Paying more for a dishwasher won't guarantee a more reliable machine, according to Consumer Reports' member surveys
Dishwashers from Bosch, Miele, and Thermador are the least likely to develop problems within the first five years, according to Consumer Reports' data.
By Liam McCabe
Updated by Justin Krajeski
We’ve surveyed more than 100,000 Consumer Reports members to determine the most reliable dishwasher brands. Our search uncovered a few standouts that are more likely to be problem-free for years compared with others—but we also found a few duds that might lead to extra costs and hassles down the line.
The least-reliable dishwasher brands—the brands you should avoid—might surprise you. “Our surveys found that paying more for a dishwasher doesn’t necessarily guarantee it’s going to be a more reliable machine,” says David Gopoian, research program leader of survey research at Consumer Reports. For example: One of our top-rated dishwashers, from a brand with our highest rating for predicted reliability, often costs just $650.
Our predicted reliability ratings are based on data on more than 120,000 individual dishwashers, all in use in real people’s homes, as reported by CR members in our annual member surveys. We comb through the responses for any reports of performance problems or breaks in dishwashers that have been purchased in the past 10 years. Then we use those findings to predict how reliably a dishwasher from a given brand will hold up in its first five years of service.
The results are clear: Certain brands are much less likely to have problems in that time span than others. The truth is that no brand is completely immune to problems, and a brand’s quality can vary over time because of changes in design or production. (We also don’t try to predict any dishwasher’s total life span, though a number of manufacturers have told us they build them to last about 10 years.)
However, if you consider our reliability ratings, you should improve your chances of ending up with a dishwasher that should last the longest. We’ve published data on 24 brands, including popular names like Bosch, Frigidaire, GE, KitchenAid, LG, Maytag, Samsung, and Whirlpool, as well as store brands (Ikea, Kenmore), low-cost options (Amana, Hotpoint), high-end labels (Miele, Thermador, Fisher & Paykel), and more.
CR members can read on for a summary of the brands that we predict will be the most reliable—as well as a warning about the three least reliable brands. Members can also check out our full dishwasher ratings of more than 110 models, which are based on extensive washing, drying, noise, and energy-use tests, as well as survey results.
Most Reliable Dishwasher Brands
Out of 24 dishwasher brands represented in our member surveys, three stand out as the most reliable.
New dishwashers from brands like Bosch, Miele, and Thermador (which is manufactured by the same parent company as Bosch) are the least likely to develop problems or break within the first five years, earning top scores for predicted reliability. Bosch and Miele also received our top rating for owner satisfaction, which is based on how likely a member would recommend the dishwasher to family and friends. Thermador received our second-highest rating for owner satisfaction.
Three more dishwasher brands earned the second-highest score for predicted reliability. They are Ikea, Whirlpool, and Hotpoint. Ikea also earns the second-highest score for owner satisfaction, while Whirlpool earned lesser scores.
Bosch 100 Series SHXM4AY55N
CR’s take: Bosch stood out as one of the most reliable dishwasher brands in our surveys and also earned our top mark for owner satisfaction. Nearly every Bosch we’ve tested has been a top performer, including this reasonably priced 100 Series SHXM4AY55N. It runs a bit louder than the brand’s higher-end models, like the Bosch 800 Series SHXM88Z75N, but it has tons of rack space and scores as well as or better than other models from the brand.
Thermador DWHD770WPR
CR’s take: Thermador dishwashers are made by the same parent company as Bosch—BSH—and they also earned the highest score in predicted reliability, and the second-highest score for owner satisfaction in our member survey. The DWDHD770WPR is an exceptionally quiet model, and its drying system does a fantastic job removing moisture, even from plasticware.
Miele G7156SCVI
CR’s take: As a brand, Miele garnered the top score in reliability for its dishwashers, as well as our top mark for owner satisfaction. The performance of the G7156SCVI didn’t wow us considering the price, but it cleans well, it’s energy efficient, and it’s pretty quiet. (If you prefer to save a few hundred dollars—and don’t mind the slightly longer cycle time—you could consider the G5056SCVISF.)
Whirlpool WDTA50SAKZ
CR’s take: Whirlpool earned our second-highest rating for predicted reliability, based on member surveys collected in the past few years. While it’s not quite our top rating, it’s still a tick ahead of most other mainstream brands. The WDTA50SAKZ is one of Whirlpool’s higher-end models, with a third rack and hidden controls. But the brand sells plenty of lower-priced models as well, like the WDF330PAHS, so you could consider one of those if you want to buy from a reliable dishwasher brand for a bargain and don’t mind missing out on extra racks and other nice-to-have features.
Ikea Essentiell (80.655.85)
CR’s take: Ikea dishwashers also earned our second-highest rating in our reliability survey. The Essentiell also received second-highest marks in all our performance tests—it has an otherwise average score for the noise it makes. It’s made from stainless steel and features hidden controls. Like most other Ikea models, it’s covered by an industry-leading five-year warranty.
Least Reliable Dishwasher Brands
Electrolux is the only dishwasher brand that earned our lowest rating for reliability. Electrolux dishwashers (which we haven’t tested) received above-average rates of complaints about many common problem areas that dishwashers have: not cleaning properly, not drying properly, not draining properly, malfunctioning control panels, leaks, broken motors, and damaged door seals.
Samsung and Viking weren’t much better, garnering only an average rating in reliability (which is actually an improvement over previous years’ survey results).
We can’t recommend dishwashers from any of these three brands because of their subpar reliability ratings. Each of them also earned our lowest ratings for owner satisfaction.
For the predicted reliability and owner satisfaction score for more brands, check out our full chart of dishwasher ratings.
How to Wash Your Dishwasher
It’s hard to imagine having to clean a machine that cleans other things, but dishwashers can get smelly from built-up food. On the “Consumer 101” TV show, Consumer Reports expert Sara Morrow explains how to keep these appliances sparkling fresh.
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