How to choose a dishwasher?

In Europe, dishwashers are no longer a luxury, but the norm of life. Nobody wants to wash the dishes by hand. First of all, this is long. Secondly, detergents can be harmful to the skin. Third, dishwashers save water and detergents. Only a virtuoso illusionist can ideally wash a dozen sets of dishes in ten liters of water. And the machine is quite capable of it. Besides, wash by wash is different. Of course, rinsing a teacup is not difficult, but removing a greasy kitchen baking sheet is a completely different story, which is best entrusted to a special technique.

By the way, using a dishwasher saves up to 30 tons of water annually!

Manufacturers and prices

The average price for dishwashers is 20-25 thousand rubles. Premium class models cost 50-80 thousand rubles. and more. But inexpensive dishwashers (which can be purchased for 8-15 thousand rubles) are still clearly not enough. Among the manufacturers, one can mention the American company Whirlpool, the Spanish Teka (trademarks Küppersbush, Teka), the Italian Ardo, Candy, Indesit Company (the trademarks Hotpoint-Ariston, Indesit), the Korean LG, the German BSH Bosch and Siemens Hausgeräte (the trademarks Bosch, Siemens , Gaggenau, Neff) and Miele, Slovenian Gorenje, Turkish Beko, Swedish Asko and Electrolux (trademarks AEG-Electrolux, Electrolux, Zanussi).

Dishwashers differ among themselves in many respects – capacity, washing and drying class, energy consumption and noise level, variety of dishwashing programs, as well as geometric dimensions and installation method (free-standing models, partially or fully built-in).

What are the differences?

Geometrical dimensions and installation method. Dishwashers are divided into compact, designed for tabletop installation; narrow (about 45 cm wide and with a capacity of 8-9 sets) and full-size (60 cm wide). The depth (about 60 cm) and height (85–90 cm) are approximately the same for the full-size and narrow models. Compact and narrow dishwashers are used most often when the kitchen does not have enough space for a full-size model. If there is enough space, it is better to purchase full-size equipment, as it provides maximum convenience when washing large-sized dishes. In a small car baking sheet or pan with a long handle may simply not fit. Among the latest developments, the Favorit Profi 90 full-load model from AEG-Electrolux with a width of 90 cm and a height of 70 cm deserves attention (this is called “horizontal design”).

Capacity. Measured in IEC Place Setting – “standard set of dishes”. This set includes: a deep soup plate, plates for the second course and for bread, five cutlery, a glass, a coffee cup and saucer, a large and small salad bowls, a gravy bowl, a large oval plate, a serving fork, two serving spoons and a ladle. As you can see, the set itself is quite large. And such sets in the car fit from 4-5 (compact models) to 12-14. The record holder for capacity among compact models is the Daily4Two (Electrolux), which holds six sets of dishes. Of the narrow models with increased capacity (10 sets), ADG 789 (Whirlpool), DFS 2520 (Beko), GI 53120 E (Gorenje) can boast. And among the full-size, unbeatable machines of the CDI series from Candy, designed for the simultaneous loading of 15 sets.

Class of washing, drying, energy consumption. There are seven wash classes, denoted by Latin letters from A (highest) to G (lowest). In practice, the overwhelming majority (more than 90%) of modern models provide washing class A. The same is the case with the drying class and energy consumption. But keep in mind that the classification is made for one mode of operation of the machine (which one is said in the instructions). Intensive washing will increase the energy consumption. And when using the accelerated mode, the quality of washing is likely to deteriorate.

Programs for all occasions

In addition to the main dishwashing program, there are several more particularly common ones.

Accelerated wash (eg Rapid 40 ° from Whirlpool, Rapid wash 25 ‘from Hotpoint-Ariston, Light 50 ° C from Miele, etc.). These programs wash in 25-30 minutes and are designed for lightly soiled dishes. In addition, special functions (such as ShorTime from Hotpoint-Ariston, Turbo from Miele) allow you to reduce the time. The process is shortened due to intensification. For example, when using the Turbo function, you save time by increasing the water temperature by 5 ° C. Thus, the duration of any dishwasher program can be reduced by 30-50%, and the level of soiling of the dishes does not affect the quality of the final result.

Intensive wash heavily soiled dishes. In this case, water heated to 70–75 ° C is used. The total cycle time is usually about 2 hours, although it may be less. For example, in models ZDI 6556 X, ZDT 6454 (Zanussi), the program “Intensive wash 70 ° C” lasts 80 minutes.

