In fact, the way the rack tines and cutlery trays are configured in these machines aims to discourage you from placing large dishes in the front and back. Loading your dishes according to the manufacturer’s instructions is more important with 18-inch models than with 24-inch ones. “The spray arms spin in a circle, which covers the area of a square effectively but may not adequately reach the extreme front and way back of a rectangular space.” “This is due to the narrower shape of 18-inch dishwashers," says Ciufo. When the dishwashers were loaded to the exact specifications in the manuals, they all cleaned well (these results are what we scored each model on and what's represented in our dishwasher ratings).īut we took things one step further and placed dishes in different configurations-because, honestly, who loads their dishwashers exactly right every time? In these instances, dishes near the front and back of the machine weren’t fully cleaned. “But the results for washing and drying varied wildly.”
“The results in our noise and efficiency tests are very similar among all the 18-inch dishwashers and comparable with the 24-inch models we test,” says Larry Ciufo, CR’s lead engineer for dishwasher tests. A panel of judges sits through the entire dishwashing cycle to assess noise levels. To gauge drying performance, we use plastic sippy cups, because plastic can be difficult to get bone dry. Our testers load each machine with dishes with baked-on food and use a photo-imaging machine to scan washed items to determine how clean they are. We spend the usual 28 hours evaluating each model. So we test them in the same way, just with fewer dishes. The features and functionalities of 18-inch models nearly match what’s available among standard 24-inch dishwashers. Also, because the demand is relatively low, they may get moved around the warehouse often and get jostled. We’re not sure whether this was all a coincidence, but our shopper suspects that because they’re small and light, these smaller dishwashers get tossed around more. We haven't had any of these issues with the 24-inch models we buy to test. It took one to two weeks for these dishwashers to arrive, and we had to send back three out of the five models because they were damaged.
So you may have to order online or via telephone, like we did when we bought models to test. Some retailers have showroom models that you can check out, but 18-inch dishwashers are not typically kept in stock. One other thing to consider: availability. If you’re looking for Miele’s knock-to-open feature or Bosch’s patented CrystalDry technology, it may be awhile before they trickle down to the 18-inch models. Some 18-inch models have water softeners, third racks, and cycle settings for china and crystal, short washes, or rinse and hold, but we aren’t seeing many super-premium features-like targeted jets, lit interiors, auto-open drying, and WiFi connections. Like 24-inch dishwashers, 18-inch models come in multiple styles: with control panels on the front or hidden on top, towel bar handles or pocket handles, and finishes in stainless steel, black, and white. Although there’s a rising demand for small dishwashers, you still won’t find nearly as many models to choose from as full-sized dishwashers-manufacturers often only have one or two models available.