The Best Dishwashers To Buy Online In Australia
If you’re sick and tired of your hands getting wrinkled under cold water because you’ve spent half an hour washing dishes, then it might be time to invest in a decent dishwasher.
Best Freestanding Dishwasher
LG XD Series QuadWash Dishwasher
- Dual-zone functionality
- 5-star energy rating
- 4-star water rating
- Some cutomers found the touch control too sensitive as they would accidentally start or stop the machine by just grazing them lightly
The LG QuadWash comes with a bottom spray mechanism that spins in both directions and has two oscillating spray nozzles that wash your dishes from multiple angles, lathering and rinsing every nook and cranny.
The dual-zone washer feature allows you to program different settings for the upper and the lower rack so that you can set the glasses up top on a milder wash, while power washing the pots and pans underneath, or vice-versa.
You also get smartphone accessibility options via the SmartThinQ app that allows you to control your appliance remotely, while also notifying you once a cycle has finished and it’s time to take out the dishes. The dishwasher comes with a fault detector feature that sends a report via the app as well. If the fault is something serious, you can forward the fault report directly to a maintenance crew so that they know what they’re working with and they can get you up and running again in no time.
Best Under-Bench Dishwasher
Bosch 60cm Serie 6 Under Bench Dishwasher
- Very quiet even on the highest speed
- 5-star water rating
- 4-energy rating
- The metallic finish smudges very easily and needs to be cleaned frequently
- Some customers complained that the kickplate is difficult to fit and falls off too easily
Bosch’s Serie 6 comes with something called “dosage assist technology,” which essentially ensures that the tablet is fully dissolved and that it’s evenly dispersed throughout the machine. Other features that this dishwasher comes with include child lock controls, adjustable racks and trays, and even an anti-food hose that’s designed to power-wash away those stubborn flakes of food that remain glued to your plate.
You also get six different wash programs, including an eco-wash option that uses as little water as possible. There are also light and fast wash options for when you’re cleaning delicate wine glasses or ceramic plates that can take a bit more pressure. You also get a few additional conveniences like the digital display that indicates the remaining time and any fault that may have occurred, the overflow protection feature, and the delayed start feature.
Best Integrated Dishwashers
Fisher & Paykel 60cm Double DishDrawer Dishwasher
- 6 wash and 3 dry settings
- 4.5-star energy rating and 3.5-star water rating
- Very quiet
- The space in both sections is limited and you might have issues with fitting large plates and glasses
- The water jets aren’t quite as powerful as other dishwashers
The fact that this dishwasher is both an integrated model and a double drawer means that it comes with a lot of benefits right off the bat. The Fisher & Paykel DishDrawer integrates into your cabinets, saving you a lot more room in your kitchen, while the double drawer allows you to set two different wash speeds in each compartment.
This is a great feature if you want to wash all of your dishes but need to separate fragile glasses from the plates. It also allows you to put in half a load. In other words, you’ll also be able to save on water, making the DishDrawer an eco-friendly machine.
In terms of washing options, you get a heavy cycle, quick wash, eco wash, an extra hot setting, and a rinse cycle, which pretty much covers all of the different plates, glasses, and cookware that you might need to clean. You also get a few small but useful features like the child lock, the delay start, and three drying options.
Bosch Serie 8 Fully Integrated Dishwasher
- Comes with an EcoSilence drive that ensures the washer runs as quietly as possible
- 4-star energy rating
- 5-star water rating
- It’s not a standard height dishwasher
The Serie 8 is similar to the previous entry in that it can fit into pretty much any space that you have in your kitchen cabinet. While it might not have a double chamber, it comes with useful features like the load sensing functionality. This feature detects the weight of the load that you’ve placed inside and automatically estimates the correct amount of water that needs to be used.
This unit is also particularly quiet and only comes in at 42dB at its most powerful wash setting out of the eight different available programs. You also get flexible baskets, a third loading level for utensils and cutlery, and a TFT display. Finally, the smart connect feature allows you to control and adjust your dishwasher from your phone.
Best Benchtop Dishwasher
Esatto EBTDW2D Benchtop Dishwasher
- Comes with an eco-mode function
- 3.5-star water rating
- 2.5 star energy rating
The Esatto is smaller than your standard dishwasher, which means that it’s easier to install and open up some space in your kitchen. While it may be limited in size, the same cannot be said for its features. Among useful options that this dishwasher comes with, you get a delayed start, overflow protection, a rapid wash program, and even an LED display that tells you exactly how much time is left in the wash cycle.
The problem with this particular dishwasher is that you won’t be able to get too many dishes into the compartment. This makes it a less than ideal option for large households since you’ll have to load the dishwasher multiple times a day in order to get through all of your dishes. On the bright side, this also means that you’ll use a lot less water, and since one-person households don’t have as many dishes to clean, it’s an ideal economical option for you if you don’t have a partner.
Best Budget Dishwasher
Beko BDF1410W Freestanding Dishwasher
- Comes with a half-load function
- 3.5-energy star rating
- 4-star water rating
- Limited set of features
- No timer to indicate the progress through a cycle
This is without a doubt one of the best dishwashers that you can get if you’re working on a budget. The energy star rating isn’t all that impressive, but the low water usage is still pretty decent. Moreover, it can fit a lot more dishes than the Esatto benchtop that had a similar price but much less space on the inside.
