The Best Portable Dishwashers of 2022
— Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed’s editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission.Unlike a built-in dishwasher, portable and countertop dishwashers don't need to be installed in your kitchen. They don't require you to make any modifications to your home's plumbing, either. That's why these appliances are perfect for small kitchens.
When the time comes to wash your dishes, simply position your portable or countertop dishwasher next to your kitchen sink, attach its faucet adapter to the tap and you'll be washing dishes without ever having to get your hands wet. Once your dishes and cutlery are clean and put away, all that's left to do is store your dishwasher away. What's not to love?
After spending some quality time making dirty dishes and then running them through a bunch of portable and countertop dishwashers, we found the best portable dishwasher is the GE GPT225SSLSS (available at Best Buy for $648.99) because of its top-notch dish cleaning performance.
Here are the best portable dishwashers we tested ranked, in order:
- GE GPT225SSLSS
- Danby DDW631SDB
- Farberware FDW05ASBWHA
- Danby DDW621WDB
- Whirlpool WDP370PAHB
- HomeLabs HME010033N
- Magic Chef MCSCD6W5
- Black & Decker BCD6W
The GE GPT225SSLSS 24-inch portable dishwasher really impressed us with its stellar dish cleaning and drying performance.
If you need a portable dishwasher that cleans dishes as well as (or better than) a fully-installed dishwasher, look no further than the GE GPT225SSLSS. Not only is the cleaning and drying performance of the GPT225SSLSS on par with some Bosch dishwashers we’ve tested, It's also one of the only portable dishwashers on the market with a stainless steel finish and a stainless steel interior, the latter of which reportedly cuts down on the noise level you'll be subjected to during a wash cycle.
This 24-inch full-size dishwasher is convertible; you can either keep the castor wheels on and roll it around, or remove the wheels so that it sits flat on the kitchen floor. Even better: if you have tighter size constraints, the GE GPT145SSLSS is the 18-inch version of the GPT225SSLSS, and it cleans dirty dishes nearly as well as the full-size version does. For those with a flexible budget, limited space in the kitchen, and lots of dirty dishes, the GE GPT225SSLSS won’t let you down.
Pros
-
Great cleaning performance
-
Dries dishes
-
Convertible
Cons
-
Few cycle options
The Danby DDW631SDB is our top countertop dishwasher because of its cleaning power and numerous cycle options.
Out of all of the countertop dishwashers we tested, the Danby DDW631SDB had the best cleaning performance. While we noticed spinach redeposit on some of the dishes, the DDW631SDB’s stain removal was comparable (or better than) some of the full-size dishwashers we’ve tested. The Normal cycle time clocked in at about 100 minutes, which was similar to cycle times we saw on other countertop dishwashers.
We also liked that this Danby had eight cycles to choose from: Heavy, Normal, BabyCare, Eco, Glass, Speed, Rinse, and Mini Party. (We guess you can only have a mini party with a mini dishwasher?) With an extra drying option, a digital display, and a sleek-looking exterior, the Danby DDW631SDB is the best choice for a dishwasher that takes up a minimal amount of counter space that's capable of getting job done right, the first time.
Similar products: SPT SD-2213W, SPT SD-2224DS
Pros
-
Has comparable cleaning to a full-size dishwasher
-
Plenty of cycle options
Cons
-
Has issues with spinach redeposit
How We Tested Countertop and Portable Dishwashers
The Testers
Hi there! We're Reviewed's appliance testing team. Between the us, we've spent many years testing major appliances in a lab environment, but we've also used them at home, like normal people would in the course of their daily lives.
The Tests
We test a dishwasher's Quick, Heavy, and Normal cycles by challenging them to clean dishes with baked-on food stains—milk, spinach, egg, oatmeal, meat, and more.
Testing dishwashers is a dirty job, and we're happy to do it. We assess each product on the three major parts of the dishwasher experience—performance, features, and usability.
Stain removal —We put the three major cycles on a dishwasher (Quick, Heavy, and Normal) to the test by baking food and beverage stains—milk, spinach, egg, oatmeal, meat, and more—onto 15 to 20 dishes that are then loaded into the dishwasher per the manufacturer's loading directions. At the end of each cycle, we determine how much stain has been removed from each dish. Ideally, each dish is 100 percent clean, but that level of cleaning perfection can be harder to achieve in real life.
Redeposit —Redeposit is the term for when, during the course of a dishwasher cycle, water jets remove bits of food from one dish, only to accidentally get it stuck on a second dish. Any dishwasher that shows little to no evidence of redeposit is a winner in our book.
Cycle time —Dishwasher cycles can run the gamut from 30 minutes to four hours.
