Best Freestanding Dishwashers

Based on 793 reviews
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$300 to $2,700
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Jen L. NSW 4 posts
 

3 years old and malfunctioning. The cycle times are all off, so after 2 hours it can be stuck in a wash cycle still. $200 for a call out, not… Read more

including the actual repairs (the operating unit replacement module is $329). I've bought so many Bosch products, but this will be my last. I don't care that there's a 2 year warranty, your products should last at least 5 years! It would be cheaper to buy lesser models and replace every 2 years. Very disappointed.

Bosch Home Appliances
Bosch Home Appliances    

Hi Jen L, thank you for taking the time to… Read more (+1 reply)

Westinghouse WSF6606 Series

Westinghouse WSF6606 Series

3.4  
 Summary
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Andrew_ SA 3 posts
   Verified

A) Top cutlery drawer is beyond a joke. Middle drawer has to be at the highest setting for the wash arm to clear regular dinner plates in the bottom… Read more

drawer. Now, you can't fit bowls or glasses upright on the middle drawer as they hit the cutlery drawer. B) Cutlery doesn't get adequately cleaned in the top cutlery drawer if the middle drawer is more than 60% occupied. C) Nothing dries. Even using the sensor 60-70º cycle and having the door auto-open after a cycle, four hours later most things will still have droplets on them. Not a problem I experienced with my old dishwasher.

The only positive thing I have to say about it is the eco/quiet mode. You can barely hear it operating. But you'll have sauces left crusted on plates and cutlery needing a scrub and a second go round.

I was so excited to get a dishwasher with a cutlery tray and have more space on the bottom drawer, but this dishwasher is terrible. The eco settings are basically useless, they don't heat the water enough to clean or dry properly.

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Simon VIC 15 posts
 

No other qualities can make up for the terrible upper shelf layout. I switched from an LG to Bosch based on high ratings for reliability and a bonus… Read more

warranty offering but after 5 days I would return it if I could. In particular trying to stack any kind of plastic container (such as you might use in a freezer), takeaway container, or similar is hopeless. The various angles mean things don't sit flat, and the tines that don't fold down are awkwardly spaced and awkward lengths.

Bosch Home Appliances
Bosch Home Appliances    

Hi Simon thanks for your review, we… Read more

Bosch Series 4 Dishwashers

Bosch Series 4 Dishwashers

3.4  
 Summary
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Google U. QLD 14 posts
 

The dishwasher washes okay. It's not great but it's not bad. If you use the Vario drawer (low sliding rack at the top) it's hit and miss how well… Read more

they get washed. What this review is about is the RUST SPOTS on the front panel that appeared within months of buying it. I contacted Appliances Online who put me onto Bosch who said they would arrange a service call. I supplied photos. After 4 weeks having NOT been contacted to arrange a service call, I contacted Bosch again. I spent 35 minutes on the phone while they tried t work out what their response was which they decided was that the rust spot is not their problem. There was no apology for not contacting me. No explanation for the total lack of communication. I requested their response in writing. Here it is:

"Based on the information provided our tech team advised that Tea stains on stainless steel are primarily caused by surface oxidation due to chlorides, tannins, and environmental factors, leading to cosmetic brown discoloration.

Environmental Factors

Tea staining is most common in coastal areas where salt from ocean spray settles on stainless steel surfaces. The salt retains moisture, especially in high humidity, creating a corrosive environment that breaks down the protective chromium oxide layer on the steel, resulting in brown discoloration. Other environmental contributors include pollution, dust, industrial fumes, and temperature fluctuations, which can accelerate the staining process."

Okay, so we live nowhere near the ocean so I'm not sue why they think their 'out' is salt spray! But this is a stainless steel panel we are talking about so early rusting is, in fact, your responsibility Bosch under warranty!! It's weird how our much larger double-door stainless steel Samsung fridge has absolutely no rusting on it after 3 years but the Bosch dishwasher that was only 6 months old when I made a warranty claim does. It's not 'Environmental', Bosch. It's the poor quality of your product.

