My love for vintage apartment living always lands me in environs that may be charming, but are often missing modern-day practicality – specifically when it comes to a built-in dishwasher. After nearly 12 years of hand-washing pots, pans and the mountainous aftermath of elaborate holiday meals, I can’t believe I’m just learning that countertop dishwashers have always been an option.
These portable and typically compact machines operate by either hooking up to an existing kitchen faucet or running completely independently (or both!). For the latter option, these dishwashers usually contain a receptacle that is filled with water before a cycle and a drain hose that can be placed in the sink to release water once a load has finished. You can also expect them to have all the signature trappings of a full-size dishwasher, like dual loading racks, a basket for cutlery and multiple wash settings.
Countertop dishwashers are more than just a good idea for smaller spaces that don’t have a traditional one. Many people have found them useful as a way to supplement their existing dishwasher space, while others use them inside an RV or college dorm room. One Amazon reviewer who purchased the Farberware 5-cycle dishwasher (the third option in the list below) even mentioned that having a countertop dishwasher has allowed them to enjoy cooking again without being overwhelmed by the cleanup, thus vastly improving their mental health.
Whether you just need an extra hand or are absolutely over the idea of scrubbing one plate at a time, consider some of these options that come with a stamp of approval from reviewers.
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1
Wayfair
A Black + Decker 24-inch countertop dishwasher
Manufactured by Black + Decker, a trusted name in home appliances, this faucet hook-up dishwasher holds six place settings at one time, has a stainless steel tub and features an adjustable rack to accommodate larger dishes. This quiet-running machine also features seven settings including eco, soak and one just for glass.
Promising review: "This thing is a LIFESAVER. Best purchase I've made EVER. I live in a pre-war building in Manhattan and it works perfectly in my old and tiny apartment by easily hooking it up to the sink. No installation required!.The drain pipe is super secure and you won't have to worry at all about it draining or leaking outside of the sink. Dishes come out SPOTLESS CLEAN. It holds a lot of dirty dishes. The black part of the door is however not a window so you cannot see through it." –– Angela
Promising review: "This thing is a LIFESAVER. Best purchase I've made EVER. I live in a pre-war building in Manhattan and it works perfectly in my old and tiny apartment by easily hooking it up to the sink. No installation required!.The drain pipe is super secure and you won't have to worry at all about it draining or leaking outside of the sink. Dishes come out SPOTLESS CLEAN. It holds a lot of dirty dishes. The black part of the door is however not a window so you cannot see through it." –– Angela
2
Amazon
Homelabs digital countertop dishwasher
If you have little more room to spare on your kitchen counter, this Energy Star-certified countertop dishwasher may be a solid choice thanks to its deceptively cavernous interior that holds six place settings. Using the digital LED display, you can choose from seven specialized cleaning settings like high temperature, glass and quick wash. There's also a built-in rinse aid dispenser that ensures streak-free cleaning and drying. This dishwasher uses a quick faucet adapter to run water directly from your faucet to the machine.
Promising review: "For the past 17 years I’ve hand washed every dish. I finally decided that I wanted a countertop dishwasher. I am Amazed. It holds what it says it holds. It hooked right up to my sink with no trouble. It is very quiet. It is larger than I expected but still love it all the same. I may put it on a rolling island just to free up the counter space as I don’t have much to begin with." –– samantha campbell
Promising review: "For the past 17 years I’ve hand washed every dish. I finally decided that I wanted a countertop dishwasher. I am Amazed. It holds what it says it holds. It hooked right up to my sink with no trouble. It is very quiet. It is larger than I expected but still love it all the same. I may put it on a rolling island just to free up the counter space as I don’t have much to begin with." –– samantha campbell
3
Target
Danby six-place setting dishwasher
Compatible with most kitchen faucets, this six-place setting dishwasher by Danby is a favorite for its super quiet operation and, according to one reviewer, its ability to wash more difficult items like pots and pans.This energy-saving and single-rack dishwasher operates on low water consumption and features wash options ranging from intensive to soak.
Promising review: "This is my second Danby dishwasher; I only retired the first one, after over 20 years of faithful service, because I could no longer find maintenance parts. But I'm not disappointed. This new unit performs at least as well, if not better, than the original, with more space for dishes and more cycle options. And don't forget the flexibility to wash pots and pans, not just place settings! I would definitely recommend this to anyone with a small kitchen and no room for a standard built-in dishwasher." –– Eric S.
Promising review: "This is my second Danby dishwasher; I only retired the first one, after over 20 years of faithful service, because I could no longer find maintenance parts. But I'm not disappointed. This new unit performs at least as well, if not better, than the original, with more space for dishes and more cycle options. And don't forget the flexibility to wash pots and pans, not just place settings! I would definitely recommend this to anyone with a small kitchen and no room for a standard built-in dishwasher." –– Eric S.
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4
Amazon
Farberware complete countertop dishwasher
The Farberware complete and ultra-compact countertop dishwasher has a 5-liter built-in water tank so it doesn't require a faucet connection to operate. Its five-cycle settings include a steam function, which can be useful for sanitizing baby items, as well as a program just for cleaning fruits and vegetables.
