10 affordable dishwashers Canadians can buy right now

There’s no denying that with a large budget, you can buy a dishwasher with all the bells and whistles, but having a smaller budget doesn't mean you have to put up with inferior stain removal. It is possible to get excellent cleaning power at an affordable price, even if it means passing on some higher-end features and finishes.

After testing hundreds of products, we’ve come up with a list of 10 excellent dishwashers that will clean your dishes but won't clean out your bank account.

1. LG LDF5545ST

The LG LDF5545ST may look futuristic, but behind its unique, integrated handle is a quiet, efficient, stainless steel dishwasher with a plethora of cycles and features. Amazingly, this LG dishwasher has a cleaning performance comparable to that of our highest-rated Bosch dishwashers but only costs half as much. The LDF5545ST has the best Heavy cycle that's ever come through our labs—it removed 100 percent of the stains on every single dish and showed no evidence of redeposit. The Heavy cycle took about two-and-a-half hours to finish, but we can hardly complain when filthy dishes come out spotlessly clean.

With a solid warranty and relatively low price, this dishwasher will give you a lot of value for money.

Get the LG LDF5545ST from Home Depot Canada for $645

2. Bosch SHEM3AY52N

If you want a Bosch dishwasher, but you're on a strict budget, look no further: The Bosch SHEM3AY52N, part of Bosch's 100 Series line of dishwashers, gives you all the cleaning performance you need at a price you can afford. With a noise rating of 50 dBA, it's a bit louder than other Bosch dishwashers on the market, but we didn't find the sound very noticeable during testing. For best stain removal results, we recommend using the Normal and Heavy cycles, which do a great job at getting rid of really tough stains.

While the dishwasher's control panel is basic, you can use the buttons to access several different wash and cycle options. This model comes in black, white, and stainless steel finishes, but the stainless steel finish, unsurprisingly, costs a bit extra. Lastly, while this dishwasher doesn't have a true third rack, it does have a small utility rack that sits atop the second rack and is large enough to fit ladles, short glassware, or more cutlery. Bosch's 100 Series dishwashers make some of the best Bosch features available to those who couldn't afford them previously.

Get the Bosch SHEM3AY52N from Home Depot Canada for $695

3. Whirlpool WDT730PAHZ

The Whirlpool WDT730PAHZ is an affordable dishwasher with basic features—a cutlery basket with cut-outs for individual knives, forks and spoons, a height-adjustable top rack, and a few extra wash options. It performs best on the Normal cycle, where it removes nearly 100 percent of the food stains, and each dish comes out bone dry.

The only downside is that the cycle times are a bit long; both the Normal and Heavy cycles clock in at over two hours. The 1-Hour cycle, however, lives up to its name and finishes in about an hour. The 1-Hour cycle is not as good at stain removal as the Normal cycle is, but it is able to successfully tackle less dirty dishes. The Whirlpool WDT730PAHZ is a great budget option for those who primarily rely on the Normal cycle to deal with the weekly dish load.

Get the Whirlpool WDT730PAHZ from RONA for $695

4. Whirlpool WDT710PAHZ

If you want your dishwasher to look like it costs a lot more than it actually does, the Whirlpool WDT710PAHZ is the dishwasher for you. Its sleek matte stainless steel finish means that it is mostly resistant to fingerprint smudging, so it always looks brand new on the outside. On the inside, you'll find a couple of neat higher-end features that have migrated down to this price tier. Firstly, the cutlery basket is actually mounted on the door, which frees up valuable real estate in the bottom rack. Secondly, there's a fan turns on during most cycles and dries your dishes.

Like the WDT730PAHZ, this dishwasher's strongest cycle is the Normal cycle, where it cleaned over 99 percent of the food stains, and completely dried each dish, leaving no water residue behind. The Heavy and 1-Hour cycles didn't do as well when it comes to stain removal, and both the Heavy and Normal cycles take over two hours to finish. For those who want luxury looks at a bargain, though, you can't do better than the Whirlpool WDT710PAHZ.

Get the Whirlpool WDT710PAHZ from RONA for $595

5. Frigidaire FGIP2468UF

If you need more from your dishwasher than a great Normal cycle, the Frigidaire FGIP2468UF dishwasher gives you plenty of options. In addition to water temperature options like Sanitize and High Temp, this dishwasher also has a number of extra cycles and cycle options (like China Crystal, Energy Saver, Top Rack Only, and more) that can deal with any dish scenario. It even has a built-in heater to expedite dish drying.