Bosch Home Appliances
Bosch Home Appliances    

Hi Google U., thank you for taking the time… Read more (+1 reply)

Smeg DWA6314 Series

Smeg DWA6314 Series

3.1  
 Summary
AlohaNeverDies QLD
 

This dishwasher has flooded my floor twice and decided to break again last week by flashing the snowflake symbol. Had for about 6 years so just out… Read more

of warrenty. Interface hard to understand l. Would I reccomend, def not. Save yourself the hassle and find something else. Thinking I should cut my losses and not fix for a fourth time.

Westinghouse WSF6608 Series

Westinghouse WSF6608 Series

2.8  
 Summary
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Anthony Z. QLD 5 posts
 

Its an OK dishwasher. Lots of settings, but its not the largest and made especially useless with the middle shelf height adjustments being too high… Read more

or too low to be useful. On the low setting, we cannot fit standard plates. On the height setting we cannot fit our cheap wine glasses or many other things we would want to put on that shelf. The level of tetris requited on this DW is much heigher than any we have ever owned.

I have read of others removing the cutlery draw to get more height.

Westinghouse
Westinghouse    

Hi Anthony, Thank you for taking the time to share… Read more (+1 reply)

Beko BDF1410 Range

Beko BDF1410 Range

3.0  
 Summary
PoppyUp
 

The dishwasher is working ok, but then we always rinse the dishes completely. The problem is that the marketing says the capacity is 14 place… Read more

settings. Yes maybe, if they’re doll sized. For adult sized china settings, on the left side you can load saucers or you can load cups but not both unless you’re happy to split the row into half cups and half saucers. Definitely not 14 of each. On the right side glasses need to be fairly short because if they’re taller tumblers or wine glasses, they will tip over. So on the right side, again you can load either saucers or glassware but not both, and there’s a 3” aisle between the rows where you could load long handled utensils but nothing else. Just not a good use of space.

Haier HDW13V1

Haier HDW13V1

2.8  
 Summary
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Cindy McDougall Victoria 5 posts
 

This Dishwasher cleaned well intially, but was quite loud. Less than a year in, began tripping the power, after over $700 of electrical visits and… Read more

repairs, and 4 service visits that could find no fault, F&P (parent company) agreed to replace, Suprise Suprise new machine in place and no more power trips! Costly expense and money that we did not have, as well as months and months without a dishwasher while it was away getting checked! Replacement Haier has also had to be returned faulty after only less than a week of use! Will never buy Haier or FP again!

$1,099RRP
Dibrom WA 60 posts
 

Bought two of these dishwashers for rental properties. Have had zero complaints and no warranty or service issues at all which was exactly what I was… Read more

looking for. All the feedback from tenants has been that they appreciate the non-complicated ease of use, non fussy appearance that suits basically any kitchen decor, the lack of noise and the lack of any impossible to read LCD screens and touch sensitive buttons that don't work with wet fingers or with gloves on. This is a basic machine with proper old-school tactile clicky buttons (and only three of them). It is exactly what you want from a dishwasher without all the modern crap you don't want like phone app connectivity to make some functions work, compulsory wifi/internet access so it can phone home to Bosch servers and be disabled when the maker decides it needs replacement for no reason, and overly complex functionality that requires a university degree and 3 weeks to read the user manual to just make it do a basic wash of the breakfast dishes. This is how all dishwashers should be. Functional without all the useless bells and whistles that no-one uses that then break and cripple the entire machine when you find out the cost to repair is more than a whole new replacement machine. For tenants in a rental, this is the ideal machine because users who have nothing invested in a machine they don't own, just want it to work with an absolute minimum of fuss and learning required. Buy some detergent, put it in and turn it on. More than that is too much for a dishwasher.

LG QuadWash

LG QuadWash

2.1  
 Summary
Matt N. 31 posts
 Published  · Edited   Verified

Less than 3 years old and direct drive motor has failed according to my service technician. Paid over $1000 for this, now been without a dishwasher… Read more

for a month now waiting for LG to approve a warranty claim, even though I have provided a purchase invoice for proof of purchase. Products not made to last these days, for products to fail in less than 3 years and at that price point they are not value for money. Plus I left feedback recently on an LG inverter microwave recently that lasted less than this dishwasher, they were both purchased at a similar time when we moved house, so clearly I think it is a good idea to start to avoid all LG products, clearly not up to standard.

