The best slimline dishwashers for small kitchens, tested

Score: 93/100

Powerful, quiet and compact, this slimline dishwasher left our dirty dishes gleaming and dry. The normal and economy cycles both scored full marks for cleaning, and the normal cycle was very efficient, costing just 20p in energy and water costs. We were also impressed with the SpeedPerfect+ cycle, which achieved the same results in half the time – just with slightly higher energy and water consumption.

Our testers particularly liked having a cutlery drawer instead of a basket, which frees up space for more plates. This dishwasher lost a few marks on its intensive wash, which was still fairly economical at 28p, but left some burnt-on jam and pasta sauce on our Pyrex dishes. However, none of the models we tested were able to fully shift all these ‘worst-case scenario’ stains. Overall, this is an excellent buy at a reasonable price.

Score: 91/100

The normal and eco modes of this dishwasher left our plates gleaming, with both only costing around 20p per wash in the lab. Unlike some others we tested, we had no trouble fitting 10 place settings inside, possibly because it’s a bit larger than most – so make sure you check the measurements before committing.

We liked the intuitive controls, cutlery drawer and automatic door opening that helps dry your dishes. Another great feature is the SoftGrip system, which keeps stemmed glasses secure – brilliant if you hate hand-washing your wine glasses. Like other models, the intensive cycle struggled to shift really burnt-on food. It’s on the expensive side too, but worth it for great cleaning and genuinely useful features.

Score: 90/100

At half the price of many lower-scoring dishwashers, this model represents outstanding value for money. The normal and eco cycles performed brilliantly, leaving plates almost perfect and very dry – plus, the eco wash only cost an average of 18p in the lab. Our testers also loved how user-friendly the design is, with logical and responsive controls.

This dishwasher runs quietly, and doesn’t skimp on features either: it has an ‘auto’ cycle (calculated by the soiling sensor), auto-opening door, 24-hour delay timer and child lock. On the downside, we struggled to fit the recommended 10 place settings inside, possibly because it has a cutlery basket instead of a drawer. It couldn’t shift burnt-on stains, either. But at this price, it’s hard to complain.

Score: 89/100

If you prefer your dishwasher to blend into your kitchen, this integrated model is designed to be hidden behind a cabinet door. It can fit up to nine place settings, so it’s on the smaller side, but has useful features such as automatic door opening (for dryer plates), leak detection and timer delay.

This was the best integrated dishwasher we tested, providing an excellent clean on its normal and eco cycles – though heavier burnt-on stains proved too tough. It’s not the most efficient, at around 26p per eco wash, and the controls (located inside the door) were a little unresponsive. But overall, this is a really solid buy if you’re looking for an integrated design.

Score: 87/100

This integrated slimline dishwasher scored highly for energy and water efficiency across the board, with the eco cycle costing just 17p per wash. It left our dishes very clean – even our saucepans with cooked-on egg and rice – though some items were a little wet. We also found the Fast+ function managed to achieve the same level of cleanliness as the normal cycle, but with less time, energy and water.

We liked how this dishwasher shines a light on the floor to let you know it’s running, as the integrated display is hidden when closed. We also love that it has a top cutlery drawer, with spaces for sharp knives – just take care not to knock wine glasses below. The touch controls were sometimes unresponsive, but all in all, this is another excellent integrated option.

Score: 86/100

This dishwasher’s eco cycle was exceptional for energy and water efficiency, costing an average of just 17p per wash in the lab. And if you’re into ‘smart’ home technology, you’ll love optimising it even further with the easy-to-use hOn app. As well as remotely controlling your dishwasher, this app can rate the efficiency of your loading (great for competitive stackers!) and even suggest which cycle to choose.

As for the performance, this model struggled more than others to shift burnt-on stains in the intensive cycle. However, the normal and eco cycles provided a great clean on our regular plates and cups. Unlike some other slimline models, it can comfortably fit 10 place settings, too. So for everyday dishes, this is a really solid, efficient buy at a decent price.

Score: 84/100

As well as providing a great clean, this dishwasher excels at drying dishes – especially if you add the ‘extra dry’ option to a cycle. Our testers loved the easy controls and plethora of features, including a foldable and removable cutlery rack, a half-load option and app connectivity. The eco cycle was highly efficient too, costing just 18p per wash.

On the downside, the normal and intensive cycles had higher energy and water usage (costing 38p and 41p respectively), yet couldn’t shift burnt-on food. We also only managed to fit eight place settings in this dishwasher, despite it claiming to accommodate 11. Great for small households who simply want to get their everyday plates clean and cupboard-dry.

Score: 83/100

Because integrated slimline dishwashers have hidden displays, we love that this one has app connectivity, so you can see what’s going on without opening the door. We found the compatible hOn app responsive and easy to use, giving advice on loading efficiency and cycle options as well as controlling the machine remotely.

This dishwasher’s eco cycle was the cheapest we tested, at just 16p per wash – excellent value for everyday use. The normal and intensive cycles were much less efficient (costing 39p and 46p respectively), but the intensive cycle fared better than others at cleaning heavily soiled cookware, particularly pans. A good value integrated option for the everyday cook.