5 dishwashers that clean and dry brilliantly

When shopping for a dishwasher, you'll want a model that's affordable yet powerful enough to blast away dirt and grime, leaving glasses sparkling and crockery with no water marks. To save you some time, we've rounded up five brilliant models that impressed in our tests.

To pick the perfect model for you, consider how often you'll be using it and the effect it'll have on your annual energy bill. Our rigorous lab tests, which cover big-name brands including Beko, Bosch and Miele, sort the impressive Best Buys from the underwhelming dishwashers that can't clean without getting clogged.

Keep scrolling for a selection of top performers uncovered by our testing – the list includes an internet-enabled Bosch that you can control remotely, along with a pair of dishwashers that are brilliantly efficient, saving you money.

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At a glance: great dishwashers

• Great value: Belling FDW150S – a freestanding dishwasher with seven programs to choose from. Buy it now at Amazon (£288) and OnBuy (£299).
• Slimline: Beko DIS16R10 – a space-saving model with Fast+, which lets you speed up your chosen program. Buy it now at AO.com (£299) and Homebase (£299).
• Energy efficient: Bosch SMV6ZCX01G – packed with features, including wi-fi connectivity so you can control it with your phone. Buy it now at Appliance City (£698), J.C. Campbell Electrics (£685) and Appliance Centre (£698).
• Quiet: Hisense HS620D10WUK – a freestanding dishwasher that won't disturb you while it works. Buy it now at AO.com (£299) and Currys (£299).
• Great all-rounder: Bosch SMV4HCX40G – cleans well using little energy and water. Buy it now at Appliances Direct (£609), AO.com (£629),and

Belling FDW150S – great value

Available from: Amazon (£288), OnBuy (£299)

We liked: Simple to load and unload, brilliant at cleaning and drying, doesn't leave water marks

We didn't like: Fairly noisy, tall glasses and large plates don't fit

This impressive freestanding dishwasher from Belling cruised effortlessly through our cleaning and drying tests. It holds 15 place settings, making it well-suited to a large family.

You have seven programs to choose from – the auto setting measures how dirty your dishes are and adjusts the temperature and duration of the wash accordingly. During our lab tests, we saw this dishwasher remove every trace of food and drink, including stubborn tea stains. Everything comes out dry, and you won't need to polish glassware before putting it back in the cupboard.

For more details on what makes this model great value, check in with our full Belling FDW150S review.

Beko DIS16R10 – slimline

Available from: AO.com (£299), Homebase (£299)

We liked: Good at drying dishes, easy to adjust the height of the top rack, clear controls

We didn't like: The auto program isn't very energy efficient

If you're shopping for a slimline dishwasher, add this model from Beko to your shortlist. It has 10 place settings (the maximum for a slimline), along with five main programs and a pre-wash option. This dishwasher is quieter than most, so it shouldn't be too much of a distraction while you're in the kitchen.

During testing, we noticed that cleaning performance when using the auto program is fantastic. We chucked plates caked in egg, mince and dried-on milk inside the machine and they all left glistening and free from water marks. The drying function is equally good, particularly if you're cleaning plastic tubs that other dishwashers struggle with.

Find out what other features this dishwasher has to offer with our Beko DIS16R10 review.

Bosch SMV6ZCX01G – energy efficient

Available from: Appliance City (£698), J.C. Campbell Electrics (£685), Appliance Centre (£698)

We liked: Auto and eco programs are energy efficient, doesn't use much water, easy to use

We didn't like: Makes a couple of distracting noises

The Bosch SMV6ZCX01G is a full-sized, integrated dishwasher that fits up to 14 place settings. Thanks to wi-fi support, you can control this smart dishwasher straight from your mobile – the app also lets you delay wash times and see how much energy and water the machine is using. 

The auto program took just over two hours to complete a full cycle, using far less energy compared to many other fully-sized dishwashers which will save you money. This Bosch dishwasher is fantastically efficient.

Read our Bosch SMV6ZCX01G review for a full breakdown of the test results.

Hisense HS620D10WUK – quiet

Available from: AO.com (£299), Currys (£299)

We liked: Simple control panel, cleans and dries brilliantly, very quiet

We didn't like: You might struggle to fit large plates

Take a closer look at this dishwasher if it's going to be living in a household of around four people. It has room for 14 place settings and includes a self-cleaning filter, saving you from regularly having to scrub the inside of the machine. At the end of each wash, the door will open slightly to help your glasses and crockery dry out.

This dishwasher powers through the fantastic eco program in around 3 hours 18 minutes. It's also one of the quietest dishwashers we've ever tested – our lab experts said it was 'barely noticeable'. It's perfect if you work at home and don't want to be disturbed.

Tempted by this Hisense dishwasher? You can learn more about it with our Hisense HS620D10WUK review.

Bosch SMV4HCX40G – a great all-rounder

Available from: Appliances Direct (£609), AO.com (£629), Currys (£629)

We liked: Doesn't leave water marks, energy-efficient eco program, simple to use

We didn't like: Not the quietest dishwasher we've tested

This Bosch dishwasher offers five programs. The go-to option is auto 45-65°C, which measures how dirty your dishes are and tweaks the temperature and duration of the wash without you having to do anything. You can use the Intensive Zone setting to increase the intensity of the wash in the lower basket.

We've taken this dishwasher for a spin and it's fantastic at cleaning everyday dishes, making light work of tea stains and bits of porridge. As an added bonus, your wash will dry very thoroughly without leaving water marks.

Read our Bosch SMV4HCX40G review if you fancy grabbing this dishwasher.

For even more highly-rated dishwashers, you can explore our full guide on the best dishwashers. 

Our dishwashers expert says

'Dishwashers aren’t an everyday purchase, but they can easily last for more than a decade. In other words, making the right choice today matters for years to come. It's easy to get dazzled by attention-grabbing features such as automatic detergent dosing and smart connectivity, but if your dishwasher doesn't clean mucky dishes effectively, it's not worth your money.

'Two newer features we rate highly are automatic open-door drying (which cuts down on energy use) and auto wash, designed to pick a program on your behalf based on the amount of dirt in the wash. If in doubt, check our dishwasher reviews to find out which features are worth paying a premium for.'

Alison Potter, Which? dishwashers expert

How we test dishwashers

The only way to tell if a dishwasher is any good is to cram it with dirty dishes, which is part of what we do in our independent lab tests. Our recommended Best Buys take the risk out of choosing a new dishwasher.

When reviewing dishwashers, we answer important questions including:

• Can it handle tough dirt and get everything dry? We dirty dishes, glasses, mugs and cutlery and let the grime dry on in a heated cabinet to simulate being sat on the side or in the dishwasher all day. That way, every dishwasher is faced with a realistic but tough test.
• Is it easy to use? We load up each dishwasher with items of all shapes and sizes, also noting whether the machine accommodates large plates and long-stemmed wine glasses. How easy it is to make sense of the dishwasher's various modes is also considered.
• How efficient is it? We run our own energy and water-use tests on the main or auto program and calculate energy running costs for every model.

Explore our guide on the best dishwashers to pick the perfect model for you.

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