LG
LG    

Hi there! Thank you for sharing your feedback, Matt. It’s… Read more

Ariston Dishwasher LFC2C19

Ariston Dishwasher LFC2C19

2.6  
 Summary
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Adam F. NSW 9 posts
 Published  · Edited   Verified

We purchased in late 22. it has worked flawlessy for 3 years with a family of 5, with relitaves and friends. the machine is doing at least 1 to 1.5… Read more

washes a day on the hottest pots and pan cycle. We run a cleaning tablet throught it every fortnight or so as the kids are not the best at scraping their plates. At 3 years and 1 month, the rotor shaft magnet on the wash pump cracked in half.... I will update this review pending how well harvey norman/ariston deal with this in warranty.

Fisher & Paykel DW60FC Series

Fisher & Paykel DW60FC Series

2.0  
 Summary
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Apatheia27 VIC 5 posts
 

Four years of normal household use and now it's completely dead! Water completely cold throughout cycles, detergent dispenser not opening, cycle… Read more

timer stuck on '1 min remaining' for 30+ mins. Dishes are dirty, wet and cold. No error codes, spray arms clear, filters clean. After researching I found this is a documented failure pattern; identical heating element and control board failures between 3-5 years. I've contacted them and their response is DISAPPOINTING. Failed to respond after a written complaint, when I called, they stressed that this is out of their goodwill so they will send a technician out more than a week away. I asked if I could arrange for a technician on my own to expedite, obviously they said nope. A dishwasher failing at its core function after 4 years is not acceptable quality. Save yourself the headache, we are now left to buy another dishwasher (we rang a tech and they said don't bother, it'll cost too much to fix). Bosch - here we come.

Miele G 5000 SC CLST Active

Miele G 5000 SC CLST Active

3.2  
 Summary
User A 5 posts
 Published  · Edited   Verified

Not as it was expected, we have replaced the old Miele after 20 years but we are not that impressed with the new one, doesn't dry properly. Show details

Euromaid EDW14S / EDW14W

Euromaid EDW14S / EDW14W

3.2  
 Summary
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mukstar786 WA 2 posts
 

Euromaid dishwasher 14PL stainless steel – My dishwasher is getting flooded and stops working. I always have to tilt it sideways to remove flooded water to restart the dishwasher. I wouldn't recommend. Show details

Euromaid
Euromaid    

Hello, thank you for your feedback and I'm sorry to hear… Read more

Omega ODW300XN

Omega ODW300XN

2.9  
 Summary
  • Price (RRP) $699
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Handyman QLD
 

Great small space dishwasher – I was paid to remove this 2018 build dishwasher to dispose of it. I took it home plugged it in , it worked but didn't heat. Had a look in he back… Read more

and found a burnt out pressure switch in the heater, replaced part easily for $60 and now it works as it should. It is quiet and cleans very well. X Large plates have to be strategically placed but for a 45cm space saver dishwasher you can put lots in it. I didn't rate it 5 stars as it doesn't completely dry the tops of cups etc. like other fancier more expensive dishwashers The previous owner got 5 years before a simple mechanical part wore out which I think is quite reasonable. Hope this helps

Technika TSDW14GG

Technika TSDW14GG

2.5  
 Summary
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Padma QLD 3 posts
 

Rusted bottom and top racks in 2 yrs. Bought the house with diswasher installed. Owners left receipts for us. The company now wants copious amounts… Read more

of documents to prove that i actually own it. Even sent them relevant pages out of my settlement document. Horrible product and service. Dont bother! Update I received a phonecall from Sharon and she is sending me 2 new racks! Very professional approach and kind on the phone. Totally different experience then the silly emails! Thankyou Sharon!

