A dishwasher is a game changer — especially if you live in a major city where it might be an in-unit luxury (or if you volunteer to test 100 spoons for your job). If you're not so lucky to have one in your small kitchen, a portable countertop model is a great alternative. Most range in price from $200 to $350 and can be purchased at retailers such as Best Buy, Walmart, Home Depot or directly through Amazon.
SKIP AHEAD How to shop for a countertop dishwasher | Best countertop dishwashers for 2023
Although portable dishwashers have limited capacity—most hold four to six place settings—there are some great reasons to invest in one. Scott Mooers, sales consultant for Doyon’s Appliance in Bedford, MA, recently purchased a Danby portable countertop dishwasher for his in-law apartment, deciding that his cabinet space was too valuable to give up for a full-size dishwasher. “The ease of portability allows me to easily disconnect and reconnect it when I need it and then put it away somewhere out of sight,” he said.
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Best countertop dishwashers for 2024
To help you find the best countertop dishwasher for your needs, we’ve rounded up some top options based on our expert guidance. All are Energy Star-rated, which means they use approximately 3.1 gallons of water to run a normal cycle, and each has a stainless-steel interior and the capacity to fit six place settings.
Danby 6-Place-Setting Countertop Dishwasher
This dishwasher has a stainless-steel interior and utilizes 3.1 gallons of water for a normal cycle. It offers eight wash cycles – including soak, glass, rinse, rapid, eco, normal and heavy – which can be programmed via the electronic LED display. The dishwasher hooks right up to your kitchen faucet, and it comes with an auto detergent and rinse agent dispenser. According to Danby, this unit was designed to fit under just about any type of kitchen cabinet. It also comes with a 12-month warranty on parts and labor.
Size: 21.7” W x 19.7” D x 17.2” H | Weight: 52.91 pounds | LED display: Yes | Noise level: 52 dBA | Warranty: 1 year, parts and labor
COMFEE Portable Mini Dishwasher
There's no installation needed for this mini dishwasher — you don't need a sink hook-up either. All you do is add water manually to the 5L tank or hook it directly to your faucet. You can fit around 30 items in the appliance, so it's good for small apartments. It also has a sanitize feature for baby bottles.
Size: 17” W x 16” D x 17.2” H | Weight: 36 pounds | LED display: Yes | Noise level: 62 dBA | Warranty: 1 year, parts and labor
Danby Countertop Dishwasher 6 Place Setting SS Interior
This Danby unit uses 3.1 gallons of water on a regular cycle and has a new and improved spray arm and filter to get dishes cleaner, says the brand. It has six wash cycles, including Intensive, Normal, Economy, Rapid, Glass and Soak, along with a delayed start option so you can set it to operate within two to eight hours.
Size: 21.7” W x 19.7” D x 17.2” | Weight: 50.7 pounds | LED display: Yes | Noise level: 52dB | Warranty: 1 year, parts
Magic Chef Energy Star
This Magic Chef countertop dishwasher has push-button electronic controls and includes a rack, silverware basket and cup shelf. The unit also uses hygienic air rather than air from outside the unit for clean drying, says the brand. It provides six wash cycles, including Heavy, Normal, Light, Speed, Glass and Rinse, as well as a rinse-aid dispenser. You can also delay the start time for up to 24 hours at one-hour increments.
Size: 21.7” W x 19.7” D x 17.2” H | Weight: 44.3 pounds | LED display: Yes | Noise level: 52dB | Warranty: 1 year, parts
BLACK+DECKER BCD6W Compact Countertop Dishwasher
This Black+Decker countertop dishwasher accommodates dinner plates up to 10 inches and is equipped with an LED display to indicate remaining cycle time. It also offers a delayed start option of one-hour increments up to 24 hours. There are seven wash cycles, including Normal, Intensive, Eco, Glass, 90 Minutes, Rapid and Soak. It also includes a child safety lock. A faucet tap to inlet pipe adapter is not included.
Size: 21.7” W x 21.5” D x 17.2” H | Weight: 46.2 pounds | LED display: Yes | Noise level: No rating, but retailers estimate between 49dB and 60dB | Warranty: 1 year
hOmeLabs Digital Countertop Dishwasher
The hOmeLabs Digital Countertop Dishwasher is lighter than most six-plate capacity units and has a modern look. It offers seven smart wash cycles, including Heavy, Normal, Eco, High Temp, Quick Wash, Glass, and Rinse, and accommodates plates with a diameter of up to 10 inches. It also comes with a pull-out dish rack, cup shelf and removable cutlery basket and has a built-in rinse-aid dispenser and a delayed start option up to 24 hours. A faucet adapter is included.
Size: 21.6” W x 19.6” D x 17.2” H | Weight: 42.5 pounds | LED display: Yes | Noise level: 50.4dB | Warranty: 1-year limited
RCA Electronic Countertop Control Dishwasher
This unit is more affordable than some of the others on this list. It has a push-button control panel and comes with six different wash cycles, including Soak, Glass, Rapid, Economy, Normal and Intensive, along with an automatic detergent and rinse-aid dispenser. It has a water sensor flow meter that allows for the correct amount of water to be dispensed during each cycle, and a flood meter to ensure the device doesn’t overfill. It comes with a cup shelf and cutlery basket, and the plate racks can fold flat to accommodate pots and pans. The faucet adapter is included.
