Searching for a new dishwasher can be stressful, with a bunch of models having the same height and width with seemingly interchangeable features. If you’ve been using the same old dishwasher for years, any of them would be an upgrade. How do you pick? Read on to find out.

Prices
A price range is a good way to start narrowing down your options. There’s no need to worry, even when on a strict budget. There are plenty of dishwashers that go for $500 or less. For $600 to $900, you’ll find a nice midrange model that includes a few features. For $1,000 or above, you might as well go all in and get a model with everything you could want.

Cleaning Power
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to predict a model’s cleaning performance based on a manufacturer or price. If cleaning power is an important factor in your decision, you can find it without worrying about the price. If you rinse or scrape the dishes before loading them, they’ll probably come out of your dishwasher spotless regardless of which model you’ve chosen. 

Noise Level
A dishwasher’s noise rating usually correlate’s with its price. If you want a quiet model, you should expect to pay a premium. That said, even low-end models are often significantly quieter than the old machine you’ve been using. Think about the location of your dishwasher, and consider what those sound ratings mean to decide if the upgrade is worth it.

Speed and Cycles
The majority of dishwashers tend to have a combination of the following cycle options:
 
Normal: This is the default cycle for most dishwashers. This is meant for a full load of dishes with an ordinary amount of food soil.
Express: Cleans lightly soiled dishes or smaller loads when you need it done quickly. 
Auto: Relies on the dishwasher’s sensors. The cycle time is adapted to a mixed load based on how dirty the dishes are.
Heavy: For bigger dishes like pots and pans, or regular dishes with stronger soils.
China: The water pressure is lowered for more fragile dishes like wine glasses or fine china.
Efficient: This cycle uses less water and energy. With some dishes, it takes longer than usual.
 
The central idea of each of these cycles is the same across all brands. Be sure to check the instruction manual for a list of the cycles and their specific ranges of times. Also make sure the dishwasher you’re considering includes the cycles you want. For example, if you use a lot of wine glasses, you’ll want a model with a “Gentle” or “China” cycle.

Size Matters
Most dishwasher models are 24 inches wide and are designed to be permanently fixed in place underneath a kitchen counter. If you’re looking for the standard dishwasher, that’s what you need. If you have less space to work with, you can go with a compact 18-inch wide dishwasher from most manufacturers. You can even find portable dishwashers on wheels, or specialty dishwashers that can be built into a drawer or fit on your countertop.

Capacity
Despite the fact that the standard dishwasher is 24 inches wide, the capacity from model to model does vary. Higher-end dishwashers have less space between tines so you can fit in more dishes. Manufacturers usually list a dishwasher’s holding capacity on their official websites. They give the number of place settings their models can fit.

Searching for a new dishwasher can be stressful, with a bunch of models having the same height and width with seemingly interchangeable features. If you’ve been using the same old dishwasher for years, any of them would be an upgrade. How do you pick? Read on to find out.

Prices
A price range is a good way to start narrowing down your options. There’s no need to worry, even when on a strict budget. There are plenty of dishwashers that go for $500 or less. For $600 to $900, you’ll find a nice midrange model that includes a few features. For $1,000 or above, you might as well go all in and get a model with everything you could want.

Cleaning Power
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to predict a model’s cleaning performance based on a manufacturer or price. If cleaning power is an important factor in your decision, you can find it without worrying about the price. If you rinse or scrape the dishes before loading them, they’ll probably come out of your dishwasher spotless regardless of which model you’ve chosen. 

Noise Level
A dishwasher’s noise rating usually correlate’s with its price. If you want a quiet model, you should expect to pay a premium. That said, even low-end models are often significantly quieter than the old machine you’ve been using. Think about the location of your dishwasher, and consider what those sound ratings mean to decide if the upgrade is worth it.

Speed and Cycles
The majority of dishwashers tend to have a combination of the following cycle options:
 
Normal: This is the default cycle for most dishwashers. This is meant for a full load of dishes with an ordinary amount of food soil.
Express: Cleans lightly soiled dishes or smaller loads when you need it done quickly. 
Auto: Relies on the dishwasher’s sensors. The cycle time is adapted to a mixed load based on how dirty the dishes are.
Heavy: For bigger dishes like pots and pans, or regular dishes with stronger soils.
China: The water pressure is lowered for more fragile dishes like wine glasses or fine china.
Efficient: This cycle uses less water and energy. With some dishes, it takes longer than usual.
 
The central idea of each of these cycles is the same across all brands. Be sure to check the instruction manual for a list of the cycles and their specific ranges of times. Also make sure the dishwasher you’re considering includes the cycles you want. For example, if you use a lot of wine glasses, you’ll want a model with a “Gentle” or “China” cycle.

Size Matters
Most dishwasher models are 24 inches wide and are designed to be permanently fixed in place underneath a kitchen counter. If you’re looking for the standard dishwasher, that’s what you need. If you have less space to work with, you can go with a compact 18-inch wide dishwasher from most manufacturers. You can even find portable dishwashers on wheels, or specialty dishwashers that can be built into a drawer or fit on your countertop.

Capacity
Despite the fact that the standard dishwasher is 24 inches wide, the capacity from model to model does vary. Higher-end dishwashers have less space between tines so you can fit in more dishes. Manufacturers usually list a dishwasher’s holding capacity on their official websites. They give the number of place settings their models can fit.