If there’s no water supply available for your dishwasher, choose a model with an integrated tank if you can fill it for each cycle and drain the waste water as instructed by the manufacturer. Check how much space you’ll need and make sure there’s a suitable socket nearby. A model that connects to a tap is only suitable if the tap is genuinely accessible and compatible.
You can fill a tank by hand, but you’ll also need a way to drain the waste water. Daan Tech’s guidance for Bob and HAVA’s for the R01 clearly distinguish between the water supply and waste-water drainage.
Being close to the sink can make it easier to route the drain hose. You’ll still need to measure the appliance, allow space for the door to open and check that a suitable socket is within reach.
A compact model may suit smaller, regular loads. However, check that your usual plates, bowls and utensils will fit in the rack. The stated place setting capacity alone doesn’t tell you what you’ll be able to load.
Start by planning where the waste water will go and measuring the space, then check how the machine is filled and what it can hold. If you can’t arrange suitable drainage or a safe electrical supply, it’s better to keep washing by hand than choose an unsuitable appliance.
| What to consider | What to check | What matters to shoppers |
|---|---|---|
| Drainage | Where the manual allows you to drain the water, and whether the hose can be routed securely. | I need to be able to drain dirty water without improvising an installation; around 36% of shoppers would make this their top priority. |
| Available space | Overall dimensions, clearance for the door and access to the tank. | In a kitchen where every centimetre counts, I want to keep my worktop usable. This would be the main concern for around 29% of shoppers. |
| Filling and load capacity | How the appliance is filled, its stated capacity and the dimensions of the items it can take. | I can fill the tank by hand if the appliance can handle my usual small loads; around 21% of shoppers would put this trade-off first. |
| Installation compatibility | Whether you need an accessible tap and whether there’s a suitable socket, without an extension lead or multiway adaptor. | If the tap can’t be used or the space doesn’t allow for a safe installation, I’d rule out that model. Around 14% of shoppers would prioritise this check. |
The tank means you don’t need to connect a water supply, but the waste water still has to leave the appliance. Daan Tech explains how Bob drains; HAVA says the R01 can drain into a sink or bucket.
Before you buy, plan the hose route and check the manual for how to keep its end in the intended position.
This figure doesn’t guarantee that your large plates or utensils will fit in the rack. For example, Daan Tech says Bob can take plates up to 29 cm.
Measure the items you wash most often and compare them with the limits stated for the specific model.
A temporary connection is still a connection to a water supply. Klarstein says the Amazonia Nano connects to a tap, despite not requiring a permanent installation.
If there’s no suitable tap available, look for a model variant that explicitly offers tank filling.
Bob is a mini dishwasher with an integrated tank that you can fill by hand.
HAVA’s R01 and R09 countertop models are listed as having integrated tanks.
The Studio MINID3SL is included in a selection of mini dishwashers featured by Darty.
The Amazonia Nano is better suited to kitchens where a usable tap is within reach.
Yes, if the model is designed to be filled by hand, it won’t need a water supply to take in water. However, you’ll still need to drain the waste water. Daan Tech provides drainage instructions for Bob, while HAVA says the R01 can drain into a sink or bucket.
No. You’ll need to allow space for the appliance, its door to open, filling and drainage. Check that there’s also a suitable socket nearby. BUT advises against using an extension lead or multiway adaptor to install a dishwasher.
Not necessarily. Klarstein describes the Amazonia Nano as usable without a permanent connection, but also says it connects to a tap. If you don’t have an accessible, compatible tap, this water supply option won’t meet your needs.
Yes, if you bought the appliance as a private individual from a professional seller. The French Ministry of the Economy says this mandatory guarantee applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods. If you have a problem after buying, keep the product description and the instructions provided so you can explain the issue to the seller.