Size: 21.9” W x 23.8” D x 19.8” H | Weight: 48 pounds | LED display: Yes | Noise level: 34dB | Warranty: 1 year
Comfee’ Countertop Dishwasher
The Comfee’ countertop dishwasher can fit up to 70 pieces of tableware and accommodates plates up to 10 inches in diameter. The unit offers eight cycles, including Heavy, Normal, Eco, Glass, Speed, Rinse and Mini-Party, as well as a Baby-Care cycle designed especially for cleaning baby bottles and children’s dinner sets, says Comfee’. There’s also a Power Wash for heavily soiled dishes and an extra drying option, which increases the final rinse temperature and extends drying time for extra dry dishes, says the brand. It comes with a child safety lock, a versatile cup rack to fit both wine glasses and mugs, and a removable cutlery rack. The faucet adapter is not included.
Size: 21.6” W x 20.6” D x 17.2” H | Weight: 46 pounds | LED display: Yes | Noise level: 50dB | Warranty: 1 year limited
Farberware Professional Countertop Dishwasher
This Amazon choice for countertop dishwashers has seven wash cycles, including Heavy, Normal, Baby Care, Light, Glass, Speed 45 min and Self Clean. It also comes with a child safety lock, a cutlery basket and a fold-down rack to fit pots and pans. It accommodates dishes up to 10 inches in diameter. The LED panels indicate the wash cycles and lets you know when the rinse aid is running low or if no water is reaching the dishwasher.
Size: 25.6” W x 22.8” D x 24.1” | Weight: 44 pounds | LED display: Yes | Noise level: 49dB | Warranty: 1 year limited
EdgeStar Portable Countertop Dishwasher
The EdgeStar countertop dishwasher accommodates plates up to 10.5 inches in diameter and has seven wash cycles, including Heavy, Normal, Light and Rinse Only. It also has an automatic detergent and rinse-aid dispenser and, according to the brand, uses only 2.85 gallons of water for a normal cycle. It comes in black, white and silver to match your kitchen decor and has a delayed start function so you can wash dishes while you’re out.
Size: 21.6” W x 19.6” D x 17.3” H | Weight: 44 pounds | LED display: Yes | Noise level: 52dB | Warranty: 1 year parts/90-day labor
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How to shop for a countertop dishwasher
Countertop dishwashers come with many features, weights and sizes. So it’s important to look for one that fits your lifestyle and needs. Below are some of the most important considerations when shopping for a countertop dishwasher, according to Mooers.
Energy Star rating: Many countertop dishwashers say they are energy efficient, but that’s not the same as being Energy Star certified. This certification means the unit meets strict energy efficiency criteria set by the US Environmental Protection Agency or the US Department of Energy and is therefore more energy efficient than standard models.
Size: Most units are around 22 inches wide, 17 inches tall and 20 inches deep, though there are bigger units. Be sure to measure your countertop and the height of your cabinets before shopping if you wish to place the unit on your countertop.
Weight: Since you will most likely be moving your unit quite often, it’s important to shop for one that is easier to lift. The weight of these dishwashers range from around 10 to 50 pounds.
Capacity: This depends on how often you plan to use your countertop dishwasher. Most hold four to six place settings, though some hold only two. Think also about the size of your plates–for example, do you use 10-inch plates or 12-inch plates? Be sure the dishwasher can accommodate your tableware.
Stainless-steel interior: Stainless-steel interiors are less likely to crack, corrode, stain or develop an odor than dishwashers with plastic tubs, says Mooers. He suggested spending a bit more to get one with a stainless-steel interior.
LED display: Mooers also suggested looking for a unit with an LED display that indicates current cycles and running time and provides good illumination.
Noise level: More expensive countertop dishwashers consist of higher-grade materials, have better insulation and feature stainless-steel interiors, which all help to create a quieter, lower-decibel-level dishwasher, said Mooers, adding that an ideal decibel level is around 49dB. He also said a unit with a delayed start time can help if you would rather run it while you are out.
How does a countertop dishwasher work?
Countertop dishwashers need to be placed on a flat, level surface near your sink – either directly on the counter or on a rolling cart to free up counter space – with access to a wall outlet, said Mooers, adding that “these units are not secured in place, so it’s important not to lean on them.” Each countertop dishwasher comes with two hoses – one that connects to your sink's faucet to draw in the water and a drain hose that expels the dirty water into your sink. Before plugging in your dishwasher, attach the inlet hose and the drain hose to the back of the unit, making sure the hoses are tightly connected to avoid any leakage. Place the dishes in the unit (scraping off excess food so as not to clog the drain), then plug it into the electrical outlet and choose the cycle. A rinse aid will help to dry your dishes faster, said Mooers. Turn on the hot water from your faucet and hit Start. When the dishes are done, unplug the hoses and store your countertop dishwasher away.
Meet our expert
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Scott Mooers is a sales consultant for Doyon’s Appliance in Bedford, Massachusetts, and has been in appliance sales for 30 years.
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