Bosch Series 4 Dishwashers
Verified213 reviews
Huge disappointment from the start – Heard so many great things about Bosh dishwashers but my experience has been nothing but disappointing. Rarely cleaned dishes well. Often had to do more than one wash. Streaky glasses and spotty cutlery even when using the recommended tablets. Tablets never dissolved properly so powder was the only option. Dishes were never dry at the end so I had to open the door to let them air dry. Just 6 months outside of the warranty, the heating element has died. Not something I expected from a brand that has a reputation of long lasting dishwashers. Bosch customer support were at least friendly and professional and have replaced the part under warranty. Hopefully it holds up. Edit: The pump then failed just a few months after the heating element repair so I gave up on it and purchased a new dishwasher of another brand.
Purchased in at Appliances Online for $607.
Perfect! – Just brought this dishwasher 6 weeks ago. Love it! Easy to pack, plenty of space which we fit a whole days worth of dishes in. Fits large plates well. Love the wine glass rack. Dish draw is better then cutlery basket. As other reviews, there is a smell at new but it’s just a ‘new smell’ that goes in a few washes. Only thing is auto cycle is 3 hours long, but apart from that it cleans perfectly so we don’t mind the long cycle.
Purchased in at The Good Guys for $800.
Hi, Thanks for your review. We appreciate the positive feedback about your Bosch SMS46GI01A, we're glad to hear that it's going well for you. Thank you for sharing your experience. If you have any questions feel free to call us on 1300 369 744. Regards, Bosch Home Australia
We have recently purchased a Bosch dishwasher,HUGE CHANGE, after many years spent over the kitchen sink hand washing our pots, tableware and glassware. What I have realised is these items were never actually clean! With the new Bosch dishwasher these items, particularly the glassware are now sparkling clean. My 3 words to describe are rinse, set, forget..... Show details
Short version: If you want a dishwasher that gets things clean and dry, buy a Miele, if you don't mind wet & dirty dishes buy something for $300 and save your money. Long version: I wish I had read the reviews prior to buying this dishwasher. I brought it to replace a 15 year old Miele thinking how hard could it be to make a decent dishwasher in… Read more
2025 and apparently for Bosch it is too hard. There's four of us in the household and the dishwasher goes on every day.
This thing smells like it was designed by the marketing team, it has lots of features you don't need like Wifi, an App and theoretical capacity for 16 place settings instead of the usual 14. However it is no bigger than any other dishwasher inside, so unless your plates are paper thin, the spacing is too close together and you have to double space your plates reducing the capacity to 8 settings.
The cutlery tray is nice, but the top wash is a not a rotating arm which jets the water more closer to items so things near the edge don't get cleaned as well. Seems like Bosch tried to skimp on costs here.
Talking of skimped costs, the dishwasher legs are adjustable to 130mm height which you need to mount under a standard 90cm worktop. But the kickplate it comes with is only suitable up to 80mm. If you want the correct height kickplate from Bosch which is just a sheet of pressed metal, then it'll cost you a further $80.
It is exceptionally quiet to the point you can wonder if it's working. Perhaps because it's not, dishes that my 15 year dishwasher would have no issue cleaning and drying in two hours come out of the Series 4 after two and half hours still dirty and wet.
I won't be buying Bosch again, after 3 months I'm close to selling the thing and getting a different brand.
- +1
Bosch dishwasher with German manufactured parts dead after 3.5 years. Paid over $1000. Fine for 3 years, then constantly started stopping mid-cycle with no error codes. Was able to be reset a couple of times, then the LED crystal display died. No power, nothing. Local repairer reckons it's the PC Board after discussing over phone, which is a… Read more
$400 part, then labour on top, maybe a $700 repair....Lol.
After advising Bosch, all we get is argumentative email exchanges with an overseas service centre outside of local hours.
So dissapointing for a mid-level appliance trumpeting German components. We should have just bought something Chinese for alot less, or a proper premium brand and spent some more money.
No more Bosch products. Don't waste your money!
