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Midea
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Credit:
Midea
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This Danby countertop dishwasher is our best overall, having cleaning performance that's comparable (or even better) than that of regular dishwashers. Read More
This portable dishwasher doesn't require a sink hookup and will clean and dry your dishes with no muss and no fuss. Read More
The Magic Chef countertop dishwasher offers the flexibility of a full 1-24 hour delay option, giving you control on exactly when to clean your dishes. Read More
4.1
This modern-style countertop dishwasher offers great cleaning performance and cycle options. Read More
For those looking more into design over performance, the Black & Decker countertop dishwasher offers a sleek stainless steel finish. Read More
If you don’t have the budget or space for a full-size, built-in dishwasher, but also don’t want to spend a lot of time and water scrubbing dirty dishes, it makes sense to buy a compact countertop dishwasher.
While the best countertop dishwashers look tiny, they can typically fit up to six place settings (consisting of a plate, bowl, glass, fork, knife, and spoon), and generally don’t require any additional plumbing other than access to your kitchen faucet. They're also significantly more efficient than trying to hand wash all of your dishes.
Most of the countertop dishwashers on this list are very similar and will work well in your kitchen. Based on our findings, these are some of the best countertop dishwashers you can get online right now.
Editor's Note: Appliances purchases are a large investment of both money and time. We’ve not only compiled lists of the best dishwashers to shop, but also the best places to buy in-stock appliances right now and the best times of year to buy appliances to take advantage of sales and new releases.
Has comparable cleaning to a full-size dishwasher
Plenty of cycle options
Has issues with spinach redeposit
Great performance
Dries dishes
Has a fruit cleaning cycle
Minor issues with redeposit
Has 6 cleaning cycles
1-24 hour delay option
Struggles with tough stains
Sleek look
Intuitive controls
Very small capacity
Stainless steel finish
1-24 hour delay option
Has issues with spinach redeposit
Portable dishwashers (left) are usually on wheels and sometimes have butcher block tops to add extra functionality in the kitchen. Countertop dishwasher (right) are considerably smaller, take up less space, and fit fewer dishes.
If your kitchen doesn't have a cutout for a standard 24-inch installed dishwasher, there are two alternatives to giving up and washing everything by hand: portable or countertop dishwashers. Make sure you know the difference when you're shopping.
These models are typically on wheels so you can roll them up to the sink when they're in use and shove them in a corner when they're not. They're typically 18 inches wide, though you can also find 24-inch-wide models. Because they're about the same height as a standard dishwasher, a portable dishwasher on wheels can hold quite a few dishes in its two racks.
If floor space is limited, or you just don't need to wash that many dishes, a countertop dishwasher may be a better choice for you. Countertop dishwashers typically cost about half as much as a portable dishwasher. They can't fit many dishes, usually can’t handle odd dishes like baby bottles, and can take up a lot of counter space, but you'll still save a lot of water and time with these mini dishwashers compared to washing your dishes manually.
Countertop dishwashers have an inlet hose that screws onto the threading of your faucet, where the removable aerator would typically fit. Drain hoses usually account for the dishwasher’s waste water. If your faucet doesn't have threading at all, you may have some issues with installing countertop or countertop dishwashers.
Examine your kitchen faucet carefully to ensure you can attach a hose to it before purchasing a portable or countertop dishwasher. In certain cases, you may be able to buy an adaptor for it. But in many cases your next best bet would be to replace the faucet with one that has threading.
Standard dishwashers are all the same size: 24 inches wide by 24 inches deep by 35 inches high. This means that it's super easy to shop for a dishwasher online, because you can guarantee it'll fit the space you already have in your kitchen. These models tend to run smaller, since they aren’t fitting into an existing space.
According to the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, the average dishwasher lasts about nine years. Appliance lifespans are shorter these days for a few reasons—broad economic factors, components being outsourced to inexpensive third-party manufacturers, and machines being made with more plastic and less metal.
Since most consumers don’t buy appliances very often, a decreased lifespan can seem all the more dramatic. It can be frustrating to see a dishwasher break down after 10 years when its predecessor chugged along for 30.
Dishwasher cycles can run the gamut from 30 minutes to four hours. Shorter cycle times are much more convenient, especially when it comes to large dinner parties, where you may need to reuse dishes from dinner when it's time for dessert.
“The amount of water a dishwasher uses varies greatly on the type and cycle selected,” Reviewed’s lab operations manager, Jonathan Chan, says. “Normal cycles on compact models can use as little as 2.5 gallons, but larger entry-level models can use up to 5 gallons."
And, although it may surprise you, dishwashers use far less water than you would by hand-washing your dishes, and smaller dishwashers (like portable and countertop models) tend to use less water than larger ones.
If you're environmentally or money conscious, the prospect of using less water and energy may be appealing to you. Be sure to check out the Energy Star rating for a dishwasher to give you an idea of what you can expect your utility bills to look like.
Julia is the Senior Scientist at Reviewed, which means that she oversees (and continually updates) the testing of products in Reviewed's core categories such as televisions, washing machines, refrigerators, and more. She also determines the testing methods and standards for Reviewed's "The Best Right Now" articles.
Kyle Hamilton
Product Tester
Kyle Hamilton is a product tester at Reviewed, specializing in home appliances and technology.
Lily Hartman
Staff Writer, Search
Lily Hartman is a staff writer who also enjoys writing magazine articles about health and outdoor recreation. In her free time, she likes to hike, camp, run, and lift weights.
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