Since this dishwasher is half the price of any other full-sized unit on our list, it obviously isn’t going to have as many features. You still get six different wash settings, an eco-mode, and a delay start function, but other than that, there aren’t as many additional features as some other items on our list.
However, it’s not like those features are essential, and there isn’t much more that you can ask from a dishwasher, especially in this price range.
Best Premium Dishwashers
Miele AutoDos Under Bench Dishwasher G7314SCUCLST
- Overflow protection
- 4.5-star energy rating
- 6-star water rating
- Doesn’t have an autoload sensing function
The smartphone app that the Miele AutoDos comes with allows you to control and program the dishwasher remotely. The reason why we’re kicking it off with the smartphone app is that the AutoDos also comes with a feature that allows you to control all Miele products in your household. In regard to the dishwasher, though, you have 11 wash programs that you can choose from, an eco wash feature, and an automatic fault detection feature.
The AutoDos is simply solid as an all-around dishwasher. What makes it premium is its eco-friendly technology utilization that minimizes water waste as much as possible, as exemplified by the 6-star water rating, which very few appliances and even fewer dishwashers actually get. Additionally, even in its most powerful setting, it barely passes 40 dB in noise levels, which makes it one of the quietest machines on our list.
Miele Freestanding Stainless Steel Dishwasher G7104SCCLST
- Fault Indicator
- 4.5-star power rating
- 6-star water rating
- Doesn’t have an app feature
- Some customers found that the buttons sometimes stick
It shouldn’t be a surprise that both Miele products have the same high energy and water ratings since they’re both produced by the same company that’s known for its quality appliances.
Another similarity between the two is that they both have a cold and hot water inlet. This isn’t all that common on dishwashers, but the option to wash your dishes with warm water is a plus since it’ll break down food particles and grease faster, resulting in a much more thorough cleaning cycle.
While this unit doesn’t come with smartphone accessibility, it does have a ton of other useful features like the seven distinct wash programs, half-load and eco-wash options, a delayed start function, an LCD screen that displays how much time remains in a cycle, and so on. You also get FlexCare glass holders, ExtraComfort baskets for the cutlery, and adjustable dish racks.
If you’re looking for something that’s a bit more reasonably priced, but still comes with a lot of features, then this is the dishwasher for you. But, if you want a washer with app connectivity, a half load setting, and a few other useful features, then you should probably go with the previous entry.
Best Dishwasher Brands
Bosch is a pretty well-known appliance manufacturer, so it comes as no shock that their products would appear on a list of the best dishwashers that you can buy. Some of the most useful dishwashers that Bosch have produced are their more compact and integrated models. You can obviously buy a standard freestanding dishwasher, but if you’re looking for something a bit more compact, then these are probably the best on the market currently.
The Miele line of dishwashers also have a plethora of useful features and are just very efficient machines in general with high energy and water usage ratings.
How to Choose The Right Dishwasher
What Dishwasher Features and Programs Should I Look For?
In terms of features, there really aren’t any must-have inclusions that should be on any dishwasher. However, there are a few items that might prove to be incredibly convenient and useful.
A fault indicator is always welcome since it can detect and report problems, which makes maintenance much easier. A half-load function is also great since it saves you water, and you can’t go wrong with the dual-zone function since it can allow you to clean both the standard and the more fragile dishes at once.
As for programs, all you really need is the three essentials - gentle, quick, and power wash. Additional programs are also welcome, as are the multiple dry cycles that certain dishwashers come with, but you really only need the three essential programs in order to be able to cover all of the different plates and glasses that you might need to clean.
How Much Water Does a Dishwasher Use?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a straightforward answer to this question. The amount of water that gets used on each wash cycle will depend on the exact model of the dishwasher that you buy, how old it is, its size, and how efficient it is.
Certain dishwasher models are going to be a lot more economical than others, so the best way to gauge how much water you should expect to use per cycle is to see what sort of rating it gets in terms of water usage. Most optimised washers will use around 8-9 litres per cycle, with the lower-rated dishwashers using around 12-15 litres. Keep in mind that the more times you use the dishwasher, the less optimised it becomes. This results in even the 6-star rated dishwashers becoming significantly more wasteful in just a few short years.
As for the more compact models of dishwashers, while you’d assume that they use half as much water as the standard models, the more accurate estimate comes to around 75%. It’s not an exact science, and it still depends on the model that you buy, but most benchtop models use somewhere around 5-6 litres a cycle.
Which Is Cheaper – Washing up or Using a Dishwasher?
The answer here seems pretty cut and dry (pun intended) - dishwashers are large appliances that use a lot of water and electricity, so it’s only natural that washing your dishes by hand would be the cheaper alternative. A lot of the time you’d be right if you made this assertion, but there are exceptions.
The products that are rated 4-stars or above on both water and energy usage are pretty economical and waste very little of the water that they use. Unless you turn off the tap every time you lather each individual plate and glass with soap, it’s more than likely that you’re wasting more water than the dishwasher.
Dishwashers usually are a bit of a burden on the electricity bills, but the same can be said for any appliance. In the long run, the convenience is usually worth much more than the few extra dollars that you spend on your power bills, and the best dishwashers only waste a fraction of the water that you do. While using a dishwasher might still prove to be the more expensive option, the difference isn’t as significant as you might believe.