Related Articles
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
The unfortunate thing about dirty dishes is that they just seem to keep accumulating, out of nowhere, no matter how many times you do them. If, for whatever reason, you don’t have the option of a full-sized dishwasher at home, you may think you’re just doomed to waste precious hours of your life hand-washing every fork, cup, and plate you ever use — but you’d be wrong. Miniature portable and countertop dishwashers really do work as effective replacements for the full-sized kinds. And good news: Most don’t require any type of special equipment or complicated setups.
What Are the Best Portable Dishwashers?
You can find both free-standing portable dishwashers on wheels and half-sized dishwashers that sit on the counter. We’re focusing on the countertop varieties, which tend to be lower maintenance and more convenient for most households. Just make sure you have enough space. Here’s everything you should know when looking for the best portable dishwasher for your kitchen.
Size: The first thing to keep in mind is that while countertop dishwashers are, of course, smaller than their built-in counterparts, they can still take up a decent amount of space on your counter. In some cases, it can be about a third of the size of a standard refrigerator. If you’re working with limited counter space, you can always get creative with something like a rolling microwave stand. You can find smaller, more microwave-sized miniature dishwashers, but you’ll sacrifice the appliance’s capacity.
Capacity: Speaking of which, most countertop dishwashers will fit six place settings at once. Or, if you live alone or with just one other person, that’s enough space for one dinner’s worth of sauce pans, plates, silverware, and cups.
Functions: Most dishwashers come with between five and seven basic wash settings, including: normal, heavy, rapid, glass and rinse. Additional functions like baby safe or eco-saver may be worth looking at depending on your personal needs.
Hookup Methods: The point of owning a countertop dishwasher is to reduce the amount of work you have to do, so hooking the machine up shouldn’t be a pain either. Most come with a hose and faucet attachment already included, so all you have to do is hook the tube to your kitchen faucet and let it run. Some, on the other hand, use a built-in water tank, which may be convenient if you don’t have easy access to a kitchen faucet at all times.
