Water consumption per cycle
The amount of water used by the machine in one wash cycle. Usually, it is indicated for a standard (universal) programme — at full load, without pre-rinsing, etc. Accordingly, in special modes, the consumption may differ from the indicated one.
The lower the consumption, the better. On the other hand, a reduction in consumption can harm the quality of the wash. So, when choosing an
cost-effective machine, you should pay special attention to the wash class (see below). In addition, only models of the same capacity can be compared in terms of consumption — after all, the more dishes, the more water is required to wash them.
Dryer type
The dishwasher has a drying function. Drying can occur both due to the natural evaporation of water from the surface of the dishes (
condensation drying), and due to
turbo dry with heated air. The first option is more economical since it does not require energy. Besides, there is also an improved one —
with a heat exchanger. It provides significantly faster drying. And the recently appeared new type of drying
Zeolith combines both methods because it firstly collects residual moisture and then generates it into heat, which dries the dishes and belongs to the premium segment models. Note that not all machines can dry dishes to complete dryness; see Drying class for details.
Upper basket adjustment
The ability to adjust the height at which the top basket of the dishwasher is located. This
adjustment allows you to adjust the device to the height of the dishes: for example, by moving the basket down, you can load large items into it, such as pots or pans.
Noise level
It is an approximate noise level produced by the dishwasher during operation. In modern models, this parameter can range from 38 – 39 dB (muffled human voice) to 59 – 60 dB (rather a loud conversation); more detailed decoding of what sound corresponds to a particular number of decibels can be found in special tables. Anyway, the
low noise level contributes to the comfortable use of the device. It is important if the dishwasher is to be used at night.