Reviews with attachments
best dishwasher – The first time I used this it was so quiet I didn't think it was running. I have to see the red light is on to know that it is running. It cleans well not over the top but I have no complaints . The best thing is how quiet it is. Show details · 1
So far so good, but customer service could be better – I purchased my dishwasher earlier this month. Installation was a little tricky (the installation guide resembles an ikea assembly manual) and took longer than expected. The machine washes well and is very quiet. However, my machine came with the rinse aid door warped. I have contacted the Bosch support via email and telephone and am yet to hear from anyone. If anyone from Bosch is watching this page, please contact me. Show details · 2
Bought BOSCH SMS4HVI01A Dish Washer in Feb 2022 from The Good Guys 3 years later it has stopped working it’s lit up like a Christmas tree every light on, try resetting, turn power off still doesn’t work I’m in my 70s single and on a pension. I only used it once or twice a week. I bought a brand that I thought would last. Show details
In-depth reviews
Smells your kitchen out – We bought this dishwasher to replace a Westinghouse which developed a fault and was cheaper to replace than repair. The pros of this dishwasher... It is large enough for a lot of bottom plates of large diameter and pots/pans, Good shelving systems Easy to use and does a good wash The cons Only one and its a big one It has a plastic base, not… Read more
a stainless steel base, Its all my fault for buying as I just did not look in it and see it well. I just assumed it was like all my other dishwashers. From the moment we washed our first load, we were hit with an awful plastic smell that never abated and we wondered if we were absorbing this chemical smell with our washed dishes. Nothing mentioned by anyone , not the salesman , not the book and it does not go away. We thought ok , lets just wash a few cycles and it will go.. Well it diminished slightly but it did not ever go.
If I had known this, I would never have bought it.
So my advice (my personal advice) is not to buy this appliance and be carefull buying with any plastic base brand dishwasher including this one. First time in any review that I have advised not to buy something.
I am stuck with it.. washing well or not , I am just not happy about it at all. The two stars of this review do not reflect the machines abilty to wash. It reflects the fact that I would, given better information about this appliance , never have bought it.
Early days but Excellent results so far - useful features – More space for dishes and so quiet This Bosch Dishwasher SMS46K101A replaced an 8-year-old Smeg. While I do some entertaining, my dishwasher primarily needs to service a lone household. Unlike many people I know living alone who don’t even use their dishwasher, I consider it an essential and requisite tool, making life easier and producing… Read more
cleaner dishes. I used to do a load every 2 days but not I can manage 2 loads per week. Having used this dishwasher for some 5 weeks, I am conscious of it being a superior product to its predecessor, even though its price was less than the Smeg. First Impression/Build/Programs It looks good, solid and the surface does not mark easily. I have not noticed any finger marks or such on the surface to date – not bad after 5 weeks. It’s easy to operate – the buttons are straight forward and the instructions, including the attributes of the different programs, are easy to understand. I only have to press 2 buttons to initiate my chosen wash/dry. Initially I thought how can a 2.5 hour program be low energy? I will have to wait and see how my 2 washes per week impact on my power usage. But I am continuing to use that program and really happy with the results. Although there are numerous programs available, I have only had need to utilise the one at this stage. An unexpected feature is the provision of a special spray nozzle which one attaches at the rear of the interior. This is specifically for cleaning anything large and upright, such as baking trays, pizza trays etc placed on the lower shelf. It was surprisingly very efficient, especially after being accustomed to just squeezing my baking trays into the side of the bottom tray in the previous machine and with less than exciting results. A real bonus – space wise My previous dishwasher did not have a dedicated cutlery tray – this Bosch does, and I have found this leaves more room available in the bottom tray. All the cutlery, large knives, even cooking utensils are placed on the cutlery tray and it holds a mighty lot and it neatly slides into the top of the machine. I was concerned that the space taken by the cutlery tray may take vertical space away from the mug/cup level or the lowest level. This is not the case as even taller mugs fit easily into the 2nd tray. The 2nd tray also has 3 security holders for more fragile objects to ensure they don’t fall. I have always believed that most modern plastic containers should be dishwasher-friendly and with the provision of the covers along one side of the 2nd tray, it ensures that the lighter plastic containers are contained within their space rather than flying up into the spinning water spray wheels. Cleaning I generally clean the filter out every 3 to 4 washes and it is a straight forward process. Pros Quiet – I thought my previous machine was quiet but I was wrong. The Bosch is super quiet. Space – plenty of space for more dishes without encumbrance of the traditional cutlery box in the bottom tray. If you want to use the cutlery box, it’s there to utilise as you wish/prefer. Price – reasonable for what you get compared to what else was available. Cons There’s not much to say at this early stage. It is hard to understand how a 2.5 hour program is the most energy efficient but time will tell.
