If you've been following along with our product review articles, then you know we've been supplying you with myriad cooking appliances, which has inevitably riddled your kitchen with dirty dishes. But while most homes come with a dishwasher that can competently handle your cleaning loads, newer dishwashers meet more rigorous efficiency standards, which translate to greater savings in energy and water for you. (See also: How to Clean Your Dishwasher)
A dishwasher cleans dirty dishes by spraying them with hot water, followed by a cleaning mixture composed of water and detergent. After a rinsing cycle, a heating element heats the air inside the dishwasher to dry out the clean dishes. Most tests agree that price does not typically reflect cleaning performance; even budget dishwashers do a great job of cleaning your dishes. Instead, increased price buys you quieter operation and additional bells and whistles.
According to Consumer Reports, this Kenmore Elite conventional dishwasher offers exceptional washing performance coupled with fantastic energy and water efficiency ratings.
This Kenmore model is also one of the quietest models tested by Consumer Reports. Additional features include a stainless steel tub, turbo cycle, and soil sensor. The upper rack is also adjustable, giving you more flexibility when loading your machine.
Rated well for both its ability to clean as well as its energy efficiency, owners love that the Maytag JetClean Plus dishwasher brings high-end performance without a high-end price tag. Other features include an adjustable top rack, a hard food disposer (which saves you from cleaning out a filter), and options for steam, rinse-only, and sanitary wash cycles. However, this dishwasher is a bit louder than other, more expensive models.
Considered a top pick by Good Housekeeping, the GE Profile is definitely on the higher end of the dishwasher spectrum. In passing GH's cleaning test, you can be sure that this dishwasher can handle even the toughest cleaning jobs with ease.
It's also rated well for energy efficiency to save you money. Additional features include a well-designed flatware basket for easy placement, integrated designed with a completely-hidden control panel, and a SmartDispense detergent system that allows you to pre-fill detergent for a month's worth of loads.
Good Housekeeping's choice for a budget buy, this LG dishwasher does everything you need it to, and it does it well. It doesn't come with many bells and whistles, but it does include a nice chime to mark the end of the cycle, as well as an additional rinse option.
Highly recommended by Consumer Reports, the Bosch Ascenta brings top performance, with a number of additional features, at a very competitive price.
At its foundation, it is a high-performing, highly efficient, and extremely quiet machine. It also comes with a soil sensor, delayed start function, adjustable upper rack, and integrated design. This dishwasher has a filter that requires manual cleaning, but that also serves to make it quieter.
And those are our recommendations for the best 5 dishwashers. Be sure to check out the Wise Bread Shopping Calendar to learn when and how to buy just about anything!
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