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When my family and I moved cross-country into a house that was still in the process of being remodeled, the kitchen was in a barebones state. And, as I spent half an hour or so each day at the sink scrubbing the dishes, there was no appliance I missed more than a trusty dishwasher.

When it comes to time-saving, a dishwasher is well worth the investment. And there are a number of features that can make a dishwasher even more efficient: nylon-coated racks tend to have a longer lifespan, while a soil sensor is helpful because it will let your washer know when to end the cycle.

Perhaps one of the most important features to look for is a stainless-steel tub. If you can afford the heftier price tag, stainless-steel tubs will speed up the drying process, dampen noise, and last longer than plastic counterparts.

Many of the newer dishwasher models feature top controls, as opposed to the classic front controls, giving the machine a sleeker, cleaner look. Another feature manufacturers celebrate is the food grinder, or masticator, which uses a blade to pulverize food debris. However, this is just another part that could potentially break. You may prefer filters, which collect food mid-cycle, are durable, and only need to be cleaned a couple of times annually.

While researching the best dishwashers, we pored over thousands of buyer and expert reviews and ratings of dozens of models. Our guide features appliances with a track record of performance, durability, and eco-friendliness while balancing affordability.

Here are our picks for the best dishwashers:

Prices and links are current as of 6/29/2020. While our previous overall pick, the Bosch 500 Series 24-inch Pocket Handle Dishwasher, is no longer available, we now recommend a similar, slightly more sleek model, also from Bosch: the Bosch 300 Series 24" Recessed Handle Dishwasher. We still stand by the rest of last year's picks, for now.

The best dishwasher overall

What sets the Bosch 300 Series Dishwasher apart from the competition is its unique third rack for utensils and its 44-dBA noise level rating. It's so quiet that it has a special light on the exterior to let you know it's on.

The third rack basically works as a utensil holder. It's located on the top level of the washer and can hold other oddly-shaped items, such as ramekins and ladles.

Each of the racks has ball bearings in its wheels for a seamless glide. And, "FlexSpace" tines fold down on every other row to allow for larger dishes and cookware, like frying pans or pasta bowls. This Energy Star-certified appliance consumes about 2.9 gallons of water per cycle. Bosch backs the parts and labor with a one-year warranty.

Consumer Reports gave this Bosch dishwasher "excellent" ratings for energy use and washing abilities and currently recommends eight Bosch dishwashers in the 24" division.

CR's lowest rating was for the dishwasher's ability to dry, for which it was graded as "good." As a brand, Bosch exhibited the best reliability in Consumer Reports' tests with a repair or serious problem rate of about 10% after two years of use. Lastly, the reviewer found this model to be quite quiet, based on listener judgments and sound-level measurements. Wirecutter also recommends this dishwasher, citing the brand's general reliability and low repair rate.

If you want a faster cycle, you might look to the Ascenta series, which is a bit louder but it completes cycles within 95 minutes as opposed to the 300 Series' 150. But just the same, unless you're running a commercial kitchen, we really don't think that 55 minutes is a loss, and the extra quietness is a better tradeoff.

Pros: Runs quietly, cleans dishes well, features an innovative third rack

Cons: Expensive, drying cycle could be better

The best budget dishwasher

Foto: Source: Maytag

The Maytag 24-inch Stainless Steel Built-In Dishwasher is one of the more affordable washers on the market, leaves dishes sparkly clean, and is backed by a 10-year limited parts warranty.

The Maytag 24-inch Stainless Steel Built-In Dishwasher has many of the specs that you would expect from a more expensive dishwasher. The four-blade food grinder disintegrates food particles so they don't end up sticking to your glassware or dishes. It is Energy Star qualified so you use less energy and water.

Maytag offers a one-year warranty on parts and labor and a ten-year warranty on the tub, chopper blade, and racks. This washer does have a few negatives, though: the front controls are not as attractive as the top controls found on other washers, and it doesn't have a third rack.

The Maytag 24-inch Stainless Steel Built-In Dishwasher was also Best Products' budget buy. The reviewer appreciated the quickly-heated drying function, as well as the light that displays the status of the cycle.

You may want to stick to basic dinnerware when using the one-hour clean cycle, however. Plastics, including hard plastics, may melt due to the high temperatures of the washer.

