Coming in at the least expensive on our list, this Samsung dishwasher uses three spray arms to clean your dishes efficiently and effectively. It features a stainless steel tub, which is rare at this price point, and holds 15 place settings per load on two racks. Both racks are adjustable and allow you to alter the tines so you can easily fit your dishes into the machine. 

The auto cycle uses a soil sensor that determines how much more time the dishwasher needs, making it energy efficient and ENERGY STAR certified. You can also pick between the air-dry option or fan dry option depending how energy efficient you want to be. In addition this model has a top rack-only cycle that saves on energy and water, perfect for a small load. It’s estimated to use 265 Kwh/year, costing around $32 to operate it and also meets the standards of the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF).

Moreover, this model includes the hard-food disposer so you don’t have to manually clean it; and it has a self-cleaning filter that lessens the amount of work you need to maintain the machine.

Samsung offers a good warranty for this built-in dishwasher on top of its support via live chat, email and phone.

Unfortunately this model has only four basic wash cycles and one additional wash option, which are all standard.The dishwasher lacks several convenience features such as a delay-start timer or hidden touch-sensitive controls. It does operate quietly at 50 DBA but still not whisper quiet.

The Whirlpool Gold Series WDT720PADM dishwasher fits a standard 15 place setting on two racks, of which the upper rack is adjustable, featuring two rows of fold-down tines, a cup shelf and two light item clips.

The highlight of this unit is its AnyWare Plus silverware basket, which can be placed on the front of the lower rack or in the door, freeing up space and making room for even more dishes. Furthermore, if you opt to place the cutlery basket on the door it can be loaded from the top or opened up and loaded from the front. Acting almost like a third rack when it is opened from the front. Plus, you don't have to touch the tops of your dirty silverware to load it into the basket.

On top of that, it comes with the Silverware Spray that delivers a concentrated shower of water to the AnyWare Plus silverware basket helping to remove stuck-on food, like oatmeal on spoons and peanut butter on knives. This dishwasher also comes with the AccuSense soil sensor that measures load size and dirt level during the pre-wash and continues to adjust throughout the wash cycle, making it more precise. What’s more there is a rinse-aid dispenser that automatically adds a measured amount of rinse-aid and a rinse-aid level indicator to let you know when it’s time to refill.

The Whirlpool Gold Series is ENERGYSTAR qualified and Tier 1 rated to save energy and water as well as lower the cost of your utility bill. It uses a triple filtration system that provides outstanding cleaning while using less water and energy; and you can even clean a lightly soiled load in half the time using it’s 1-hour wash option. It’s estimated to use 260 kWh costing around $31 a year to use.

Additionally, this unit provides the NSF-certified Sani Rinse option that sanitizes dishes by getting rid of 99.999% of food soil bacteria.

Once again, there are some cons on this model. It only offers a one-year warranty, the shortest warranty possible. You do have to clean the filter yourself, and this unit uses a plastic tub, which counts for its lower cost, but plastic tubs do discolor. Finally, it cleans at 51 DBA, which is not too loud but nowhere near whisper quiet.

Maytag's MDB4949SDM model holds 13 place settings per full load on its two racks. It is designed for loading flexibility with a tiered upper rack that comes with one plastic cup shelf to make room for tall items and provide easy access. The lower rack makes extra space for cutlery with its full-length silverware basket. Both racks are Premium DuraGuard nylon racks with a heavy-duty coating to resist rust.

This unit is made to stay looking like new, with its stainless steel tub and ability to handle high heat. The stainless steel tub not only resists corrosion but also provides higher heat retention for better drying performance.

Furthermore, this unit includes a rinse aid dispenser to automatically add a measured amount.

The Maytag MDB4949SDMis built with a powerful motor for stuck on foods like dried egg yolk on plates. The PowerBlast cycle uses high-pressure spray jets combined with steam and increased temperatures to remove stuck-on food.

You can also use the Steam Sanitize option, combining high-heat steam and a high-temperature rinse to reduce 99.999% of food soil bacteria.

This dishwasher is modeled after the old-school American dishwasher, featuring both a heated drying cycle and also a 4-blade stainless steel chopper,which disintegrates the food particles so they don't recirculate and end up stuck to the dishes. Plus, you don’t need to remove and rinse the food grinder, saving you a few minutes of maintenance per year.

In addition, this model is Tier 1 rated and ENERGY STAR-qualified, using 270 kWh with an estimated operation cost of $32 yearly. Another pro for this model is its 10-year limited warranty, arguably the best warranty in the dishwasher industry today.