Promising review: "We originally purchased this product for my elderly mother to help with her day-to-day. The word 'easy' stands out. Place it wherever you please as long as it properly has a place to drain to. Load it up, add detergent, close the hatch, turn on the unit, add water (or hook it up to your main line which is easier), then choose your dishwasher clean setting. The controls are easy to understand. You can choose from various settings and it's easy to understand which button does what. The unit will beep and boop depending on what's happening (like when it's filled with enough water for a wash cycle or when a wash cycle is finished), which is a nice feature. It uses jets that spray out from the bottom like the fountains you'd find at Las Vegas and cleans very well. We haven't seen any food particles or any remaining debris on the plates or glasses after months of use." –– Amazon customer
Promising review: "We originally purchased this product for my elderly mother to help with her day-to-day. The word 'easy' stands out. Place it wherever you please as long as it properly has a place to drain to. Load it up, add detergent, close the hatch, turn on the unit, add water (or hook it up to your main line which is easier), then choose your dishwasher clean setting. The controls are easy to understand. You can choose from various settings and it's easy to understand which button does what. The unit will beep and boop depending on what's happening (like when it's filled with enough water for a wash cycle or when a wash cycle is finished), which is a nice feature. It uses jets that spray out from the bottom like the fountains you'd find at Las Vegas and cleans very well. We haven't seen any food particles or any remaining debris on the plates or glasses after months of use." –– Amazon customer
5
Amazon
Comfee 360-degree dual spray portable dishwasher
This machine gives you the option to connect directly to your existing faucet using the included attachment hose and adapter, or to use the built-in 5-liter tank for an independent operation. This compact, single-shelf dishwasher by Comfee has six cleaning programs, including an extra drying mode, a sanitizing steam function and a normal mode that utilizes a 360-degree spray for thorough cleaning.
Promising review: "It is so easy and so efficient. It fits perfectly on my counter. Pouring the water in has this genius little removable water guide (trough) so you can put it under a cabinet and still pour water in easily. I love it because I don’t have to deal with hooking up and unhooking up to my sink faucet so It doesn’t tie up my sink while it runs. You just pour in 6 L of water and hit start. Although if you want to hook it up to the sink faucet you have that option. The hose to do that is included and it’s also very easy. You can arrange it to drain into your sink or into a bucket or dish pan. It is SO easy to use and it cleans the dishes. Amazing. And the part that I love the most, is that the UV-C Sanitation means that I don’t have to get squeamish now when other people use my dishes." –– Jessica T.
Promising review: "It is so easy and so efficient. It fits perfectly on my counter. Pouring the water in has this genius little removable water guide (trough) so you can put it under a cabinet and still pour water in easily. I love it because I don’t have to deal with hooking up and unhooking up to my sink faucet so It doesn’t tie up my sink while it runs. You just pour in 6 L of water and hit start. Although if you want to hook it up to the sink faucet you have that option. The hose to do that is included and it’s also very easy. You can arrange it to drain into your sink or into a bucket or dish pan. It is SO easy to use and it cleans the dishes. Amazing. And the part that I love the most, is that the UV-C Sanitation means that I don’t have to get squeamish now when other people use my dishes." –– Jessica T.
6
Amazon
Novete 5-liter countertop dishwasher
The interior of this countertop dishwasher holds up to four place settings' worth of dishes and has upper and lower spray arms and 14 water ports for 360-degree cleaning as well as 35 minutes of pressurized washing. It also supports two water sources (faucet or a built-in water tank) and has five different wash cycles to choose from.
Promising review: "I'm a mom to a toddler and I'm also pregnant so I'm very busy! I've never liked doing dishes and my husband was always upset when we had dirty dishes in the sink. He did not want to spend the $ to purchase a dishwasher so I waited almost a year till I bought this for myself on my birthday. I'm glad I waited and found this one specifically. When setting it up I decided I was going to really pack this thing and see how well it actually does. Wow!!! You can fit so much more than I expected and everything gets clean! I do not go easy on this machine, the only thing I do is remove any small chunks of food on the dishes. Other than that I put them fully dirty; some with dried on sauces, some very oily, some with cake batter, etc. I want to make sure this machine can clean fully! And it does!" –– Brittany RR
Promising review: "I'm a mom to a toddler and I'm also pregnant so I'm very busy! I've never liked doing dishes and my husband was always upset when we had dirty dishes in the sink. He did not want to spend the $ to purchase a dishwasher so I waited almost a year till I bought this for myself on my birthday. I'm glad I waited and found this one specifically. When setting it up I decided I was going to really pack this thing and see how well it actually does. Wow!!! You can fit so much more than I expected and everything gets clean! I do not go easy on this machine, the only thing I do is remove any small chunks of food on the dishes. Other than that I put them fully dirty; some with dried on sauces, some very oily, some with cake batter, etc. I want to make sure this machine can clean fully! And it does!" –– Brittany RR
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7
Amazon
Farberware Professional compact dishwasher
Farberware's Energy Star-certified countertop dishwasher promises to get dishes completely dry and streak-free thanks to a drying function that adds extra heat to the final rinse. It has a six place setting capacity and a generous cutlery basket, as well as seven washing programs including heavy, glass and baby care.
Promising review: "I got this dishwasher hoping to be able to wash some of my smaller dishes so I would not have to wash everything by hand. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it can wash even large crackpots and skillets with no problem. Everything I have washed in it has come out clean and without any spots. Sometimes I do get some plastics that are a little wet when they come out. However, that is a minor issue." –– William J. Stephens
Promising review: "I got this dishwasher hoping to be able to wash some of my smaller dishes so I would not have to wash everything by hand. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it can wash even large crackpots and skillets with no problem. Everything I have washed in it has come out clean and without any spots. Sometimes I do get some plastics that are a little wet when they come out. However, that is a minor issue." –– William J. Stephens