Pros: 10-year limited parts warranty, fast-drying, features a food grinder

Cons: Relatively loud, has trouble with leafy debris, the one-hour clean cycle may melt plastics

The best drying dishwasher

Foto: Source: KitchenAid

The KitchenAid Top Control Dishwasher cleans even the toughest debris off your dishes before drying them thoroughly.

The KitchenAid Top Control Dishwasher is unique in that it has a "ProDry" function. This setting does an excellent job of ensuring your dishes are dry when you first open the washer drawer. At 43 decibels, the KitchenAid is actually slightly quieter than our virtually silent top pick.

The top controls keep unsightly lights and buttons out of view. And, the racks have enough space for 15 place settings. As this appliance washes, it removes food particles from the water to ensure shorter cycles and less energy consumption. This Energy Star-qualified washer uses about 2.6 gallons of water on the Normal cycle.

The KitchenAid Dishwasher has the highest rating of the models tested by Consumer Reports. Testers gave it an "excellent" score for energy use, drying, and washing. And, it received a "very good" for noise. The tester was unable to find any discernible flaws in its performance.

Reviewed tested this KitchenAid model and found in the Normal cycle, it removed 99.99% of oatmeal debris and 99.88% of meat stains. On the Tough cycle, it removed all egg, burnt sugar, oatmeal, and dried milk but had difficulties with burnt cheese, only removing 93% of this stubborn food. Lastly, the reviewer fit 11 place settings and a serving set in the racks.

However, for some buyers, the pump motor broke within months of buying the washer, but KitchenAid offers a limited lifetime warranty on the dishwasher. Most parts and all labor are only covered by warranty within the first year, however.

Pros: Can dry dishes completely, removes tough debris, energy efficient

Cons: Expensive, concerns about the pump motor's durability

The best dishwasher with a sleek design

Foto: Source: Frigidaire

Not only is the Frigidaire Gallery 24-inch Tall Tub Built-In Dishwasher one of the most cost-effective options on our list, its smudge-proof stainless-steel door looks great in any kitchen.

The big selling point for the Frigidaire Gallery 24-inch Tall Tub Built-In Dishwasher is its stainless steel door with top controls, which will fit any décor. There are eight wash cycles and a delay start function that allows you to set up the wash to run 1 to 24 hours later. It is louder than our other picks though - the 52-decibel rating is the highest on our list.

The two racks and removable silverware basket are designed to hold up to 12 place settings. And, this appliance features a stainless steel filter, which you can remove to dispose of food debris after the cycle.

CNET recommends the Frigidaire Dishwasher because it cleans just as well as models that cost twice as much. The reviewer was particularly impressed with the stainless steel exterior. However, the reviewer was turned off by the lack of extra features and the tedious arrangement of the upper rack.

Reviewed picked the Frigidaire Dishwasher because of its low cost, variety of wash options, and adequate cleaning abilities. However, during the reviewer's tests, the washer would remove stains from some dishes and redeposit them elsewhere in the load. Also, this model uses a lot of water.

If you want to side mount this model, you need to buy a special kit.

Pros: Affordable, attractive stainless-steel exterior

Cons: Uses a lot of water, may redistribute stains

What else we considered

Foto: Source: The Home Depot

While researching this guide, we considered dozens of dishwashers. There are a few that barely missed the cut. Here are some outstanding options we also examined:

  • Bosch Ascenta Series Dishwasher (SHXM4AY55N): If we were to give an award to the best dishwasher brand, Bosch would win. The company has an array of models that are recommended by experts and customers alike. This Ascenta Series washer has a full-size third rack, stainless-steel tub, capacity for 15 place settings, and runs at a quiet 48 dBA. The main reason it didn't make the cut is that there are buyer complaints of drying and spotting issues, though these complaints are rare.
  • LG Electronics Top Control Tall Tub Smart Dishwasher (LDT7808BD): There's a lot to love about this LG dishwasher. It runs at 42 dBA, fits 15 place settings, the motor has a 10-year warranty, and it's Wi-Fi-enabled. However, in our research, we've found smart dishwashers just aren't good enough to justify their added expense. Additionally, there are buyer complaints of subpar customer service.
  • Smeg 24-inch 50s Retro Style Fully Integrated Dishwasher (STFABURD): Smeg is known for making beautifully-designed, high-quality appliances. And, if you are interested in making a statement with your dishwasher and have extra money to spend, this is your best choice. We chose not to include it because there weren't enough buyer and expert reviews available for us to make an informed decision.

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Foto: Source: Nespresso/Business Insider

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