dishwasher to help dishes come out dry and ready for your next culinary creation.
And we can’t forget the specialized PrintShield coating that resists smudging and fingerprints so you can spend more time cooking and less time cleaning up the kitchen.
Additionally, if you’re looking for the same KitchenAid dishwasher with different handle options, the KitchenAid KDTM404KPS model comes with a bar handle and hidden controls (compared to a front control panel in the KDFM404KPS model). You can expect to find the same features, including the FreeFlexThird Rack and Advanced Clean Water Wash System, but you can also shop both products in either a stainless steel or black stainless-steel finish to enhance your kitchen design. The slight change to the dishwasher’s exterior is a simple touch to improve the structure and layout of your kitchen, while providing options for installation.
LG 24-Inch PrintProof Stainless Steel Dishwasher (LDFN4542S)
LG rounds out our list of best-performing dishwashers with a stylish and spacious PrintProof model. This 24-inch dishwasher will make your dishes shine with intuitive controls, adjustable racks, and a large load capacity.
All LG dishwashers are certified by the National Sanitization Foundation (NSF) to reduce bacteria found on dishes by 99.999 percent and reach a final rinse temperature greater than 150 degrees when operated on the Steam or High Temp cycle.
The newly enhanced EasyRack Plus system provides outstanding flexibility and convenience, adjusting to just about any load of dishes to help ensure optimal cleaning performance. To make your job even easier, with the LG ThinQ app, you can download new wash cycles such as Pots & Pans or Casseroles, and even download your own personalized cleaning settings.
Once again, if you’re craving more color options to match your existing culinary design, the same LG dishwasher can be found in a white or black finish. The same sleek and powerful dishwashers will make your dishes shine. With intuitive controls, adjustable racks, and a large load capacity, LG dishwashers make kitchen clean up a breeze regardless of the finish.
KitchenAid 24-Inch PrintShield Built In Dishwasher (KDTM604KPS)
As highlighted in the previous KitchenAid dishwasher selection, this 24-inch model features the FreeFlex Third Rack to fit additional glasses, mugs, bowls, silverware and cooking tools, freeing up room below for pots, plates and mixing bowls. The Advanced Clean Water Wash System circulates clean water to dishes in all three racks, and the Fan-Enabled ProDry System provides thorough drying, so dishes come out ready for more enjoying.
Top controls are tucked away on top of the dishwasher door for a clean look to match your kitchen style, and an indicator light on the front of the door changes colors to subtly display cycle progress. Fingerprint-resistant stainless steel and black stainless-steel finishes keep your appliance looking new, while Express Wash and Sani-Rinse treat your dishes quickly and eliminate 99.999 percent of food soil bacteria with a high-heat final rinse.
Samsung 24-Inch Fingerprint Resistant Dishwasher (DW80R7060US/DW80R5061US)
With this Samsung dishwasher series, you have the option of a recessed handle or bar handle type. At the end of the cycle, the door automatically opens to circulate air and improve drying performance. A 3rd rack provides extra space to load additional utensils and silverware, and premium ball bearing racks assure smooth back and forth movement even with heavy items on it.
StormWash features powerful rotating spray jets that clean at every angle for tough to reach spots, the fingerprint-resistant exterior helps reduce smudges for an everyday great appearance, and you can experience virtually silent washes for a quieter kitchen at 42 dBA sound level.
Best Features of High Performing Dishwashers
You come to expect your dishwasher to clean and dry your dishes, but what about the specialty features that will enhance your overall experience? That’s what we want to help you discover.
Bottle Jets: GE, Monogram, and KitchenAid manufacture dishwashers with specialty jets designed to clean bottles. You can load baby bottles or water bottles into the upper rack and a high-powered burst of water will spray directly inside the bottle for a complete clean.
WiFi Connectivity: Smart dishwashers are becoming much more prevalent in household kitchens with the ability to check on the status of your cycle remotely and notify you when your dishes are clean. Select models may even have a feature built into the app that will allow you to automatically ship your dishwater detergent pods when you're close to running out and keep track of your order history, so it remembers exactly when you’ll need a new shipment.
Third Rack: If you have trouble fitting an entire meal’s worth of dishes in one cycle, consider investing in a dishwasher with an upper third rack. The additional rack sits above the other two racks as a place for extra silverware, cups, spatulas, and serving utensils that didn’t fit below. Keeping the smaller items up top allows you to fit larger dishes on the racks below instead of the silverware basket taking up valuable loading space.
Automatic Release: Dishwashers with an automatic door release will open at the conclusion of each wash cycle to let out any remaining steam or moisture. This process allows your dishes to dry fully and with fewer watermarks. Samsung dishwashers are best known for incorporating this feature, and they also use fans to quickly disperse the steam and prevent any potential damage to countertops or cabinets.
Know Before You Buy
While a dishwasher used to be viewed as a luxury appliance, these cleaning appliances have evolved into energy-saving, time-saving machines that are both affordable and highly effective. Dishwasher prices typically depend on the capacity and collection of specialty features, but cosmetics such as material, finish, and handle options can also play a role. Decide whether you’d prefer a high-tech smart appliance or a simplistic energy-efficient dishwasher that will conserve water and energy, and then you can decide what else might factor into your decision.
Dishwasher buying considerations include:
- Capacity and construction — built-in, portable, or drawer
- Energy Star certification
- Food disposal feature
- Cutlery trays
- Silent cycles (38 to 48 dBA)
- InfoLight (as seen on Bosch dishwashers)
- Adjustable racks
- Stemware holders
- Counter-depth installation
Shop All Dishwashers at Big Sandy
Now that you know all about the best performing dishwasher models, it’s time for you to take your newfound knowledge and decide which dishwasher best suits your culinary space.
Don’t worry — we’re here to help! All of us at Big Sandy are here to answer any questions and help you find the right product to conquer any post-meal cleanup. Learn more about our best-rated cleaning appliances by scouring our dishwasher catalog! Feel free to give us a call at 1-888-610-2449 or visit us at any of our various store locations across Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Michigan, Indiana, and Missouri.