Timing your dishwasher purchase can lead to significant savings. Major holidays are the best times of the year to buy large appliances, but why? Firstly, it’s easier to make time for a big excursion to view your potential new appliances if you have an extra day off work over a long holiday weekend. Retailers know this and plan their biggest sales to coincide with these long weekends. Secondly, even with the rise in online sales, physical stores still account for the bulk of all retail sales. For dishwashers, the best time to buy is typically during the fall and winter months, as retailers make space for winter products and holiday displays. As national inventory data shows, in November you’re likely to get the best deals on the latest stock of appliances. In December, on the other hand, you’re going to have fewer options, but the retailer might be likely to slap a large discount on an older item to get it off the floor. Black Friday is the most famous shopping day of the year, with retailers offering massive discounts on a wide range of products, including dishwashers. There are common key discounts online for Black Friday, but the discounts between a chain’s website and the local branch may differ-Costco, for instance, offers deals in person that can’t be found online. Memorial Day is a great time to buy a dishwasher, as retailers aim to meet consumer expectations and provide solid discounts.
Key Sales Periods for Dishwashers
- Black Friday and Cyber Monday: By November, the average price of a dishwasher drops significantly. Black Friday offers massive discounts, especially on tech-focused ¡°smart¡± dishwashers, which are traditionally higher in price but filled with efficiency-supporting features. Cyber Monday is ideal for online deals.
- Memorial Day: Retailers provide solid discounts during this holiday weekend, making it a prime time for appliance purchases.
- September and October: New dishwasher models typically hit the market in September, meaning retailers discount previous years’ models to clear inventory.
- End-of-Year Sales: In December, retailers offer large discounts on older stock to make room for new inventory, though selection may be limited.
Expert Tips for Saving Money on Dishwasher Purchases
A little bit of planning goes a long way when it comes to finding a good price for your dishwasher. If you anticipate that you’ll need to buy a dishwasher in the near future, knowing the times of year that they typically go on sale can be your guide. If your dishwasher suddenly needs replacing, holding out for the next sale can be less frustrating if you know when it’s coming. Model year clearance time is an excellent time to save money on a dishwasher. As long as you’re online signing up for mailing lists, check retailer websites for scratch and dent deals. Purchasing a floor model or demo model with a cosmetic blemish or two can save you a great deal of money. Be aware that some retailers won’t give out information about these items online. They’d rather have you come to the store. It’s often worth the trip to check out the deals. Buy a dishwasher that has only the features that you need. Wi-Fi capability, touch screen controls, and programmable wash cycles are nice, but they come at premium prices. Decide if you really need all the bells and whistles and if the extra cost is worth it to you. Your dishwasher retailer will usually offer to take your old appliance away at no cost.
Additional Money-Saving Strategies
- Look for Rebates: When you buy select appliances, a rebate is deducted from the total price of the item, leaving just a little more money in your bank account. Most rebate savings are applied retroactively, requiring you to send in a claim form via snail mail. It’s worth the trouble.
- Bundle Purchases: You nearly always have the opportunity to save during sales by buying bundles of large appliances. Retailers frequently offer larger rebates if you buy multiple pieces, so buying a dishwasher, stove, and fridge all at once can be beneficial.
- Check Price History: Knowing the true MSRP means that when you’re ready to shop, you’ll be able to sniff out gimmicks from a mile away. Sometimes retailers will mark up the original price of an item and then advertise it as 30% off, when in reality, you’re maybe only getting an extra 5% savings. Use price comparison sites like PriceGrabber to ensure you’re getting the best deal.
- Sign Up for Price Alerts: Strategically shop at Amazon by signing up for price alerts, so that you get an email whenever there’s a great discount to be had. Crosscheck the sale on CamelCamelCamel to get a look at any product’s pricing history.
