In a kitchenette, start by measuring the available space and locating the water supply and drainage. These will determine which sizes are suitable. A connected tabletop dishwasher may work if you have room on the worktop and suitable plumbing; a compact model with a water tank does away with the need for a water supply, but not drainage. A slimline 45 cm model is worth considering if you have a suitable niche and a tabletop dishwasher may not have enough capacity.
If you only have a worktop to spare, first check how much space a tabletop dishwasher would take up and whether its door can open freely. You can then choose a connection type based on access to a water supply and drainage.
If you regularly use frying pans and saucepans, the stated number of place settings alone won’t tell you how much useful capacity a dishwasher offers. Check the basket layout against the crockery you use every day before settling on the smallest size.
If you already have a 45 cm niche and the required connections, a slimline dishwasher may be an option instead of a tabletop model. Check the depth and height too, as well as the installation requirements for the exact model.
Consider it: if your worktop has room for the appliance and you can access a water supply and drainage.
Bear in mind: it takes up some worktop space, and the stated number of place settings doesn’t guarantee there’ll be room for larger utensils.
Consider it: if you can’t access a water supply but can still arrange suitable drainage. Daan Tech says its Bob model can use a built-in 4 L tank.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to fill the tank and, according to Daan Tech, Bob’s drain hose must still be connected or secured.
Consider it: if you have a suitable niche and connections, and a tabletop dishwasher may not have enough capacity for your everyday crockery.
Bear in mind: this size needs to be installed in a unit. The niche width alone isn’t enough: you’ll also need to check the height and depth.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | What matters to different shoppers? |
|---|---|---|
| Available space | Measure the width, depth, available height and clearance needed for the door and hoses. | If I’m short on worktop space, the appliance needs to fit without getting in the way when I’m cooking. Around 36% of consumers would rank its footprint as their top requirement. |
| Water supply and drainage | Check the instructions for the exact model to find out how it connects to the water supply and where the drain hose needs to go. A tank doesn’t remove the need for drainage. | Without an accessible water supply, I’m looking for an option I can fill with water while still draining the waste water. Connections would be the main priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Usable capacity | Compare the stated number of place settings and basket layout with the plates, glasses and utensils you use regularly. | If I cook often, I want to fit my everyday crockery in without running multiple cycles. Around 21% of consumers would prioritise this usable capacity above all else. |
| Noise and Eco cycle | Check the exact model’s energy label for kWh per 100 cycles, litres per Eco cycle, cycle duration and noise level in dB. | In a living space close to the kitchen, I want to compare noise and consumption before choosing. Around 14% of consumers would put this everyday comfort first. |
ADEME explains that the energy label includes information such as electricity consumption for 100 standard cycles and water consumption per standard cycle. Compare these figures across the models you’re considering, bearing in mind they don’t apply to every programme.
According to Daan Tech, Bob’s tank means you don’t need to connect the appliance to a water supply, but waste water still needs to drain through the hose provided.
Before buying, work out where the hose can go and how to secure it in line with the instructions for your chosen model.
A tabletop dishwasher and an integrated model have different requirements for height, depth and clearance around the door and hoses.
Measure the full space and check it against the installation requirements for the exact appliance.
The number of place settings is a useful way to narrow down your options, but the basket design may limit space for frying pans, saucepans or larger dishes.
Check the interior layout and loading restrictions against the items you wash most often.
The rating doesn’t tell you everything about water consumption, Eco cycle duration or noise — all factors worth checking separately in a studio flat.
Use the energy label information outlined by ADEME and compare the figures for the exact model.
With Bob, Daan Tech offers a compact freestanding dishwasher designed for spaces where room is limited.
Candy’s CP 6E51LS is an example of a connected tabletop dishwasher, with a stated capacity of 6 place settings.
Bosch offers tabletop, compact integrated and 45 cm slimline dishwashers. Each size is designed for a different type of space.
Not without drainage: according to Daan Tech, Bob’s tank means you don’t need a water supply, but its drain hose must still be connected or secured. Before choosing this filling method, check where the waste water can drain.
Six place settings can be a useful guide for a small household, but they don’t guarantee that all your crockery will fit. For the model you’re considering, compare the baskets and loading options with the plates, frying pans and saucepans you use regularly.
Choose based on the space and connections available: a tabletop dishwasher takes up worktop space, while a 45 cm integrated model needs a suitable niche. As a guide to dimensions, Bosch lists its tabletop models at around 45 × 55,1 × 50 cm and its slimline SPV4EMX17E model at 815 × 448 × 550 mm.
Compare the energy rating, kWh per 100 cycles, litres per Eco cycle, the duration of that programme, the capacity and the noise level of the exact model. ADEME presents these figures as a useful basis for comparison; the stated consumption may not reflect that of other programmes.