GE GPT225SSLSS Portable Dishwasher Review

What's not to love about the GE GPT225SSLSS? Not only did it ace our performance tests on all of its settings, but its versatility as a portable means that apartment-renters or other folks that can't use a traditional dishwasher will still benefit from clean dishes. If you're considering this model but think 24-inches is too big, there's also an 18-inch version—the GE GPT145SSLSS—which looks to be just about as good (review is coming!). Our complaints were few. It uses a whole lot of water—over twice what most traditional dishwashers use. Also, there aren't many cycle options beyond the basics.

About the GE GPT225SSLSS portable dishwasher

• Dimensions: 36” x 24” x 23.375” (H x W x D)
• Capacity: Up to eight place settings
• Finish: Black with stainless steel door
• Three wash cycles: Normal, Autosense, Heavy
• Cycle features: Sanitize and Temperature boost

What we like

Cleans like a fully-installed dishwasher

Traditionally, fully-installed dishwashers can pack a whole lot more cleaning power into their stainless steel frames than portable dishwashers can manage. In this case, the GPT225SSLSS takes on all competitors. For our wash tests, we run full loads on the Normal, Quick, and Heavy cycles (or their closest equivalent). Typical Normal cycles will clean 98% of stains—the GPT225SSLSS cleaned 98.5% of our test stains. It could also compete in the quick cycle, cleaning over 92% of stains compared to the 96% fully-installed dishwashers average. On Heavy, we use our toughest stains, like baked on cheese and burned sugar. On average a traditional dishwasher manages a 97% clean—the GPT225SSLSS was able to clean almost 99% of those stains away. The GPT225SSLSS really erases the performance gap we've historically seen between portable and installed dishwashers.

Gets dishes dry

One of the more frequent reader complaints we see is that their dishwasher doesn't get dishes dry. Drying dishes—especially plastics—can be difficult to do while remaining within Energy Star guidelines. We didn't see any issues with dish dryness here, however, with only one or two dishes not being bone dry out of a full load. If you demand dry dishes, GE has your needs covered with the GPT225SSLSS.

What we don't like

Uses a lot of water

The main complaint we had about the GE GPT225SSLSS was how much water it uses per year. For context, the average traditional dishwasher typically uses less than 577 gallons per year. We estimate the GE GPT225SSLSS will use more than twice that—over 1394 gallons per year. That's towards the high end of the distribution curve for fully-installed dishwashers (so far the most we've seen is 1,610 gallons/year). If using a lot of water is a concern for you, we'd recommend a different portable dishwasher.

Not a lot of cycle options

Admittedly, it's a quibble, but the GE GPT225SSLSS just doesn't have a lot of options when it comes to selecting your cycle. In total, it has three cycles: Heavy, Autosense, and Light. In terms of cycle options, it has a boost for increasing the temperatures and a sanitize option you can use for the Heavy and Autosense cycles. The GE GPT225SSLSS covers the basics, but it doesn't offer a lot of options for customizing your wash—fortunately, it seems to do a pretty good job with the settings it does have.

What users are saying

User reviews still haven't trickled in yet across major retailers: Most display zero or one review. We'll update this section once more reviews start getting posted.

Warranty

The GE GPT225SSLSS has a limited 1-year warranty for parts and labor, which covers the entire appliance. We're a little disappointed by this, as other companies often insure the stainless steel tub for up to three or even five years.

Should you buy it?

Yes. While it's one of the more expensive portable dishwashers you can get, its price is justified by its impeccable performance. Not only can the GPT225SSLSS out-clean some of our top-rated traditional dishwashers, but its stainless steel tub means it's also built to last (and will likely be quieter than other portable units). Whether you want to keep it portable or you have the space to convert it into a permanent fixture, this GE is flexible to have you covered.

So far only a few other dishwashers offer this level of performance (albeit at a premium price). If you don't need the flexibility and just want clean dishes no matter the cost, we'd recommend checking out the Bosch 300 series, which is super customizable and can be made to fit any kitchen aesthetic.