Choosing the Right Dishwasher: Features to Consider
Eco-friendliness is a critical factor. A good dishwasher is energy-efficient and uses minimal water to get things clean and dry. An energy-efficient machine is gentle on the environment and can save you money, too. The right features will depend on your needs and preferences, but a few things are desirable for just about anyone. A stainless steel interior tub is better than plastic because it’s more durable and stainproof. And some level of adjustability in a dishwasher’s racks ensures that your dishes will fit. Not every dishwasher has every feature, but you can find a machine with the features that matter most to you. Some features cost more than others, though. A stainless steel interior tub is more durable than plastic and stains less easily, meaning it will last longer. You might like the look better, too. But it will add to the price.
Key Features to Prioritize
- Energy Star Certification: Check out your dishwasher’s energy star rating, as it can save you a lot of money on energy and water consumption over time. Energy-saving models also have low-water features or quick-wash options-perfect for small or lightly soiled loads.
- Stainless Steel Tub: Stainless steel tub dishwashers are extremely tough and long-lasting, making them a smart option for larger families.
- Adjustable Racks: Wash more utensils, silverware, and small dishes in one load with a dishwasher that offers a third rack or adjustable tines.
- Quiet Operation: Dishwashers that are so quiet you can hardly tell they’re running are ideal. Typically, a dishwasher is considered very quiet if it runs at around 40 dBA or below.
- Smart Features: Dishwashers are getting smarter. If you’re a tech geek, you’ll be keen to get your hands on a smart dishwasher with Wi-Fi connectivity for cycle monitoring and automatic detergent reordering.
Best Dishwashers to Buy in 2025
Bosch 500 Series SHP65CM5N
The Bosch 500 Series SHP65CM5N, at its typical holiday weekend sale price, belongs to Bosch’s Benchmark series, which boasts the brand’s most expensive and feature-packed dishwashers. This Benchmark option does a very good job of both washing and drying, and it’s especially quiet. It has many of the things you’ll find in higher-end dishwashers, like an adjustable upper rack, a third rack, a stainless steel interior, and adjustable tines. Shop on Amazon.
Miele G5008
This entry-level Miele model delivers sparkling-clean dishes, and it’s quiet and easy to use. Miele is known for its reliability, durability, and owner satisfaction. The Miele G5008 offers a great combination of cleaning performance, user friendliness, energy efficiency, and reliability. In our reader survey, and within the broader industry, Miele ranks as the dishwasher manufacturer with the highest owner satisfaction rate. You’ll have a hard time finding a better dishwasher without spending significantly more. It’s an excellent cleaner. This dishwasher cleaned very well in our tests, regardless of what detergent we used. It has a strong warranty, and it will last. The G5000 series has a two-year warranty for parts and labor, which is the longest initial warranty of our picks. Shop on Amazon.
Whirlpool WDTA50SAKZ
The Whirlpool WDTA50SAKZ dishwasher is already one of the best options under $1,000, and it’s still at its lowest price right now at Best Buy. It’s a strong performer, with a third rack and an upscale look for the price, including integrated controls. Whirlpool also earned a very good rating for predicted reliability and a midlevel score for owner satisfaction based on data from our reader surveys. It’s similar to lower-end models from the KitchenAid brand, which is also owned by Whirlpool. Shop on Amazon.
Comparison of Top Dishwashers
| Model | Price Range | Key Features | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bosch 500 Series SHP65CM5N | $1,200-$1,500 | Third rack, stainless steel tub, 40 dBA, adjustable tines | Quiet operation, excellent cleaning, reliable brand | Higher price point, limited color options |
| Miele G5008 | $1,000-$1,300 | Energy Star, 42 dBA, two-year warranty, auto-open door | Top reliability, energy-efficient, strong warranty | Fewer advanced features than premium models |
| Whirlpool WDTA50SAKZ | $700-$1,000 | Third rack, integrated controls, good reliability | Affordable, strong performance, sleek design | Midlevel owner satisfaction, noisier at 55 dBA |
Testing Scenarios and Performance
In Consumer Reports’ labs, testers load each of our dishwasher candidates with 12 dirtied ceramic plates and run a regular cleaning cycle. Our experts also assess how well each model can dry dishes-and they take an especially close look at plastic items, which dishwashers tend to have more trouble drying. For noise, a panel of judges listens to an entire dishwasher cycle to identify ¡°any annoying noises,¡± as Larry Ciufo, who oversees dishwasher testing at CR, puts it. The dishwashers that make the least racket throughout the cycle receive the highest scores for noise. We also incorporate feedback from the tens of thousands of Consumer Reports members who take our annual dishwasher survey. This data helps us predict which brands may be the most reliable and which ones owners would recommend to friends and family members.