Consistently Dry and Clean Plates – Thankfully I went through this site for product reviews which made me decide on this dishwasher. The reviews were mostly great but I noted some of the negatives too which I can say not really an issue but I understand why they were noted. This is a great dishwasher. I have had many different models and makers before and this is so far the best… Read more
one I’ve had.
The good things are: consistently dry plates even without the additional wash aid thingy, less time than others to complete a cycle (2.5 hrs), consistently clean even with less wash prior to loading plates, very quiet, easy to use the buttons, good design of the space which makes it easier to load and unload, extra level for knives and ladles and some more.
The bad things are: the bottom floor is plastic and hence the first few washes still have that plasticky smell, some items or plates that are made of plastic do not dry well, 2.5hrs cycle maybe longer for others but for me that’s quick enough.
Overall, very happy with the performance of this machine.
Positive reviews
My second Bosch dishwasher and the best yet – Amazing results from this dishwasher on each program. Simple to use and easy to clean too. Had to remove the cutlery tray so wine glasses fit on the top basket, no worries as I'm not keen on these trays anyhow. The dishwasher comes with a cutlery basket that works well. Show details · 1
Find out how Bosch Series 4 Dishwashers compares to other Freestanding Dishwashers
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Perfect for our needs – Having had this dishwasher for about 4 months we are very pleased with our purchase. It’s quiet, efficient and does the job very well. We have no hesitation in recommending this model from Bosch. Show details
It’s been a great machine – Decided to empty the dishwasher only to find it hadn’t washed and had E 19 error displayed. I tried to trouble shoot however recommended suggestions did not work. After 5.5 years it’s the first error I’ve had on it. Warranty ran out just under 6 months ago. Hopefully it doesn’t cost too much to repair. It’s been a great dishwasher. Show details
Negative reviews
Childlock is useless – Don't buy if you need a dishwasher with a child lock. For the childlock to work the machine has to be on, and when it's on and not running it constantly flashes which is really annoying. I don't know why anyone would code it to do that, it's insane. If anything it should have been coded to turn the display off if child lock is put on while machine is in standby
Poor and waste of time with concerned Customer Service in BSG and The Good Guys – Bought BOSCH SMS4HVI01A Dish Washer in Feb 2022 and from July 2023 started getting error code E9001 which technically says Low Voltage Supply to the Dish washer. Got it attended by BSG and they changed few parts - power module, operating module , connecting cable etc. Last part changed in Oct 2023 and no error for 6-7 months and again same error… Read more
re-appears. I am covered with 3 Years Bosch +2 Extended Warranty by The Good Guys. Apparently 3 different times Bosch Technician Checked and Voltage is between 220-240 Volts and all other Appliances in my House work normally except the Bosch Dishwasher! Checked with neighbours and none of the neighbour complained about Low Voltage or faulty Appliances. The Good Guys Concierge Service now refuses to Replace the Lemon product which is beyond doubt not repairable. They insist based on a faulty sensor to get an Electrician check the wiring and Voltage in the House. However they refuse to logically accept that Machine worked for 1 Year and later worked for 6-7 months after power module was changed in Oct 2023. So what happened to low Voltage issue during 6-7 months. I am not a Electrical expert but can make out the fault is in Bosch Machine with faulty Sensor or too sensitive Machine which is not fit to use in Australia. Voltage supply is not what as a Consumer we can control. However Voltage supply should affect everyone and all the appliances why does it affect Bosch Dishwasher only. Need Replacement of the Product from The Good Guys / Bosch.