Drying —Whether it's accomplished with rinse aid, a built-in heater, or a built-in fan, customers expect their dishes to be dry as well as clean. We penalize the dishwasher every time a dish comes out wet.
While all of the features in the world can't make a bad dishwasher better, they can really add the finishing touch to a model that does a killer cleaning job. We look at the various cycles, cycle options, and dishwasher specs and assess both how useful the features are, and how easy it is to actually use those features and whether or not their control panel is easy to navigate.
What You Should Know Before Buying a Portable or Countertop Dishwasher
What Are The Differences Between Portable And Countertop Dishwashers?
Portable dishwashers (left) are usually on wheels and sometimes have butcher block tops to add extra functionality in the kitchen. Countertop dishwasher (right) are considerably smaller, take up less space, and fit fewer dishes.
If your kitchen doesn't have a cutout for a standard 24-inch installed dishwasher, there are two alternatives to giving up and washing everything by hand: portable or countertop dishwashers. Make sure you know the difference when you're shopping.
Portable dishwashers — These models are typically on wheels so you can roll them up to the sink when they're in use and shove them in a corner when they're not. They're typically 18 inches wide, though you can also find 24-inch-wide models. Because they're about the same height as a standard dishwasher, the two racks can hold quite a few dishes.
Countertop dishwashers — If floor space is limited, or you just don't need to wash that many dishes, a countertop dishwasher may be a better choice for you. Countertop dishwashers typically cost about half as much as a portable dishwasher. They can't fit many dishes into them and can take up a lot of counter space, but you'll still save a lot more water and time than you would if you always wash your dishes manually.
How Do You Attach A Portable Dishwasher?
Portable dishwashers have an inlet hose that screws onto the threading of your faucet, where the removable aerator would typically fit. If your faucet doesn't have threading at all, you may have some issues with installing countertop or portable dishwashers.
Examine your kitchen faucet carefully to ensure that it's capable of having a hose attached before you purchase a portable or countertop dishwasher. In certain cases an adaptor may exist to facilitate the connection, but in a lot of cases your next best bet would be to replace the faucet with one that does have threading.
How Wide Is a Dishwasher?
Seems like a strange question, but did you know that unlike other large appliances (think refrigerators), dishwashers are all the same size: 24 inches wide by 24 inches deep by 35 inches high. This means that it's super easy to shop for a dishwasher online, because you can guarantee it'll fit the space you already have open in your kitchen.
How Long Do Dishwashers Last?
According to the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, the average dishwasher lasts about nine years. Appliance lifespans are shorter these days for a few reasons, among them broad economic factors that affect all durable goods, production of individual components that are frequently outsourced to the least-expensive third-party manufacturers, and machines being made with more plastic and less metal.
Since most consumers don’t buy appliances very often, a decreased lifespan can seem all the more dramatic when a dishwasher breaks down after just 10 years, even though its predecessor chugged along for 30.
How Long Does a Dishwasher Run?
Dishwasher cycles can run the gamut from 30 minutes to four hours. Shorter cycle times are much more convenient, especially when it comes to large dinner parties, where you may need to reuse dishes from dinner when it's time for dessert.
Incidentally, what happens inside a dishwasher is interesting, and kind of like a car wash.
In short, the best dishwashers have short cycles.
How Much Water Does a Dishwasher Use?
Reviewed's lab operations manager Jonathan Chan says, "The amount of water a dishwasher uses varies greatly on type and cycle selected. Normal cycles on compact models can use as little as 2.5 gallons, but larger entry-level models can use up to five gallons."
And, although it may surprise you, dishwashers use far less water than you would by hand-washing your dishes, and smaller dishwashers (like portable and countertop models) tend to use less water than larger ones.
If you're environmentally- or money-conscious, the prospect of using less water and energy may be appealing to you. Be sure to check out the Energy Star rating for a dishwasher to give you an idea of what you can expect your utility bills to look like.
Other Portable and Countertop Dishwashers We Tested
There’s a lot to love about the Farberware FDW05ASBWHA countertop dishwasher. One of our favorite features is that you can use either the kitchen sink hookup or the separate water tank as the dishwasher’s water source; the water tank is a great option if you have difficulty attaching and securing water hoses, or if you want to wash dishes far from a sink. This dishwasher comes with six cycles: Baby Care, Glass, Fruit (where you can use the removable basket to wash your fruits), Normal, Rapid, and Air Refresh. Perhaps the coolest feature is that this dishwasher has a little glass window so that you can watch the food stains get cleaned off your dishes in real time.