Emilia EDW63SS

Emilia EDW63SS

2.6  
 Summary
Aaron A. New South Wales
   Verified

I’ve installed the Emilia EDW63SS countless times — it’s great value for money. I offer it as a budget-friendly alternative to higher-end brands, and… Read more

around 70% of clients opt for it. It’s simple, quiet, and does the job well.

Many of the low-star reviews seem to come from a misunderstanding about detergent tablets. Like most dishwashers, tablets dissolve more effectively when placed directly in the base of the tub rather than in the dispenser. Once you do that, the cleaning performance is fine.

Carolyn SA 33 posts
 

Poor layout will not allow items to be placed for optimal wash, even if dishes are well rinsed beforehand. Does not dry properly even on the strongest cycle. Will not buy again. Show details

Beko
Beko    

Hi Carolyn, Thank you for your feedback. Your BDFB1630… Read more

Miele G 5210 SC Active Plus

Miele G 5210 SC Active Plus

2.7  
 Summary
Vanessa VIC 9 posts
   Verified

I should not have purchased another Miele product. Not only their appliances fail right after warranty but their service has been absolutely… Read more

appalling. Purchased new replacement dishwasher 30 June 2025, product in stock. Because I live an hour out of Melbourne, it is a street side delivery only with COPE. I tried to schedule the delivery with Miele as I was going away but was told COPE will be in contact. 2 weeks later I receive a photo from COPE of my new dishwasher sitting on my front porch, open view to street. I was not home for another 2 weeks. Only option I had left after exhausting solutions was to return it requesting a refund. I was not willing to risk someone stealing the DW or gaming it after being weathered in the rain. After 1 week trying to organise a refund, finally I spoke to the resolution team who informed me I would have my refund in 3-5 business days. Now I’m being informed my refund will be 3-5 days after collection. It took a week for Miele to collect the dishwasher and now I’m told the warehouse manager went on leave and they haven’t processed it into the warehouse and I’ll have to wait another 3-5 business days. Which really wasn’t assured 100%. I am tired of dealing with this company charging high prices for poor product quality and appalling customer service. It’s been 2 weeks so far trying to organise a refund.

Miele
Miele    

Good morning, Thank you for taking the time to reach out to… Read more

Asko DBI565IK.W.AU

Asko DBI565IK.W.AU

2.7  
 Summary
  • Price (RRP) $2,299
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Ishvinder C. VIC
 

ASKO Dishwasher Review: $2,500 Wasted. STAY AWAY. Six service attendances in 11 months. The same recurring fault. An unusable dishwasher. And after… Read more

more than three weeks of chasing, ASKO refuses to replace it.

I paid approximately $2,500 for this ASKO dishwasher, and the same fundamental door problem has persisted through six service requests/attendances. Multiple repairs have been attempted, components replaced, including the entire door, and it still hasn’t been fixed.

At the latest attendance, the technician told me the dishwasher was “UNFIXABLE AND UNUSABLE."

For over three weeks, I have had to repeatedly chase ASKO and Harvey Norman for a decision. After weeks of waiting and following up, ASKO has finally come back to me refusing to replace the dishwasher and offering a refund instead.

Their explanation? My cabinetry is allegedly not square, and the dishwasher supposedly works correctly when pulled out of the cavity.

ASKO stated in writing: “When tested outside of the cabinetry, the door operates and closes correctly.” This is absolute rubbish. I was there. The door would not close!

The technician pulled the dishwasher out and attempted to close the door. It could not be closed. He then pushed it back into the cavity and left without reinstalling the fixing screws securing it to the cabinetry.

Because the dishwasher was left unattached to the cabinetry, I have video evidence showing that the door does not close, contradicting ASKO’s written claim. I will be sharing that footage as widely as possible!

And ASKO’s cabinetry explanation makes even less sense when you consider the history. My previous AEG dishwasher worked perfectly in the exact same cabinetry for approximately six years. My home is also a late 2019 new home build. The cabinetry has not changed since the ASKO was installed.

This is particularly difficult to reconcile with ASKO’s own claims that its dishwashers are:

“renowned for their quality, durability and flexibility.”