Fell apart after only 1 month – what can I say, I thought paying $1000 for a dishwasher will bring value to my property and also last for a decade, but since day one I noticed a few issues. First the dishwasher has a very strong Bitumen asphalt smell when its running, this goes around the house, apparently this is to make sure the dishwasher is silent, why on earth would… Read more
engineers think this is a good idea at all to put bitumen outside of the dishwasher. The dishes also end up absorbing the smell, while the smell reduced overtime it hasn't gone away even after a month
Secondly we noticed after a month the dishwasher went from completely silent, to very noise. Suddenly the motor started making so much noise and you can hear the water splashing around, we always make sure the arm doesn't hit anything. This is only after one month use, completely unacceptable.
The other issue is with the door hinge, seems to rapidly defoliate even after short usage its clicking and rubbing against the plastics.
Reading more reviews it seems the new generation of Bosch Dishwashers have so many problems, they cut corners clearly and still sell it to you for top dollar, I really regret not buying a Haier dishwasher which was even more energy and water efficient than this one and nearly half the price.
Recent reviews
Smells out my kitchen too should be recalled – Smells this should be recalled does not clean was told by the technician that I shouldn’t use the long wash What The!
3 years old and already broken down! – After only 3 years my dishwasher has broken down and now requires$500 of repairs.I bought Bosch thinking it would be very reliable.I am Very disappointed . Show details
Worse than the dishwasher it replaced – Almost all washes are oily. It Never dries the dishes. Even with frequent dishwasher cleaning, all the dishes and utensils Always come out oily if using eco or auto functions. If using pots function, it's still frequently oily. Timer is always around 2.5hrs and never varies. To sum up, it doesn't clean nor does it dry. Pretty much useless all… Read more
around. I should've bought another brand. This performance has been consistently poor since it was bought 11 months ago.
So far so good – Very impressed so far with the performance of this dishwasher. As other have said it arrived with a strong plasticy smell which diminishes with time. We were a little worried that it wouldn’t wash and dry as well as our old school dishwasher (used a ton of hot water and dishes sparkling) but it is better! We use the auto/extra dry and speed… Read more
perfect program for fantastic results. Open the door after the cycle and dishes are completely dry in 10 minutes. Our family room/tv area is close by and the dishwasher is very quiet. The only issue we had was that the water inlet hose was much shorter than our old washer (and also coming out from opposite side of unit to tap) so we had to get an extension. Very happy and highly recommended.
Find out how Bosch Series 4 Dishwashers compares to other Freestanding Dishwashers
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Easy to use, quiet, energy saving, looks great – After our last dishwasher of a different name, this dishwasher is so quiet you don't know you have it on, and importantly to us it is energy saving. I easily installed it myself with no problem with the instructions provided. Dishes and cutlery come out spotless every time. We chose stainless steel to match our other appliances and it looks great. Show details
OMG it is good – Just upgraded from an F&P two draw which was probably 10yrs old. OMG it is like night and day. I didn't know dishwashers could clean that well and they come out piping hot.....literally sanitised. That was on the lowest setting, I am too scared to go higher. I installed myself and it qas quite easy. Two gripes. The water connection has a large… Read more · 1
square control valve that didn't fit through the holes in the cabinetry and you can't cut a bigger hole with a circular hole cutting bit once you have hole, so out with the reciprocal saw. Uglier than a nice circle. This water connection had a screw which took a few goes till it was watertight.
Interesting Bosch sensors this review on their website, not sure why.
Broke after only 3.5 years….Never Bosch again! – I thought buying Bosch you buy quality that’s going to last for at least 8 years but no after only 3.5 years an error message started popping up (Error 19) so I called Good Guys and Bosch who told me that I am out of warranty and they can’t help me. What an absolute disgrace paying $800 for a dishwasher that only lasts that short period of time. I… Read more
engaged a technician who told me that the power module is broken and quoted me $500 for the repair but told me that he can’t guarantee that this would fix the issue and more parts could need to be replaced costing me even more so he suggested to buy a new dishwasher all together. Come on Bosch you state that you are a company that offers quality product with zero regards of your customer?! As a German myself I am ashamed and will never by any Bosch products again.