Rinsing (pre-washing)… This auxiliary program allows you to “freshen up” the dishes if for some reason you decide to postpone washing. Residents of Europe, for example, prefer not to drive half-empty dishwashers loaded with one or two sets, but to wash only when the chamber is full. In order to avoid the unpleasant smell of food residues in such a situation, the dishes are rinsed.

Economical programs intended for not too dirty dishes.

Eco programs are designed for the use of detergents that do not contain phosphates. Eco-programs are in great demand in Germany, Switzerland, Japan and a number of other countries, where phosphate-containing detergents are declared “enemies of the people” and are practically not used. For Russia, this is not so important due to the lack of such drugs.

Antibacterial crockery programse.g. Baby cycle on LFF 835, LDF 1235 (Hotpoint-Ariston), Hygiene program on G 1002 / G 2002 (Miele) for washing baby bottles, cutting boards, etc.

Programs for gentle washing of glass and crystal dishes… These are “Glass 45” in model ESF68500 from Electrolux, gentle glass cleaning programs in models SGI 09T25 EU from Bosch, SE 55M673 EU from Siemens, “Gentle crystal handling” in model IDE 44 EU from Indesit, Duo Wash software from Hotpoint-Ariston , allowing you to simultaneously wash dishes made of fragile glass, pots and pans, etc.

Intellectual programsusing the Fuzzy Logic principle (Sixth Sense from Whirlpool, Smart Sensor System from Candy, Logixx from Bosch, etc.). The principle of their operation is based on continuous analysis of data coming from sensors of the degree of water pollution. Depending on whether the water is clear or cloudy, the machine changes its “strategy”: it can add water, change its temperature, and shorten the washing time. The result is an additional increase in the efficiency of the device.

Capacity of baskets for dishes. Most manufacturers use their own proprietary designs. These are, for example, transformer baskets with high sides and an impressive range of holders for dishes of various shapes and sizes (Optiflex systems for Whirlpool, VarioFlex for Bosch, lower basket with folding dividers in the DW 60 AL B model from Ardo), a split cutlery tray (at Hotpoint-Ariston), a special compartment for knives and similar (narrow and long) cutlery (Ardo, Asko, Gorenje, Siemens, Miele). The upper basket is often height-adjustable and can be raised if bulky dishes are placed underneath (Lasy-Lift systems for Candy, Dual-Space for Hotpoint-Ariston, Rackmatic for Bosch). As a result, for example, in model D3532 (Asko), plates with a diameter of up to 31 cm can be placed in the lower basket. The original design of the Self-fit lower basket in Candy provides for an increase in the loading space by 50%: due to the complete absence of internal grids, you can freely position here even the largest items.

Drying method. Depending on the design, the dishwashers can be equipped with a condensation drying system or the so-called turbo drying. In the condensing version, the dishes dry “naturally” – due to the evaporation of moisture. This method does not require additional energy consumption, but it takes too much time (several hours). Turbo drying is much faster, since moisture from the surface of the dishes evaporates “forcibly” – under the action of a stream of heated air. The blowing is carried out by a special fan. Bosch has proposed a new drying method using a heat exchanger – a flat cold water tank located in the wall of the dishwasher. Drying occurs due to moisture condensation in a closed space without air intake from the outside. This design allows you to significantly speed up the process and does not require electricity.

Containers for loading detergents. They are located on the inside of the door, making them easily accessible. Instead of the usual set, which includes detergent, rinse aid and salt to soften the water, a number of models provide for the use of special “three in one” tablets.

Protection from leaks in modern dishwashers, it is implemented due to a whole complex of safety devices. The hose through which the machine is connected to the water supply is able to withstand water pressure, which is many times higher than the working pressure in the water supply. A safety valve located on the hose automatically blocks the water supply in the event of a leak. There is a float switch in the pallet of the machine, which is able to react even to a small amount of liquid (200-300 g) and shut off the water supply. The equipment of Asko, Ardo, Bosch, Candy, Electrolux, Miele, Whirlpool and a number of other companies is equipped with similar complex protection systems.

Not Dishwasher Recommended:

• utensils made of wood (including metal pots with wooden handles), as they can crack;
• utensils with bakelite handles (for the same reason);
• fragile and glued dishes; antique painted porcelain, precious crystal, etc .;
• earthenware.
• ordinary crystal items require that the water temperature does not exceed 50 ° C.
• silverware during washing should not come into contact with stainless steel, as well as with substances containing sulfur (for example, eggs).

In any case, all modern utensil manufacturers must indicate whether their products can be washed in the dishwasher or not. Therefore, before the first wash, be sure to read the instructions attached to the dishes.