And:

“A trusted companion. A lot can happen in 20 years. No matter what happens in your family, career or lifestyle, rest assured that your ASKO dishwasher can see through alongside with you. A constant among the change, a dependable assistant.”

Quality, durability and a dependable companion for 20 years Mine has failed repeatedly within just 11 months. It is now unusable, and after weeks of chasing, I’m being refused a replacement and told my cabinetry is the problem.

Those marketing promises are a joke compared with my actual experience.

We chose this dishwasher because we are a large family and needed a large-capacity appliance that suited our needs. Instead, I have a $2,500 unusable dishwasher, six service attendances, weeks of wasted time and a company that has failed to resolve the problem.

I have now referred the matter to Consumer Affairs Victoria and will be providing the service history, correspondence and video evidence.

My advice: STAY AWAY FROM ASKO. I would not buy from them again, and I strongly recommend looking elsewhere.

ASKO, this is my experience with your product and your handling of this complaint. I will be sharing the video so prospective customers can see the door failure, the quality and durability of your dishwashers, and your renowned customer care for themselves.

AEG FFB72746PM

AEG FFB72746PM

2.8  
 Summary
$1,699RRP
Margaret P. 5 posts
 

Disappointed – I have had this dishwasher for five months and had time to get to know it. I am disappointed because the first deciding reason in choosing it was for… Read more

the cutlery drawer. My previous brand dishwasher had an outstanding easy to use cutlery drawer but with the AEG drawer the cutlery does not fit into the narrow tight slots. The cutlery sits on top of the spikes, loosely and falling out of alignment every time I move the drawer. The cutlery does not fit the basket according to the illustration by the manufacturers. Also, the dishwasher is really smelly. I have never experienced this with any other dishwasher. I often do the quick rinse setting to eliminate the odor which helps a little but not fully. I wash every 2nd day, being only two of us in the house which is the case for all dishwashers I've used. Otherwise I like other aspects of it's design and function.

Solt GGSDW6012S / GGSDW6012W

Solt GGSDW6012S / GGSDW6012W

1.7  
 Summary
  • Price (RRP) $395
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Gina B. 2 posts
 

This is the worst dishwasher I have ever bought. Does NOT wash glass at all. Had a repair man out and no change. NEVER again!!!

Beko BDF1640DX

Beko BDF1640DX

3.4  
 Summary
Shane VIC
 

purchased a beko BDF1640DX dishwasher approx 2-3 years ago it was replaced the following day due to a faulty door the second was the same so it was… Read more

replaced the 3rd dishwasher was the same none left to replace it with so after 3 months the new door arrived and was installed within a day or 2, the dishwasher cleans the dishes well and no probs with noise or cleaning. Biggest issue now is at least once a year a E01 code shows and i have to pull it out from under the bench tip it backward onto a 45 degree angle let the water drain all over the floor and then it fine for a few more months or a year. never in my life have i had to put the same dishwasher in and out of under the bench then this dishwasher. It will be going in the bin once renos are completed and being replaced by a asko im thinking

Beko
Beko    

Hello, I’m sorry to hear of the issues with your appliance.… Read more

Omega ODW702X

Omega ODW702X

2.3  
 Summary
  • Price (RRP) $799
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Ben 9 posts
 

Doesn’t deserve one star. Two year and now has electrical fault and smells like something is burning. Worst brand. In the same house we had omega… Read more

oven and door exploded within 12 months and now this. I am not sure how they get approval to sell goods. They should be band

Ariston LFO3C22 Series

Ariston LFO3C22 Series

2.9  
 Summary
Tork QLD 5 posts
 

This dishwasher is so loud we can’t run it at night, it keeps us awake. We bought it from Harvey Norman Aspley and the salesman convinced us it was… Read more

super quiet.It was just out of warranty and the bottom level pump stopped working. I can’t find the original receipt, so I was unable to get an help from customer service who wanted purchase invoice information. I don’t recommend this brand, I will never buy this brand ever again as well as I’ve never heard of this brand before.

