The Best Stainless Steel Dishwashers of 2025

Almost all dishwashers today offer the option of a stainless-steel exterior, but a stainless-steel interior actually contributes to the functionality of this kitchen workhorse.

When used in place of plastic, stainless steel has been proven to muffle operating sound, offer a better cleaning experience, and help dry dishes more effectively. Dishwashers with fully stainless-steel tubs are indeed a bit more expensive, but there’s always a range to consider, and you’ll certainly reap the benefits of any extra cost.

At Reviewed, we’ve tested hundreds of the best dishwashers, including many with stainless-steel tubs. Our favorite is the Bosch 800 Series SHP78CM5N (available at AJ Madison) , because of its awesome cleaning power, excellent build quality, and quiet operation.

---

Other Stainless Steel Dishwashers We Tested

---

What To Consider When Buying A Stainless-steel Dishwasher

Fully stainless steel vs. hybrid vs. plastic

A fully stainless-steel dishwasher tub, like the ones on this list, provides the most noise-dampening and durability. To save cost, some manufacturers offer hybrid models that use both stainless steel and plastic parts. Usually, the door—and possibly the tub’s back and sides—are stainless steel, while its liner, or bottom, is made of plastic.

Hybrid models include Samsung’s DW80CG4021SR, the Bosch 100 Series SHE3AEM2N, and GE’s GDT635HSRSS.

Stainless-steel Dishwasher FAQs

Is a stainless-steel dishwasher tub better than plastic?

In a lot of ways, yes. For starters, it’s more durable than the most common alternative, plastic. For another, it’s less porous. That means it doesn’t collect stains from hard water or hold onto gross smells from leftover food or gunk buildup the way plastic can.

Stainless steel does a great job of resisting rust and corrosion, but be aware that dishwashers are a particularly punishing environment for steel. Rust and calcium can build up over the years due to moisture, the chemicals in dish detergent, and calcium from hard water.

Stainless steel also withstands higher temperatures than plastic. That means you can sterilize dishes, get a better clean, and also get hotter temperatures for more complete drying. It’s also more energy-efficient. Stainless steel retains heat, conducting it away from the dishes and condensing it into water that drains down the drain.

As discussed above, stainless steel is a great sound baffle, insulating the noise from the dishwashing process so you don’t have to deal with a loud appliance. And finally, while it’s a matter of opinion, it just looks sharp and adds a nice touch to your kitchen decor.

Stainless steel dishwashers are more expensive than those with plastic interiors, but for better durability and stronger, quieter performance, it’s generally worth it.

Is stainless steel dishwasher-safe?

This is the #1 most-asked question we get about dishwashers. Interpreting its meaning can go either way, but luckily, the answer to each is “yes.”

First, if you’re asking if objects made out of stainless steel are dishwasher-safe, then yes: Experts agree that it’s OK to wash stainless steel items in your dishwasher. This includes lunchboxes, straws, and utensils.

Most manufacturers recommend hand washing stainless-steel cookware and skillets, since ingredients in dishwasher detergent can leave stainless-steel pots with white spots, discoloration, and/or a duller finish. The heated environment can also cause cookware to warp and connective hardware to loosen.

Secondly, if you’re asking if the stainless steel interior of a dishwasher is safe, the answer is also yes.

Former Reviewed chief scientist Dave Ellerby notes that some consumers are concerned that stainless steel cookware can leach heavy metal ions, such as nickel and chromium, into food. To some extent, this is true according to the National Library of Medicine. Still, the risk is minimal, and dishwashers pose no risk of leaching metals that could be inadvertently consumed.

How do you clean a stainless-steel dishwasher?

Despite its name, stainless steel can rust. Stainless steel contains chromium, which, when exposed to oxygen, forms a protective layer of chromium oxide that can keep rust at bay.

This layer can be damaged in all sorts of ways, from particularly abrasive cleaners to high salinity. Once this protective chromium oxide layer is damaged or removed, stainless steel can rust.

So, how do you get rust off a stainless steel dishwasher? There’s really no trick to it. While there are lots of specialty products out there you can use to clean your stainless steel dishwasher, we recommend sticking to warm water and baking soda.

If the rust keeps reappearing, you may want to treat that area with a silicon coating or a stainless steel sealant. That should re-establish its protective coating and stop further rusting.

Do any dishwashers have stainless-steel racks?

This used to be a premium feature, but it’s been almost completely phased out over the last 10 years. Nearly every modern dishwasher uses nylon for its racks because it resists peeling and warping and won’t rust.

---

Why You Should Trust Our Expertise

When testing dishwashers, we assess three major areas—performance, features, and usability.

For this guide in particular, a dishwasher also needs to be made of stainless steel. An interior stainless-steel dishwasher tub offers sound dampening and odor control and provides a higher overall quality.

When it comes to cleaning performance, we test the three most common dishwasher cycles— Quick, Heavy, and Normal —by measuring how effectively baked-on food stains are removed. We also record how long it takes these cycles to run.

Then we look at redeposit, those gross leftover bits you sometimes find on your dishes. It happens when a dishwasher’s water jets blast food off one dish, and it gets stuck on another. The less redeposit, the better.

Rest assured: We’ll never recommend a dishwasher with bad performance just because it boasts fancy features that sound good. But when a feature actually adds something to a dishwasher—like a stainless-steel tub—we want to call it out.

Read More About Dishwashers on Reviewed

For more tips, product reviews, and ideas related to dishwashers, check out these articles on Reviewed.com and beyond:

What Actually Happens Inside a Dishwasher: A foundational piece that demystifies the internal functions of a dishwasher—highlighting its tub, spray systems, heating elements, and how these parts work together to get dishes clean and dry.

Some dishwashers dry better than others—here's why: This feature explains the different methods dishwashers use to dry dishes, and what to look for in a dishwasher if drying ability is high on your list of must-haves.

The Best Affordable Dishwashers We’ve Tested: While a stainless-steel tub may increase the cost of a dishwasher, we’ve curated a list of affordable dishwashers that have either fully stainless steel or hybrid tubs.

10 Mistakes You’re Making with Your Dishwasher: A practical guide to avoiding common user errors that undermine washing performance—like overloading, blocking spray arms, skipping rinse aid, and neglecting maintenance like filter cleaning.

Your dishwasher is gross—here's how to clean it: In this article, you’ll learn what components of a dishwasher need to be cleaned, why it’s important, and how to do it easily.

A dishwasher is the easiest appliance to buy online—here's why: Buying an appliance online isn’t always an easy thing to do, but with dishwashers, it can be. This feature explains the different types of dishwashers you may consider, and why making that choice online makes sense.

The Best Quiet Dishwashers We've Tested: If your home has an open layout, you may be in the market for a particularly quiet dishwasher. This list features the quietest dishwashers we’ve tested.