Speaking of clean dishes, this portable dishwasher does a great job of removing stains, including really difficult baked-on stains like chopped spinach. While there were some minor instances of redeposit, it’s nothing that wouldn’t come off with a quick rinse in the sink. Furthermore, almost all of the cleaned dishes came out bone dry. If you’re looking for some flexibility when it comes to washing dishes in a small kitchen space, you’ll appreciate the performance and thoughtful design of the Farberware FDW05ASBWHA.
Pros
-
Great performance
-
Dries dishes
-
Has a fruit cleaning cycle
Cons
-
Minor issues with redeposit
If you have smaller space constraints, Danby also makes countertop dishwashers, one of which is the Danby DDW621WDB. While this countertop dishwasher looks small, it can fit six place settings, where each place setting involves plates, a bowl, a glass, a tea cup, and some cutlery. You won't be able to fit a spaghetti pot in there, but that's true for any countertop dishwasher. With a wide variety of cycles to choose from (including Intensive, Normal, Soak, Economy, Rapid, and Glass), you shouldn't have a problem getting difficult stains off your dishes.
This countertop dishwasher also has options to delay the start of the dishwasher cycle for 2, 4, or 8 hours, as well as water and rinse aid notification lights. It may take you a bit of time to get used to the control panel, but once you understand what the icons mean, the Danby DDW621WDB is a breeze to operate, and at only 22 inches wide, it won't take up too much space on your counter either.
Pros
-
Big capacity for a 22-inch countertop dishwasher
Cons
-
Controls were a bit confusing at first
-
Very small capacity compared to full-size models
The Whirlpool WDP370PAHB is a full-sized, 24-inch portable dishwasher with three cycles and a sturdy metal cabinet that won’t embarrass you when you roll it toward the sink. Another plus: This model’s laminate butcher block top provides additional counter space for your kitchen. The WDP370PAHB has a plastic interior, and it’s relatively noisy for a dishwasher at this price point. However, most owners were very happy with their purchase.
In our tests, this model dried well and cleaned the dishes passably, with its best performance on the Heavy cycle. Its issue is with redeposit of food particles onto otherwise clean dishes, which is not something you want to see when you unload your dishes at the end of a cycle. If you're only washing dishes with relatively light food loads, then you don't have to worry much, but this dishwasher has a tougher time tackling baked-on stains or food detritus that can easily migrate to other dishes.
Pros
-
Looks great
-
Its laminate top provides additional counter space
-
Portable
Cons
-
Expensive for its cleaning performance
-
Louder than competing models
As it turns out, the HomeLabs HME010033N is nearly identical to the Danby DDW621WDB. It has the same cleaning performance, the same cycles (although one cycle is called “Eco” rather than “Light”), and similar cycle times. Its exterior looks a bit more modern than that of the DDW621WDB, but if you’re interested in buying this flavor of countertop dishwasher, we recommend buying whichever of these two products is on sale that day.
Pros
-
Sleek look
-
Intuitive controls
Cons
-
A little expensive for its cleaning ability
-
Very small capacity compared to full-size models
The cleaning performance of the Magic Chef is fine; while it struggled a bit with some of the tougher stains in our tests (such as spinach), it will be able to tackle most dirty dishes without breaking a sweat. The Magic Chef countertop dishwasher has six cycles (Heavy, Normal, Light, Speed, Glass, and Rinse).
While the other countertop dishwashers on this list have delay options of 2, 4, or 6 hours, the delay option on this Magic Chef runs from 1 to 24 hours, and can be set in 1-hour increments. This allows you to set dishwasher cycles to start at a later time either for the sake of convenience or to save money by not using electricity at high-demand times, like after dinner. If that kind of time flexibility appeals to you, then the Magic Chef MCSCD6W5 is the right countertop dishwasher for you.
Similar product: SPT SD-2225DS
Pros
-
Has 6 cleaning cycles
-
1-24 hour delay option
Cons
-
Struggles with tough stains
Finally, a product from a brand you recognize! Again, the cleaning performance for this countertop dishwasher was pretty comparable to that of the others on this list, although we noticed that the spinach redeposit left some dishes a bit dirtier than we expected. In addition to the same six cycles that most of the countertop dishwashers on this list have, the BCD6W also has a 90-minute BabyCare cycle. Like the Magic Chef, the Black & Decker also has a 1- to 24-hour delay feature.
One aspect that separates the Black & Decker countertop dishwasher from the competition is its looks—with its stainless steel handle finish and its touchscreen user interface, it’s easily the best-looking dishwasher on this list. If you have a more modern-looking kitchen, and don’t want a white box on your countertop to ruin its visual appeal, you won’t regret choosing the Black & Decker countertop dishwasher.
Similar product: EdgeStar DWP62SV
Pros
-
Stainless steel finish
-
1-24 hour delay option
Cons
-
Has issues with spinach redeposit