The only downsides to this model is that it has a longer than average wash time. A normal load takes two and a half hours and if you put it on the automatic sensor wash mode it can take up to four hours to run. Lastly, like the other models at this price point it runs at 50 DBA, quiet but not silent.

After putting in 70 hours of research over two years, the folks at thesweethome.com have voted the Bosch 500 Series the best dishwasher. This model comes with three racks and fits up to 16 place settings per load. The middle rack features three different height adjustments and up to nine possible rack positions while the upper, rack has a unique v-shape that makes it ideal for ramekins, cooking utensils and extra-long silverware to lie flat. You can even fully remove this third rack to make space for extra-tall dishes on the second shelf. Furthermore, the second rack has two rows of flip-down tines perfect for accommodating bigger bowls, and a flip-down shelf for small items like teacups.

The Bosch 500 series boasts a 3-fold corrugated filter to remove food particles, and eliminate pre-rinsing. It comes with five cycles, including Power Scrub Plus, Auto, Regular, Quick Wash and Rinse & Hold. The variable spray pressure system useshigher and lower spray pressure allowing for better load customization and enhanced cleaning performance, based on which cycle you choose.Its regular cycle is on par with a solid $600 machine but its heavy cycle blows the competition out of the water. On this cycle, which takes only about two hours, dishes emerged spotless with no redeposit left behind. It does use more water than the regular cycle but Energy Star and Energy Guide both rate this unit as one of the most efficient dishwashers on the market.It uses about 259 kWh of electricity annually, which will cost you about $28 per year

Additionally, this model has a high temperature wash option that is NSF certified to reduce bacteria and strengthen drying results.

One of its more unique features is the AquaStop leak protection. If a leak occurs, even while the dishwasher is in use, it shuts down automatically and pumps out water to avoid it spilling on to the floor.

The Bosch 500 Series incorporates 18 unique sound-reducing technologies, so it runs at a noise level of 44 DBA, which is quieter than most people’s indoor voices. Due to the fact that you can barely hear it, it comes with an InfoLight beam that projects a red light onto the floor to let you know it’s in use.

Bosch’s warranty is only a step behind Maytag with a lifetime warranty for rust-through on the tub liner; parts and labor are covered for a year; and the microprocessor or printed circuit board and racksare covered for five years.

The only downside to this model is small. The 500 series is a condenser-dry dishwasher so it doesn’t have a vent, this can lead to trapped moisture causing mildew, which in turn can lead toa musky scent. However, regular maintenance does help solve this problem. Also, some owners complain that their dishes don’t get bone dry which is a problem only solved by switching to a heat-dry dishwasher.

If you loved everything about the Bosch 500 series but your kitchen only accommodates compact dishwashers, fear not! The Bosch 800 series keeps all the beloved features of the 500 series but in a sleek 18-inch design.

Although this model only holds 10 place settings it still includes a stainless steel tub and a third rack. This unit offers three height levels, for nine possible rack positions.

The 800 series comes with six wash cycles and five wash options, of which one is the eco friendly option. It is Tier 1 rated and ENERGY STAR certified, using about three gallons per load and 259 kWh, annually costing about $31 per year. This model even includes a water softener dispenser that helps ease performance problems with hard water, making it perfect for a compact kitchen in a vacation home.

This dishwasher features a hidden heating element, and the AquaStop leak protection to prevent floods. Plus, it still runs at a barely audible 44 DBA.

The only downfall here is it’s backed by a one year warranty on parts and labor, which is still good but not as comprehensive as the warranty on the 500 series; and it only holds 10 place settings instead of 16, but that is to be expected of any compact sized dishwasher.

The GE Profile PDT750SSFSS was the gold award winner on toptenreviews.com and it’s not hard to see why. This model features a stainless steel tub, and holds 16 place settings on two racks with distinct tines that make it obvious where each type of dish should go. You can also adjust the height of the racks and alter the tines to fit all kinds of different-shaped kitchenware.

This model is very eco friendly its ENERGY STAR certified, using only 250 kWh and costs an estimated $29.30 yearly. It comes with seven wash cycles; including, auto sense, heavy wash, normal wash, light wash, rinse, express and eWash. The eWash cycle uses only two gallons of water per load. You can even combine the eWash cycle with the power-dry option to dry your dishes with a fan instead of the heating element and further save on energy. Or you can select the auto sense cycle to employ the soil sensor, which tests the turbidity of the water and automatically adjusts, to shorten or lengthen its cycle, depending on how dirty the water is. This cycle uses the minimum amount of water and energy but doesn’t compromise cleaning performance. On top of the seven wash cycles it boasts 11 wash options, including two wash zones. The wash zones target either the upper or lower rack, for smaller loads, once again saving you on water and energy.