Ilve IVFSD10X

Ilve IVFSD10X

5.0  
 Summary
$1,845RRP
Hugh Mc Groary VIC
 

Best Dishwasher Ever!!!! – I don't rinse my dishes because I try and save water - this is one of the only dishwashers that actually does a proper rinse so the dishes come out… Read more

clean. Usually with other brands I've used (miele and smeg) there is still residue. it never gets clogged and my tupperware comes out dry!!

Euromaid EDWB16G

Euromaid EDWB16G

3.2  
 Summary
$1,039RRP
Jebz SA 85 posts
 

Washes and dries like a dream – Perfect main dishwasher - black glass finish looks great and is easy to clean and wipe down. The cutlery drawer fits all forks and knifes in… Read more

perfectly, the top basket has 3 height levels to fit what you need and the fan dries well at the end of the cycle.

Beko BDF1620

Beko BDF1620

2.3  
 Summary
Not happy Jan
   Verified

These are absolute trash. Purchased for $715.00 on 18/03/2022, pump died 10/10/2023, pump replaced under warranty, whole unit dead on 13/04/2026. If you buy one of these after reading this, you’re a fool. Show details

Esatto EDW7S / EDW7W

Esatto EDW7S / EDW7W

2.1  
 Summary
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Damien B. ACT
 

This dishwasher is straight up trash. Stay away at all cost. Even on the longest wash it does not wash properly unless you only use it below 50%… Read more

capacity. The cuttlery tray is a joke. Your cuttlery will stay dirty. The dishwashing tablet or powder (I have tried so many) will stay on your dishes and glasses. Do yourself a favour and avoid this brand at all cost. Even if it was free, it would not be worth it.

Akai AK-DW12P

Akai AK-DW12P

2.6  
 Summary
$699RRP
Livesarah 15 posts
 

Recommending against! – We just rented in a place renovated only about a year ago. The dishwasher is near-new. It’s noisy, it takes *forever* (90min is the shortest… Read more

setting), and a prong on the rack has snapped off already. The internal layout was bizarre- probably the worst I’ve seen in any dishwasher. The wash quality was really bad until we started putting the dishwasher tab into the cutlery basket (we always scraped the dishes clean first because this thing’s performance seemed so precarious we kept worrying it was going to die on us). The filter was flimsy as hell but seemed to do a okay job. The whole machine has a cheap, flimsy feel to it, to be honest. The door latch then stopped working and it wouldn’t shut, meaning we had no dishwasher for the last ten days or so. I was so grateful to get back home to our Siemens dishwasher and its near-silent 30-min wash cycle! From what I could see, it cost about $400-500 before the retailer stopped selling it (I had to look, because it was such a shocker of an appliance I was curious about the cost!).

Akai
Akai    

Hi Sarah, the Akai DW12P has a 30 minute quick wash, an… Read more

Dishwashers are an effective and eco-friendly way of cleaning your dishes as they use less water than manual hand-washing. Now, freestanding dishwashers are available to buy - they're a portable and easy option for many people renting or looking to relocate.

Image of half-opened dishwasher

Should I get a freestanding dishwasher?

There are many arguments for and against choosing a freestanding dishwasher for your home versus an inbuilt dishwasher or even a benchtop dishwasher. Here are some of the most compelling ones.

Pros
Available in a variety of sizes and can suit most kitchen dishwasher spaces
You can customise the style of finish you want - stainless steel, white, silver black or grey.
Great for renters and those who move houses often as it is portable.
Great for those with limited cabinet space.
Cheaper than the integrated version and no installation costs.
Cons
Will take up more space in the kitchen than an integrated dishwasher.
Likely to be noisier than an integrated dishwasher.
More limited washing settings and features.
May not look as neat or integrated with the kitchen as an inbuilt dishwasher.

How do freestanding dishwashers work?

Similar to a washing machine, a freestanding dishwasher can be placed anywhere with a water connection and drainage point. Unlike integrated dishwashers, you do not need to build a freestanding unit into your cabinet and it comes with pre-built sides and a top cover. It’s therefore extremely easy to install, flexible for positioning anywhere in the kitchen and great for renters and house hoppers.

