Top 5 compared
The best dishwashers
A day’s plates, pans and glasses washed and dried while you get on with the evening.
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The top 5 at a glance
Josephine Cochrane, from Shelbyville in Illinois, patented a dish-washing machine in 1886. Today’s machines are plumbed in and wash plates, pans, glasses and cutlery on a programme, from a half-hour rapid wash to a long eco cycle. Drying is where they differ most: some open the door at the end to let the steam out, others use a heat exchanger, and some do both.
The energy label gives the kilowatt-hours per 100 eco cycles, which is the figure to compare for running costs. Here, only the Bosch Series 4 connects to an app. Delivery, plumbing in and taking an old machine away depend on the seller.
What matters
- Enough place settings for a day’s plates, glasses and cutlery.
- Noise in decibels, if the kitchen is open-plan.
- A top basket that moves, for tall glasses or big plates.
- A long guarantee, and whether it needs registering.
#1Bosch Series 4 Freestanding Dishwasher, 60cm (SMS4EKI06G)
£549 RRP
Bosch’s Series 4 runs at 42dB, the quietest here, uses the least energy of the five and connects to the Home Connect app, while Vario Flex baskets and a top basket that sets at three heights make room for awkward pans and tall glasses.
What owners say: Owners say it cleans superbly and holds plenty, and find it quiet enough to run in the evening; most think it fairly priced.
A closer look: Set the top basket’s height before loading, for tall glasses above or big plates below. Home Connect is set up once with the app over home Wi-Fi, and Bosch’s five-year guarantee needs the machine registering within three months of buying it, so it’s worth doing both on day one.
- Top basket has three heights
- Flexible baskets for awkward pans
- Five-year guarantee once registered
Best for: Late-evening loads without the noise
- Place settings
- 13
- Energy per 100 eco cycles
- 64kWh
- Water per eco cycle
- 9L
- Noise
- 42dB
- Programmes
- 6
- Drying
- Heat exchanger, door opens (EfficientDry)
- App control
- Home Connect
#2Hotpoint 14-Place Freestanding Dishwasher (HFC 3C26 W C UK)
£200–£300
Fourteen place settings, as many as any here, 3D Zone Wash puts extra water power into one basket for baked-on pans, and ActiveDry opens the door by 10cm near the end to let the steam out.
What owners say: Owners comment on its sturdy build and on plates coming out spotless.
A closer look: 3D Zone Wash is worth saving for a basket of roasting tins and casserole dishes, since everyday plates come clean without it. The 30-minute Rapid wash is meant for a small load of lightly soiled dishes, not a full one after a big meal.
- 10-year parts warranty
- 30-minute Rapid wash
- Power wash for one basket
Best for: Big households and pans
- Place settings
- 14
- Energy per 100 eco cycles
- 95kWh
- Water per eco cycle
- 9.5L
- Noise
- 46dB
- Programmes
- 7
- Drying
- Door opens (ActiveDry)
- App control
- No
#3Bosch Series 2 Freestanding Dishwasher, 60cm (SMS26AW08G)
£399.00 RRP
Six programmes cover the usual jobs, from a one-hour wash to a Silence programme for an open-plan evening, and the delay timer can hold the start for 3, 6 or 24 hours.
What owners say: Owners rate how clean everything comes out and find it quiet in use, and one fits a whole day’s dishes into a single load.
A closer look: The top basket moves up or down when it’s empty, so set it before loading to make room for tall glasses above or big plates below. ExtraDry is the option to add when the load has plastic tubs in it, and the one-hour programme suits a lightly used load that’s needed again soon.
- 24-hour delay start
- Leak protection system
- One-hour programme
- Height-adjustable top basket
Best for: Quiet everyday washing
- Place settings
- 12
- Energy per 100 eco cycles
- 92kWh
- Water per eco cycle
- 9.5L
- Noise
- 46dB
- Programmes
- 6
- Drying
- Heat exchanger, ExtraDry
- App control
- No
#4COMFEE’ 14-Place Freestanding Dishwasher (CDWEF1435EBC-UK)
Over £300
An energy rating of C and fourteen place settings, so it costs less to run than every machine here bar the Bosch Series 4, with eight programmes, a door that opens itself to let the steam out and a quiet 44dB.
What owners say: Owners rate how hard it cleans and how quietly it runs, like the look of it and think it good value, with plenty of programmes to choose from.
A closer look: Auto reads how dirty the load is and sets the wash to suit, so it can stay on that setting most days. Plates, pots and pans up to 30cm across fit inside, and Half Load suits a day’s worth in one basket.
- Auto programme reads the load
- Fits pans up to 30cm
- Half-load option
- Soak programme
Best for: Keeping running costs down
- Place settings
- 14
- Energy per 100 eco cycles
- 75kWh
- Water per eco cycle
- 9.8L
- Noise
- 44dB
- Programmes
- 8
- Drying
- Door opens automatically
- App control
- No
#5COMFEE’ 13-Place Freestanding Dishwasher (CDWPF1301PBD-UK)
£200–£300
A full-size, 13-place machine with a door that opens itself to help the drying, a 72°C Hygiene programme, a half-load option and a 30-minute Rapid wash.
What owners say: Owners find the Hygiene programme gets through greasy pans, like the room inside and the black finish, and say it isn’t too loud.
Heads up: A little water inside a brand-new machine is normal: COMFEE’ runs every dishwasher through a test before it leaves the factory.
A closer look: Half load suits a day’s worth in one basket and works on every programme except Rapid, as does the door opening, so anything from a 30-minute Rapid wash may need a minute with a tea towel. Plates, pots and pans up to 30cm across fit inside.
- 72°C Hygiene programme
- Half-load option
- 30-minute Rapid wash
- Fits pans up to 30cm
Best for: Greasy pans and half loads
- Place settings
- 13
- Energy per 100 eco cycles
- 83.6kWh
- Water per eco cycle
- 11L
- Noise
- 47dB
- Programmes
- 6
- Drying
- Door opens automatically
- App control
- No
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Bosch Series 4 | #2Hotpoint HFC 3C26 | #3Bosch Series 2 | #4COMFEE’ 14-place | #5COMFEE’ 13-place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Runner-up | Best budget | |||
| Picked Rating | 9.2 | 9.1 | 8.9 | 8.7 | 8.1 |
| Price | £549 RRP | £200–£300 | £399.00 RRP | Over £300 | £200–£300 |
| Place settings | 13 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 13 |
| Energy per 100 eco cycles | 64kWh | 95kWh | 92kWh | 75kWh | 83.6kWh |
| Water per eco cycle | 9L | 9.5L | 9.5L | 9.8L | 11L |
| Noise | 42dB | 46dB | 46dB | 44dB | 47dB |
| Programmes | 6 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 6 |
| Drying | Heat exchanger, door opens (EfficientDry) | Door opens (ActiveDry) | Heat exchanger, ExtraDry | Door opens automatically | Door opens automatically |
| App control | Home Connect | No | No | No | No |
| Best for | Late-evening loads without the noise | Big households and pans | Quiet everyday washing | Keeping running costs down | Greasy pans and half loads |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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