The FGIP2468UF did a great job of cleaning our test dishes, although, like most of the dishwashers we test, it stumbled a bit on the spinach stain. Thanks to the built-in heater, the dishes that came out sparkling clean were also perfectly dried. The Frigidaire FGIP2468UF is a dishwasher that balances both strong cleaning performance and neat features and cycle options.

Get the Frigidaire FGIP2468UD from Home Depot Canada for $695

6. GE GDT605PSMSS

The GE GDT605PSMSS doesn't come with a third rack. However, if you lay down some extra cash, you can buy GE's third rack dishwasher kit, which allows some GE dishwashers to be retrofit with a third rack. We actually tried the third rack accessory kit out on the GDT605PSMSS, and found that it was a breeze to install; if you have a relatively new GE dishwasher with a plastic tub, this kit is a quick and easy way to instantly add extra storage and versatility.

As for its performance, we found that the GDT605PSMSS performs similarly to the GE GDF630PGMWW. All three major cycles had issues with our dirty test dishes. The Heavy cycle did the best cleaning job, but even that cycle really struggled with one of our hardest stains, the baked-on spinach. If you're shopping on a budget, and want the flexibility of being able to add a third rack dishwasher (or not), take a look at the GE GDT605PSMSS.

Get the from Home Depot Canada for $695

7. Samsung DW80R2031US

The Samsung DW80R2031US dishwasher is an effective dishwasher that won’t hurt your wallet. With the stemware holders in the upper rack, the automatic leak sensor, and the heated dry option, you’re getting some really useful features at an affordable price.

While both the Normal and Heavy cycles had relatively long cycle times (2+ and 3+ hours, respectively), the DW80R2031US was able to easily remove even really difficult baked-on stains. The dishwasher itself is pretty basic, but if you don’t need a lot of extra bells and whistles on your appliances, you’ll appreciate the cleaning power and functionality of the Samsung DW80R2031US.

Get the Samsung DW80R2031US from Home Depot Canada for $545

8. Whirlpool WDF330PAHW

The Whirlpool WDF330PAHW is a good bare-bones dishwasher. It only has three cycles (Normal, Heavy, and 1-Hour), and the only extra cycle option you can select is heated dry, which turns on a heating element at the bottom of the dishwasher.

Like some of the other Whirlpool dishwashers on this list, your best bet for cleaning is the Normal cycle. During the Normal cycle, the Whirlpool WDF330PAHW was able to remove more than 97 percent of the food stains, and completely dried every single test dish except for one. The racks do not have adjustable tines, so you may have trouble fitting large or awkwardly-shaped dishes, but if you prefer having a streamlined, easy to operate interface, then the Whirlpool WDF330PAHW is both easy to use and great at cleaning.

Get the Whirlpool WDF330PAHW from Home Depot Canada for $495

9. Amana ADB14000AGS

Available in stainless steel, black and white, the Amana ADB14000AGS dishwasher isn't just one of the most affordable models we've tested—its Normal cycle does a very nice job getting your dishes clean. With only three cycles and two options, it lacks the fancy features of more expensive dishwashers, but for the asking price, it's a good value.

It struggled with the tougher, baked-on stains during the Heavy cycle, and we also noticed that there was significant spinach redeposit on other, non-spinach dishes. As long as you scrape your dishes clean before starting a cycle, though, your dishes should come out clean.

While its 60 dBA sound rating may sound loud to those who are used to the ultra-quiet dishwashers of today, if you're purchasing this dishwasher to replace an older model, it may just sound quiet to you.

Get the Amana ADB14000AGS from RONA for $395

10. Frigidaire FFID2426TD

If you want clean dry dishes without breaking the bank, you’ll love the Frigidaire FFID2426TD dishwasher. Even better, its top-mounted control panel and sleek stainless steel finish make it an aesthetically pleasing addition to any kitchen.

While this dishwasher doesn’t have the myriad of cycles and customization options that are typical on more expensive dishwashers, it has all you need to get the job done: a Normal Wash cycle and a Heavy Wash cycle. The FFID2426TD lacks a Quick cycle, but for those who can afford to wait for 1.5-2 hours for the Normal cycle to finish, you’ll appreciate the results. The Normal Wash cycle and the Heavy Wash cycle removed more than 94% and 96% of our food stains, respectively, and the heating rod at the bottom of the dishwasher ensured that each dish came out completely dry. For stellar stain removal at an affordable price, be sure to check out the Frigidaire FFID2426TD.

Get the Frigidaire FFID2426TD from Home Depot Canada for $595

Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.