Hi John, Thanks for your review, we… Read more
Never recommend Bosch dishwasher to anyone – Very poor customer service experience I spent 1000 dollars on purchasing and again was asked to spent 700 dollars on repair under warranty Show details
Not great – Recently purchased a Bosch dishwasher after my two drawer F&P died. Dishes don’t get washed properly and I’m forever re washing them by hand or having to almost clean them entirely before putting them in the dishwasher, which defies the point of it. I clean the filter daily. For two months we had an awful plastic smell too, that was obviously… Read more
from being in packaging, but it affected the smell of the dishes. Next time, I will spend extra and by the F&P again. Not impressed.
Will never buy another Bosch again – From the start this dishwasher was defective. It left food residue on all the crockery. We contacted Bosch who sent someone out to check it and he said it was fine. Despite this the food residue has continued to be a problem. We sent Bosch photos to show them but they basically said that they wouldn't replace it because it wasn't defective. It… Read more
gets clogged constantly and my husband has to take the arms off and blow into them to clean them out. Then of course we have to wash the crockery by hand. We do not rinse the plates because that is what Bosch told us. Really not good enough from a company like Bosch.
Don't buy Bosch products – These products are poorly made and my oven rusted in no time, so I won't waste money and effort with Bosch. They have poor customer service for warranty claims. Therefore, although recommended by Choice, rated based only on their function, but fails in durability. Show details
Hi Bedexpert, Thanks for your review, we… Read more (+1 reply)
Great quiet dishwasher – Looks great, nice and quiet to use. Plenty of room for large dinner plates Well thought out design. Easy to install. Only fault from my point of view is the fact that there is no timer to tell you how long before cycle ends. Show reply
Rubbish product – From the start this dishwasher had issues with cleaning the dishes. Small bits were left caked on plates especially. Called support they sent fellow out who checked I got hot water and basically said DW is working. From then regardless of photos send bosch support informed me the DW was working as it was supposed to. IT comes down to the moving… Read more
arms get clogged very easily and if you don't remove them and clean them out at least every second wash then the plates etc do not get cleaned properly.
This according to bosch is not their fault.
I would not buy or recommend another bosch DW ever again and mostly like steer clear of any of their products..
Unfortunately we are stuck with it as I can't afford to buy another one and they won't refund.
As mentioned in many other reivews there is a horrible smell in the DW, but I can put up with it.
Hi Andrew M, Thanks for your review, we… Read more
What a disappointment ! – Bought a Bosch SMS46GI02A dishwasher on 23/07.18, was installed after kitchen reno late Sept. Yesterday had an E-09 (Heater) error, rang for service, told them the dates and the problem, straight up "$148,50 call out, includes 1/2 hour, then, $9.90 per 6 minutes" ($99.00 per Hr) I do not think this is fit for purpose, the machine would not have… Read more
been used more than once every two/three days. I asked if it was fit for purpose and was told, we can put it to head office and see if they will offer anything, but that can take two to three weeks. Never again Bosch!
Hi Acco, Thank you for your review. We're… Read more (+2 replies)
Stinks of Bitumen – We've had it one day. The smell of toxic road tar is overwhelming. I've used two different dishwasher cleaning products on it, and its had a total of five cycles run. The smell is still disgusting and overwhelming. We did one load of dishes, twice. They absolutely stink. Its going back today. Sounds odd - but make sure you *smell* the unit before… Read more
you install it. If it smells like road tar, send it back.
Edited to add: The Good Guys refunded us and we brought an LG instead.
Hi Mollybot, Thank you for your review.… Read more
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Hi AspenKat, Thanks for your review, we appreciate the feedback. We're sorry to hear that you're having issues with your Dishwasher. We'd like to help, if you email us at socialmedia.au@bshg.com, quoting BSH A18474819 in the subject line with your contact number. We’ll investigate for you. Regards, Bosch Home Australia.