What You Should Consider When Choosing the Right Dishwasher For Your Kitchen
Most houses have under-the-counter dishwashers, but you can also opt for portable ones which are more convenient if you live in an apartment or change houses frequently. They do however consume more space, but the new block type tops make them look less out of place in your kitchen.
You also want to get a dishwasher that is the right size for your requirement. A very big dishwasher will consume more water, whilst a smaller one may not be able to wash all your dishes at once. So depending on whether you plan to use it daily or a couple times a week, choose a size that will be able to take the whole load. Tall tubs and adjustable trays are ideal for more and oddly shaped dishes. Compact models also use more energy if used frequently.
This brings us to the energy efficiency of the dishwasher. With household appliances contributing to around 25% of your electricity bill, choosing an energy efficient set of appliances will help you as well as the environment.
This includes dishwashers. Although most dishwashers comply with federal energy norms, Energy Star compliant models save up to 25% more energy. But this shouldn’t mean that you spend a lot of money to get the most expensive model assuming that it will also save more energy because then your savings might be significantly less than the extra money spent.
One factor that many people don’t consider is the amount of noise the washer produces. Most dishwashers make more noise with time, so it is better to get one that makes lesser noise to start with. With most washers having noise levels of close to 50 decibels, there are some available which restrict their noise levels to 42 decibels. This is usually achieved by lining the insides with sound absorbent material.
Then of course come the looks, which are subject to your choice and the design of your kitchen.
Additional features like dirt sensors may be useful, but it is not wise to spend hundreds of dollars to get features which you might never use, which brings us to the price. Your budget is of course a major consideration. The most common reason for extending your budget is extra features which sound really attractive but are quite useless many a time. So before you decide to shell out extra cash, think whether you’re actually going to use what you’re paying for.
Erina has many years experience working at a major European appliance company in the wholesale division that is responsible for distributing dishwashing appliances & related products to the retailers.