For a small kitchen, start by considering the space available, your water supply and how you’ll drain the wastewater. A mini dishwasher with a water tank avoids the need for a permanent water connection, but you’ll need to fill it by hand and drain it. A plumbed-in tabletop model generally offers more room for dishes, while a slim freestanding dishwasher is worth considering if you can set aside floor space for it and provide the necessary connections.
A mini model with a water tank could save you from needing a permanent water connection near your worktop. However, you’ll need to fill it, arrange for the wastewater to drain and check that your dishes fit in the basket.
A six-place-setting tabletop model offers more capacity than a mini model without taking up floor space. Before choosing this option, check the available worktop area, door clearance and hose routing.
If pans and serving dishes often take up most of the basket, a slim freestanding dishwasher may be a better fit than a tabletop model. Check its depth, height and connections as well as its width.
First decide where the dishwasher could go, then check the dishes you want to wash and the installation requirements for the specific model.
Consider this if: there’s no usable permanent water connection near your worktop and a small basket is big enough for your everyday dishes.
The trade-off: you’ll need to fill the tank and arrange for the water to drain away. Daan Tech describes both steps for its Bob model; check how they work on any other appliance you’re considering.
Consider this if: there’s room for the appliance on your worktop, and you can access a water supply, a drain and an electrical socket.
The trade-off: it frees up floor space, but takes up part of your worktop. For example, Candy describes its CP 6E51LS as a six-place-setting tabletop model that doesn’t need to be filled by hand.
Consider this if: you have space on the floor and regularly have more dishes than a tabletop basket can hold.
The trade-off: extra capacity takes up floor space. UFC-Que Choisir describes 45 cm-wide, nine-place-setting models for small families. Measure the space and access routes before opting for a larger model.
| Priority | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Space and loading | Measure the width, depth and height, allowing for the door to open and the hoses to run. Check the basket and the maximum dimensions for plates, serving dishes and pans. | I want to keep enough worktop space for cooking, without having to wash my larger items by hand. |
| Water supply and drainage | Check the filling method, whether a water connection is needed and how the drain hose should be routed, as set out in the instructions. A water tank doesn’t remove the need to deal with wastewater: Daan Tech specifies a drain hose for Bob. | If there’s no water connection near the appliance, I can consider a model with a tank, as long as I can fill it and drain the wastewater as instructed. |
| Electricity | Check the model’s power requirements, access to a socket and installation instructions. The Bosch SKS6ITB00E manual lists separate connections for electricity, clean water and wastewater. | The space I choose must allow for installation in line with the instructions. It’s not enough for the appliance simply to fit on the worktop. |
| Everyday use | Compare water and energy use using the same programme as a reference, and check the noise level stated for each model. ADEME points out that these specifications vary between dishwashers. | Noise matters to me in an open-plan kitchen. If I run a cycle often, I also want to compare the figures given for the same type of programme. |
A water tank can replace a permanent water connection, but the used water still needs to drain away. Daan Tech, for example, requires Bob’s drain hose to be connected.
Before you buy, decide where the hose will drain and follow the drainage instructions in the manual for your chosen model.
You’ll also need to spend time filling it by hand each time you use it.
An appliance might fit between two cupboards but still stick out beyond the worktop or prevent its door from opening. For example, Candy lists its CP 6E51LS tabletop model as measuring 550 × 501 × 443 mm.
Mark out all the dimensions in the space you have in mind, then check the clearance needed for the door, hoses and connections.
The place-setting count doesn’t guarantee that a pan, serving dish or large plate will fit in the basket. A model that’s too small could mean running more cycles or washing some items by hand.
Keep track of what you actually wash for a few days, then check the basket layout before choosing between a mini model, a tabletop model and a slim freestanding one.
A small appliance won’t automatically use the right amount of water and energy for your needs. ADEME notes that consumption and noise levels vary between dishwashers.
Compare the figures for the models you’re considering using the same reference programme, and factor in how many cycles you’ll need.
Daan Tech makes Bob, a mini worktop dishwasher for kitchens where a permanent water connection may be an issue.
Candy’s range lets you compare a tabletop model with a slim freestanding one, depending on the space you can set aside.
Bosch offers compact dishwashers for smaller households, including models designed to sit on a worktop.
These options are worktop dishwashers, including models with a water tank and a plumbed-in tabletop appliance. If you have floor space instead, compare the dimensions and connections of slim models separately.
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This compact model is worth considering if worktop space and the amount of washing up are limited. Daan Tech describes Bob as having a 4 L tank, but check that the version on sale can be filled by hand and make provision for wastewater drainage. Also check that there’s room for your larger items.
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Consider this tabletop model if you have access to a water supply and drain, and want to explore a six-place-setting option. Check its overall dimensions, the space needed for the door to open and the connection requirements in the manual.
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With room for three place settings, this model is designed for smaller loads. If you plan to fill it by hand, check the manual for drainage and electrical requirements, as well as the size of items that will fit in the basket.
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The built-in tank is worth considering if you can’t access a permanent water connection. The description says the appliance drains through a hose into a container, so make room for one and check the model’s drainage and electrical requirements.
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Measure this alternative tank model carefully before setting aside a narrow section of worktop: the dimensions in the product title don’t match those in the description. Check the full dimensions, drainage method and electrical requirements in the manual for the exact model.
Yes, Bob can, provided the version you buy has the built-in 4 L tank described by Daan Tech, which you fill by hand. Check that the version you’re buying has this feature; don’t assume all tabletop models do. You’ll still need to drain the wastewater.
No. It needs a suitable space, an electrical supply that meets the instructions and a way to drain the wastewater. Daan Tech, for example, requires the drain hose on the back of Bob to be connected.
A six-place-setting tabletop model could suit a small home if your dishes fit in the basket. If serving dishes and pans regularly take up a lot of room and you have floor space available, compare the slim nine- to 10-place-setting models described by UFC-Que Choisir and Candy too.
Measure the available width, depth and height, then check that the door can open and that there’s room for the hoses and cable, as set out in the manual. As a guide for this specific model, Candy lists its CP 6E51LS tabletop dishwasher as measuring 550 × 501 × 443 mm, before allowing for the clearances needed for installation.