They are available in a large selection of top brands such as Bosch, Westinghouse, Smeg, Haier and many more.

What to look for when choosing a freestanding dishwasher

Size

First, it’s important to check if there’s space available in your kitchen for the model and size you want to purchase. Using a tape measure and comparing those dimensions against the standard size of the product you want is a good place to start. Remember to make sure that your water supply can reach your dishwasher in the desired position as well.

Since freestanding dishwashers come in full-size, slimline and compact models, they are a good option for almost any kitchen.

Load capacity

Depending on how many people live in your household or how many guests you might be entertaining regularly, it’s a good idea to figure out which load capacity you require. In the world of dishwashers, these are measured in ‘place settings’ and generally:

  • 1 to 2 people - 6 to 9 place settings
  • 3 to 4 people - 9 to 12 place settings
  • 5+ people - 12+ place settings

Full-size dishwashers are generally 85cm height x 60cm width x 60cm depth and have a capacity of 12 to 14 place settings.

Slimline dishwashers are the same height and depth as a full-size but narrower at 85cm height x 45cm width x 60cm depth. They can hold 9 to 10 place settings within a single spin.

Finally, compact freestanding dishwashers are the same width and depth as a full-sized dishwasher but half in height for those with limited kitchen space. They stand at 45cm height x 60cm width x 60cm depth. They can hold up to 8 place settings.

Energy and water efficiency

You should consider both the energy and water rating and consumption of any dishwasher you're considering buying.

Dishwashers are served with a WELS star rating out of 6 which signifies how well they save water. It’s a good idea to look for dishwashers in the higher range as they are the most eco-friendly and efficient, cost-saving choice.

Another important factor to check are the energy ratings, often measured in stars and kWh per year. The higher the stars or lower the kWh per year, the better. Choosing a dishwasher with a better energy rating will save you money in energy bills down the track.

Noise level

Check the noise level of any model you're thinking to buy, particularly if you find that you run yours in the evenings after dinner. The noise level of a model is shown in decibels, but it's worth reading reviews and watching videos of the machine in action so you can get a better idea of what the noise level will be before you buy.

Finish

Freestanding dishwashers can come in many finishes such as stainless steel, white, silver, black, grey or more to suit the aesthetic of your kitchen.

Other features to look for

There are a number of features that can make a freestanding dishwasher easier and safer to use, as well as more efficient.

  • Height-adjustable upper rack: A versatile feature included in many dishwashers is the option to adjust the upper rack to allow for a better fit when washing larger pots and pans or tall glasses.
  • Eco mode: Eco mode uses a lower temperature when washing and rinsing to save energy costs while still achieving a deep clean.
  • Child lock: For those with little toddlers running around, it could be an important feature to invest in a child lock to avoid any injuries or problems that could arise here.
  • Cutlery rack: Having an inbuilt cutlery rack can be essential for safety when cleaning knives and other small, sharp instruments.
  • Half-load option: When you only have a few pots and pans to wash and you’re umming and ahhing about loading the entire dishwasher, a half-loading option can be an eco-friendly option to save water and time.
  • Time remaining display: There’s nothing worse than when you need a specific bowl or plate and it’s in the dishwasher and you have no idea when it’ll be finished. This simple but important feature is one to watch out for.
  • Foldable racks: For extra versatility when you want to wash pans and bowls instead of plates, having foldable racks can be useful to utilise space.
  • Self cleaning: What’s more frustrating than having to clean something that’s supposed to do the cleaning for you? That’s no longer a problem with a self-cleaning dishwasher which cleans your dishes and itself in the process.
  • Internal light: Having an internal light in the dishwasher can assist with loading and unloading and provides better visibility.

Comparing the top-rated freestanding dishwashers

Even when you know all the features to look for, it can still be difficult to choose between the different models on the market. We compare the three top-rated freestanding dishwashers on ProductReview.com.au, so you can see the key differences between each and what reviewers have considered the pros and cons of each model.