Kitchen Appliances / Dishwashers

When it comes to buying a new dishwasher, there are full-sized, slimline and compact models to choose from, with the decision here largely depending on the amount of space you have available in your kitchen and the size of your household.

Full-sized models are 60cm wide, compared to a width of 45cm for a slimline model, and a compact dishwasher can sit on top of a kitchen counter, which is useful if you have no cupboard space available under the counter or if you have difficulty bending down.

Dishwasher capacity is measured in place settings, with one place setting consisting of a dinner plate, dessert plate, tea cup and saucer, soup plate, glass tumbler, and cutlery, including a knife, fork and soup spoon. Naturally, a dishwasher’s size affects the number of items you can fit into it, with a full-sized model capable of washing 12 place settings or more than 120 items at once, whereas a slimline model will manage 90-100 items and a compact or counter-top appliance will generally only be able to wash 40-50 items.

You can opt for a freestanding appliance or one that is integrated or semi-integrated to fit in with the design of your fitted kitchen. With an integrated dishwasher, the entire front panel will be concealed behind a kitchen-cabinet door whereas a semi-integrated model will have most of its front panel covered but the machine’s control panel will be left visible at the top.

Programme choice

Using the eco or energy-save program on your dishwasher will, on average, use about two litres less water than the normal program, although this generally takes longer. Resisting pre-rinsing and or pre-soaking your dishes will save even more water.

The eco or energy-save programme will also help reduce the amount of electricity used by your dishwasher. The water temperature is lower than the normal programme, so less energy is used to heat it. This can save you, on average, about 20% when compared to the regular programme.

Intensive programmes are designed for very dirty items, such as pots and pans. But they use more energy and water than other programmes.

Handy features

There are some useful features to look out for when shopping for a new dishwasher.

1. In most models, the top basket is height-adjustable but those that have easy-adjust mechanisms mean that you can raise or lower the basket even when it is fully loaded without removing it from the machine.
2. Foldable plate racks are handy when you are trying to fit in pots, pans and awkward items. Fold-down racks are preferable to removable racks as they do not require external storage when not in use.
3. Some dishwashers have a sliding cutlery tray instead of the standard cutlery basket, which can be good for large utensils and reduce the risk of jabs from knives and forks. However, these trays can sometimes be fiddly to load and they tend to decrease the height between baskets, which can cause problems if you have taller glasses or larger plates.
4. Many dishwashers have eco or energy-save settings, which reduce energy use by washing at lower temperatures. These programmes also generally use less water than standard wash programmes but they take longer to complete a cycle. Half-load settings are aimed at saving water, time and energy when the dishwasher is not full.
5. With some appliances, you can focus the wash to one basket, which is useful for washing a smaller load daily to avoid the dishwasher getting smelly. In general, however, using the half-load option is less efficient than waiting until you have a full load and using the energy-save programme.
6. Other helpful features include child safety locks to prevent the dishwasher door from being opened when the machine is running and devices that protect against flooding should something go wrong with the appliance.

Troubleshooting tips

If your dishwasher is not performing as it should, the following are suggestions for simple ways to help resolve some common problems.

If your dishwasher is not cleaning satisfactorily…

This could be due to a number of reasons, including the way your dishwasher is loaded. Try placing all large items, such as large plates or roasting trays, to the back and sides to make sure they do not prevent water and detergent reaching other racks and dishes. In terms of energy efficiency, it is good to always wash a full load but you should consult the loading plan in the appliance’s manual for suggestions on how to fit everything in and be sure to leave spaces between crockery and cutlery for water and detergent to spread around the dishwasher.

There are also a couple of routine maintenance jobs that will keep a dishwasher’s cleaning performance up to par. The filter should be cleaned weekly as this will prevent any trapped food waste from ending up back on your dishes. Every six months, you should check the spray arms for blockages that will lead to unsatisfactory cleaning. Provided your manufacturer advises it, you can remove the spray arms, use a pointed object to poke any dirt from holes and rinse them under the tap before replacing them in the machine.

If your dishwasher is not drying successfully…

One way to aid drying is to open the appliance door directly after the programme comes to an end. Fully loading your dishwasher will also help improve drying performance, as more crockery means more heat and therefore more drying ability.
Again, loading has an impact on drying performance, and anything with a deep recess – such as glasses, bowls, cups, and so on – should be placed at an angle that allows water to drain out.

You can also try adjusting your rinse aid settings or it may be that the rinse aid itself needs to be refilled.

Many dishwashers struggle to dry plastic. This is because, after a cycle ends, plastic items do not retain heat to the same extent that ceramics and metals do and so less water evaporates. Including fewer plastic items in a dishwasher load will improve the machine’s drying ability.

If your dishwasher is starting to smell…

In order to eliminate any nasty smells, run a higher-temperature programme every so often. This is particularly important if you regularly use energy-saving programmes, as the lower temperatures involved can allow food residue to build up and create an unpleasant odour.

Some manufacturers also recommend a dedicated cleaning programme or you can try running a normal programme with detergent but leaving the dishwasher empty.

If your dishwasher is very noisy…

Noise levels created by dishwashers can vary among models, but if loud noises are emanating from your machine, it may be that something is loose in the cabinet or that items are bumping against each other. Before operating the appliance, make sure that all crockery, glasses, and so on are securely positioned in the racks. Noise can also be caused by the spray arms not rotating properly, so when you have fully loaded the device, check that the arms are able to spin 360° freely before switching it on.