This unit also comes with three spray arms and 102 cleaning jets. Four of those jets are dedicated to tall items and sit on the upper rack to specifically target items that don’t often get fully clean in a dishwasher, like water bottles, baby bottles and tall glasses.

Furthermore this model is equipped with a hard-food disposer so you don't have to clean the dishwasher’s tub or filter. Lastly, this dishwasher is the quietest on our list running at an inaudible 42 DBA.

The only con is that all the pieces of the dishwasher, including parts, labor, racks, electronics, tub and door, are only covered for one year after the purchase date.

The KitchenAid KDTM354ESS  is currently the overall, top model in Consumer Reports rankings. It has a stainless steal interior that holds 15 place settings on two racks. The top rack features two fold-down cup shelves with stemware holders incorporated into the design to provide extra room for additional cups, wine glasses or long cutlery such as utensils and spatulas. The lower rack comes with sliding tines to customize spacing between rows. This allows you to create the ideal fit for both deep and narrow dishes. Plus, it boasts a power-washing zone designed for easy loading of big pots, pans, and cooking trays; as well as both rinse aid and detergent dispensers that automatically add measured amounts.

But, the most interesting feature on this model is it’s one of a kind filtration system called Clean Water Wash. This system is practical because it uses a self-cleaning filter, with no moving parts that are prone to break (like a dishwasher with a grinder does) and gives it an edge in cleaning stubborn, starchy food deposits. Furthermore, its design prevents the filter from clogging mid-cycle, by using an extra pump to pull debris off the mesh filter and send it out through a drain. This keeps the wash water cleaner for longer, making it more efficient and ecofriendly overall. It is ENERGY STAR certified, using 270 kWh per year and has an estimated operating cost of $32 annually.

In addition, people may prefer it’s ProDry option that turns on a ceramic heating element and a convection fan in order to bake the dishes dry, at the end of a wash cycle. The ProDry System gives the best drying performance without rinse-aid;if you really want bone-dry dishes or if you do any canning or bottling projects, you’ll love this function.

Some other useful features on this model include the ProWash Cycle that uses a sensor to make real-time adjustments for enhanced cleaning performance, it’s ProScrub Option that uses 40 targeted spray jets to help remove stubborn, caked on foods without soaking or pre-scrubbing, and it’s Express Wash for those lighter loads.

Lastly, this unit is whisper quiet operating at 44 DBA, exactly like the Bosch 500 Series; and comes with an above-average warranty that covers parts and labor for two years and covers the racks through five years.

The only con to this model is that it doesn’t offer a third rack for it’s price and gives you less wiggle room to load dishes properly (facing dirty surfaces toward a jet). Some people have mentioned that the bottom rack’s tines sit to far apart causing some very large plates to have trouble standing up straight. However, none of these are big issues and this model is top of the line.

The Fisher & Paykel Dishwasher drawer model holds up to 14 place settings in two separate drawers, which can be run independently or at the same time. Specific to this model, the top drawer has an increased height so you can fit in plates of up to 13 inches. Both drawers come with adjustable racks with folding tines and movable wine glass holders, as well as flexible cutlery baskets for help fitting all types of utensils.

This unit has a superior filtration system, and a smart detergent dispenser that makes sure un-dissolved detergent never ends up in the tub; a feature that’s useful to prevent spotted or damaged dishes.

It also includes nine wash options, all of which are eco friendly, and uses only about 2 gallons per drawer. It is ENERGY STAR certified and uses 276 kWh Per Year costing about $33 to operate.

In addition, it provides multiple safety features such as child locks, which lock the drawers as well as the buttons, and a two-part flood protection system. First the dishwasher features a high strength hose to resist heavy water pressure and second, it automatically cuts the water supply once it detects that the maximum limit is exceeded.

The biggest advantage of going with this model is that it holds enough space for pots and pans but is ideal for small loads too because the drawers can run independently. Additionally,this model is conveniently placed at countertop height so it requires minimal bending to load and unload.

The only cons here are it runs at 53 DBA, which is still quiet but not whisper quiet and it uses fan dry which can sometimes leave a bit of moisture behind. Plus, it only comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty covering parts and labor.