If you can’t free up any floor space, first check whether a countertop dishwasher will fit on your worktop and can be connected to the water supply and drainage there. A slimline 45 cm model offers more capacity only if you can make room for it on the floor; a suitable cabinet space may also allow for a compact built-in model. In every case, compare the stated capacity with your own crockery, and check the noise and consumption figures for the specific model rather than assuming them from its size.
If you’d like to cut down on washing up by hand without giving up floor space, a countertop appliance is worth considering. Que Choisir describes 6-place-setting models as suitable for a worktop and for smaller homes. However, check the available space, connections and size of your dishes.
If plates, glasses and utensils pile up every day, compare your usual load with the capacity of a compact model. Beko and Electrolux offer slimline 45 cm models with 9 or 10 place settings, depending on the model; this option requires floor space.
Whether you rent or own your home, start with what your kitchen can actually accommodate: a suitable surface, access to water and electricity, and drainage. A cabinet space will only suit a built-in model if its dimensions and installation requirements match the appliance instructions.
Consider it: if your worktop can accommodate the appliance on a permanent basis and your everyday dishes fit in a small model.
The trade-off: you keep the floor clear, but lose some food preparation space and need to make provision for the model’s water supply and drainage.
Consider it: if you can make room for a floor-standing appliance and a small countertop model doesn’t have enough capacity for your dishes.
The trade-off: your worktop stays clear, but you’ll need floor space and must check that the door can open without obstructing access.
Consider it: if you have a suitable cabinet space or are already planning to fit one.
The trade-off: your worktop stays clear, but the cabinet dimensions, door and installation requirements must all match the model you choose.
| What to consider | What to check | What matters to consumers |
|---|---|---|
| Installation feasibility | Check access to water, electricity and drainage, then check the hose routing against the model’s instructions. | If the connections are far from the only available spot, I need to know whether the appliance will work there before choosing a format; around 27% of consumers put this first. |
| Space required | Measure the height, width and depth, and don’t forget the door clearance and the worktop space you’ll have left. | When the worktop is already used for meal preparation and there’s no free floor space, I need to decide what space I can give up; around 33% of consumers prioritise keeping their kitchen practical. |
| Everyday capacity | Compare a day’s washing-up with the baskets and the dimensions allowed for larger items, not just the number of place settings. | If I cook often, having to run another cycle or wash dishes by hand would affect my choice; around 27% of consumers prioritise suitable capacity. |
| Noise and consumption | Check the model’s label for dB, kWh per 100 cycles, litres per cycle and the duration of the Eco programme. | In an open-plan kitchen, I want to take account of the noise while the room is in use and the appliance’s running costs; around 13% of consumers prioritise these factors. |
A freestanding ‘compact’ appliance may need the same sort of space as a countertop model: its name doesn’t tell you where it can go. ADEME says that the energy label lets you compare factors including water use, energy consumption and noise for dishwashers; check these figures for each model.
The place-setting figure doesn’t show how much room your frying pans, bowls or large dishes will take up. A model’s stated capacity may suit everyday plates without being able to fit all the dishes from a day’s cooking.
Measure the items you use most, then compare them with the interior dimensions and loading guidance for the model you’re considering.
Que Choisir points out that dishwashers normally need a water supply, an electricity supply and a wastewater outlet. A countertop design doesn’t automatically solve the problem of getting these connections to the appliance.
Check the instructions before buying, particularly how the appliance is supplied with water, how it drains and what’s included in any installation service.
If the existing connections aren’t suitable, you may need work carried out to adapt them before you can use the appliance.
Two dishwashers of a similar size can have different figures. A smaller appliance isn’t necessarily quieter or more economical to run.
For each model, check the label for dB, kWh per 100 cycles, litres per cycle and the Eco programme duration, as ADEME recommends.
A 45 cm model is still a floor-standing appliance. Its height, depth and open door may get in the way or make it harder to access cupboards.
Check its full dimensions in your kitchen, along with the clearance needed for the door and hoses, before moving any furniture.
Bosch separates its countertop dishwashers from its compact built-in models, so it’s worth considering these two installation options separately.
An option to consider if you can make floor space for a 45 cm freestanding model.
Worth considering when a countertop model doesn’t offer enough capacity and you have room for a 45 cm freestanding appliance.
These appliances sit on a worktop and are designed for those looking for a solution that doesn’t need floor space. Their capacities and water supply methods vary, so check the available space, drainage and the dishes you want to load for each model.
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Consider it if your everyday load fits in a 6-place-setting countertop appliance and there are connections nearby.
The product name states 47 dB, energy class D and 7 programmes. Check the full dimensions, water supply and drainage requirements in the instructions.
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Worth considering if it’s difficult to arrange a direct water supply at your chosen spot, but remember you’ll still need to plan for drainage.
The product name states that it has a built-in 5 L tank and 5+1 wash cycles. Check the instructions for how to fill it, how it drains and whether its capacity suits your dishes.
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Compare this countertop model with your everyday load if you’re looking for an appliance for smaller amounts of washing-up at a time.
The product name states 3 place settings, 7 programmes and energy class D. Check the size of the items it can take, as well as the water supply and drainage requirements in the instructions.
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Consider it for a smaller load if you want to avoid a floor-standing appliance, after checking that you have a suitable space for it on your worktop.
The product name states a capacity of 3 place settings. Check the dimensions, water supply method and drainage requirements in the instructions; don’t base your choice on the sterilisation claims in the title.
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This countertop model is designed for smaller loads without taking up floor space.
The product name states 3 place settings. The ‘no installation’ claim doesn’t tell you what connections are needed, so check the instructions for the water supply, drainage and dimensions before choosing a spot for it.
It depends on how it’s supplied with water, but you’ll always need to provide whatever drainage the instructions require. Que Choisir notes that a standard installation needs water, electricity and wastewater drainage. If you’re considering a model with a tank, check exactly how to fill it and where the wastewater goes.
It may be, if you don’t have much washing-up each day and your largest items fit in the baskets. Que Choisir associates 6-place-setting models with smaller homes, but the number of place settings doesn’t guarantee that your pans or large dishes will fit. Compare their dimensions with the maximum sizes the model can accommodate.
Compare the energy class, kWh per 100 cycles, litres per cycle, Eco programme duration and noise level in dB, including its noise class. ADEME recommends checking these details for the specific model rather than assuming that a compact appliance uses less energy or makes less noise.
Take it to a collection scheme for waste electrical and electronic equipment rather than putting it in your household rubbish. The French ministry responsible for the ecological transition describes this scheme for household appliances in France. You can ask the retailer about its take-back arrangements or find out where your nearest suitable collection point is.