Dishwasher Selection: Key Features, Pros and Cons

You always need to be knowledgeable about the choice of household appliances, otherwise there is a great chance of getting something completely inappropriate: too noisy, too small or too big, spending too much electricity, requiring a long study of the instructions. You need to understand before buying, having decided first - how to choose the right dishwasher?

The easiest way is to navigate by parameters. These include:

• technical parameters such as machine size and capacity, installation method, noise level, detergent used;
• additional features such as the presence of a delicate mode, interruptions at any stage of washing, different operating modes;
• brand is not a factor as important as the others, but it still plays a role in the selection.

Focusing on these three groups, you can understand more in depth.

Technical parameters: size issue

There is a clear relationship between the size of the machine and its capacity, which is considered in the complete set of dishes. The standard kit includes:

• three plates - soup, dessert and for the second;
• three spoons - soup, dessert and tea;
• tea set - cup and saucer;
• in addition - a knife, a fork and a glass.

For a family of two, it will naturally load the machine once every few days, even if it is the smallest, while a large family with children will start the washing process several times a day. By capacity and size of the machine are:

• Full size. Designed for a large number of people, they can accommodate twelve sets of dishes at a time. It resembles a standard kitchen cupboard in dimensions - height 85 cm, depth and width 60 cm. They are distinguished by the highest quality washing - an abundance of internal sprinklers allows you to process dishes from all sides.
• Narrow. Designed for a family of four to five people at a time can accommodate up to nine sets. The sizes do not differ too much from the full-size ones - height 85 cm, width 60 cm and depth 45 cm.
• Board. The smallest and most compact for a small family. At a time, they can accommodate a maximum of five sets, the dimensions are very small and often have the shape of a cube - height 45 cm, width 45 cm, depth 45 cm. They have the least number of useful functions - the small size does not allow you to build a lot of additional equipment.

You can take the machine with an eye to the future, if over time it is planned to add to the family, but with a partial load, the consumption of electricity, water and detergent will be more than required.

The theme of the installation method indirectly echoes the theme of size and capacity. So, a dishwasher can be:

• built-in - in this case it is placed inside the kitchen cabinet, closed by a door and is completely invisible from the side;
• partially built-in - can be built into the kitchen cabinet, but do not close the door, the control panel will always remain in sight;
• free-standing, it actually remains in the role of another kitchen cabinet, completely in sight.

When installing a built-in machine, you need to be especially careful with the design of the room - not every kitchen (and not every bathroom, into which you can also install the machine) allows you to get a result that will look organic.

Technical Parameters: A Question of Comfort

The level of noise primarily affects how comfortable it is to use the machine. If the dishwasher makes the sounds of an airplane taking off every time it starts to work, this clearly does not contribute to comfort.

The noise level also depends on the drying method. He can be:

• condensation - in this case, immediately after washing, the temperature in the machine decreases;
• turbo - in this case, after the completion of the cycle, the dishes are blown with hot air from different sides.

The first method is completely silent, the noise of the second depends on the availability of sound insulation and how good it is. To make sure that the machine will not make too loud sounds, you need to check - in the technical specifications the specified noise level should not exceed 48 dB.

The detergent used also affects the comfort of use. It happens:

• combined - in this case, the user needs to load salt, powder and rinse aid into special compartments from time to time, trying not to forget anything or confuse the dosage;
• in tablets - in this case, it is enough for the user to put one tablet in a special built-in compartment and forget about the detergent in general for a while.

The first method requires more time and accuracy, but is much cheaper. The second is more expensive and does not allow you to independently choose the proportions, but it saves time and is ideal for scattered people.

Energy consumption and class to some extent also affect the comfort of use, but much less varied. Almost all the cars that can now be found on sale belong to class A, which means maximum quality and maximum load with additional functions.

The waste of energy also in most machines fits in 1-2 kW and depends on the selected mode and load.

IMPORTANT! The dishwasher consumes a large portion of electricity for a limited period of time, therefore, before installation, make sure that the wiring is in perfect condition and the socket is grounded.

Additional features

The simplest dishwashers are cheap and do not offer any frills, but when choosing, you should know what modes can be and focus on the availability of necessary ones. The most necessary and common are:

• everyday mode, in which the machine moves according to the standard, using a strictly defined amount of water, energy and detergent - just enough to wash the dishes not too dirty in full load conditions;
• an economical mode in which the washing time is reduced, due to which the consumption of resources is also reduced - suitable for washing dishes, which is enough just to rinse;
• a delicate mode in which the power of the water jets is reduced, which allows you to wash even fragile dishes - however, even in this mode it is better not to put expensive porcelain in the machine;
• soaking mode, in which the dishes are soaked for a while, which allows you to clean even dirty pots and pans;
• intensive washing mode, in which water hits hard and the consumption of detergent increases slightly - selected, it is suitable for dirty, but not dried dishes.

IMPORTANT! It should be remembered that before loading into any mode and in any machine (from a full-sized height of 85 cm to a tabletop, height of 45 cm), pieces of food must be removed from the dishes, otherwise they may get stuck in the details of the structure and interfere with further work.

In addition to operating modes, dishwashers may have additional features that you need to pay attention to when thinking about how to choose a dishwasher.

• Leakage protection. If a leak is detected in the hoses of the machine, it will abruptly interrupt its operation and give an alarm signal, which will allow not to flood the neighbors.
• Autonomous heating of water.Allows you to connect the device only to a cold pipe - the water will heat up automatically when the cycle starts.
• Half load mode. It is rare, but it allows you to spend only half the necessary resources at half load. It is very convenient for single people who, however, like not to collect dishes, but to wash them immediately.
• Automatic door closure. It occurs in most cars and works if the owner does not close the door tight enough before starting the cycle.
• Scale Recognition. It allows you to determine the presence of scale in time and add a special emollient salt - in some devices this happens automatically.
• Self-cleaning, crushing waste, filtering. Functions that significantly increase the comfort of using the machine - the user practically does not need to monitor its internal state, all processes proceed automatically.

When thinking about which dishwasher to choose, you should rely solely on your own situation. Depending on the number of people in the family, on the dishes used, on personal characteristics, the set of necessary functions can vary greatly.

Brands

The last point in importance is the question “Which company should I choose a dishwasher for?” It is worth focusing on it only when all other parameters are already selected.

The dishwasher market offers several basic options:

• AEG is a company providing high-end machines at a high price. Products are distinguished by a large number of modes, settings and additional functions that make its use extremely enjoyable.
• Miele is a company that produces luxury cars. A large number of modes, alarms, self-cleaning, additional functions and design variations make it possible to get great pleasure from their use.
• Bosch is a German company that has been a top manufacturer in its homeland for several years in a row. Its products are constantly popular all over the world and belong to the middle price segment.
• Electrolux is a Swiss company with offices around the world. The average price segment, a large selection and the opportunity to get a machine assembled directly in Russia.
• Ardo is an Italian company, a manufacturer of cheap but quality products. Fewer features than the elite, fewer modes and variations, but reliability is on top.

Asking the question “How to choose a dishwasher for the home?” You need to remember that only a clear understanding of your needs will make the right choice. And only proper care will ensure the machine a long and happy life.