From the responses, we identified performance problems and breakages in these dishwashers and used those findings to predict the likelihood that a dishwasher from a given brand will develop problems or break in its first five years of service. The survey results show that no brand is free of problems-and it’s worth noting that a brand’s quality can vary over time with changes in design and production. But some of the brands that rose to the top for predicted reliability were Bosch, Gaggeneau, Miele, and Thermador. The most common problems members had with dishwashers were machines that failed to clean and dry well, followed by those that failed to drain away water and dish racks and control panels that broke or stopped working properly.
Buying Guide for Dishwashers
Steps to Choose the Right Dishwasher
- Assess Your Needs: Consider the size of your household and how often you run the dishwasher. If you’re producing lots of dirty dishes throughout the day, it’s much more eco-friendly to run a larger dishwasher once than a smaller one several times.
- Set a Budget: Dishwasher prices have crept up over the years, and it can be hard to sift through the many models and features that dishwasher brands offer. But you can still find a machine that will get your dishes clean in your price range.
- Research Features: Decide which features are essential, like a third rack or quiet operation, and which you can skip, like Wi-Fi connectivity, to save money.
- Check Reliability: Look at reliability ratings from sources like Consumer Reports. Brands like Bosch and Miele consistently rank high.
- Time Your Purchase: Plan to buy during major sales periods like Black Friday or Memorial Day to maximize savings.
Maintaining Your Dishwasher for Longevity
- Scrape, Don’t Rinse: Most dishwashers don’t require a prerinse, but be sure to scrape off bones, toothpicks, and other solid items before loading your dishes. These hard bits can clog the drain hose, tear the filter, or damage the pump.
- Clean the Filter: In the water at bottom of the dishwasher, under the sprayer, is a removable trap that will likely contain pieces of food that didn’t make it through to the drain. Clean it out regularly.
- Check Spray Arms: Every few months, check the holes in the wash arms-spray nozzles-to make sure they’re clean and unobstructed. If you see food debris clogging a spray nozzle, gingerly try to remove it with a toothpick or pipe cleaner.
- Use Vinegar: Inside your dishwasher, there’s the potential for grease, detergent residue, and calcium buildup. Use vinegar to wash all of that away. Run a cycle of the dishwasher with vinegar only (no detergent) every few months.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is it worth waiting for Black Friday to buy a dishwasher?
Yes, Black Friday typically offers some of the deepest discounts of the year, especially on smart dishwashers with advanced features. However, other sales like Memorial Day or end-of-year clearances can also provide significant savings if you need a dishwasher sooner.
Should I buy a used dishwasher to save money?
Buying a used dishwasher can save money upfront, especially if you install it yourself. However, new models are more energy-efficient and come with warranties, which may save more in the long run. Ensure any used unit is in good condition and from a reputable seller.
How long should a dishwasher last?
Most dishwashers last about 10 years, though this varies by brand and usage. Regular maintenance, like cleaning the filter and using the right detergent, can extend its lifespan.
Are Energy Star dishwashers worth the cost?
Energy Star dishwashers use less water and electricity, reducing utility bills over time. For households that run frequent loads, the savings can justify the slightly higher upfront cost.
What’s the benefit of a stainless steel tub?
Stainless steel tubs are more durable, resist stains, and improve drying performance compared to plastic tubs. They’re ideal for long-term use and frequent dishwashing.