The 8 Best Portable Dishwashers of 2023

Best Overall

GE GPT225SSLSS 24-Inch Portable Dishwasher

4.7

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If you’re looking for the convenience and capacity of a full-size dishwasher, this 24-inch portable model from GE is the way to go. It can hold up to 12 place settings at a time thanks to its spacious interior, and it even has a hard food disposer that ensures solid pieces don’t clog up its arms or your drains. The dishwasher comes in three stylish finishes to match your kitchen, and it’s mounted on swiveling caster wheels so you can move it around your kitchen as needed. 

This GE Portable Dishwasher is Energy Star-certified, meaning it uses less energy per cycle, and it easily hooks up to your faucet for operation. There are five wash cycles to choose from, including a heavy wash for big messes, an auto-sensing cycle that adjusts its settings to the soil level, and even a high-temperature sanitizing option that reduces the amount of bacteria found on dishes. You can adjust the settings via the unit’s hidden control panel, and you can even delay its start time between one and 12 hours. 

This portable dishwasher is on the quieter side, operating at around 54 decibels, and the top rack is adjustable to accommodate larger pots and pans on the bottom level. The only real downside is that the unit doesn’t have a heated dry setting, which means your dishes may come out somewhat wet. Overall, though, it’s an attractive, efficient, and well-priced option for any kitchen.

Price at time of publish: $949

_{Type: Portable | Dimensions: 36 x 25.4 x 23.6 inches | Decibel Rating: 54 decibels | Capacity: 12 place settings | Cycles: 5 | Tub Material: Stainless steel | Control Location: Top | ADA Compliant: No}

Best Design

BLACK+DECKER BCD6W Compact Countertop Dishwasher

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One of the most affordable portable dishwashers available today is this countertop model from BLACK+DECKER. The compact unit is designed to be placed on your kitchen counter, ideally near the sink, and it hooks up to the faucet using its quick-connect hose assembly. The appliance is just over 17 inches tall, so it will fit underneath most cabinets, and it can hold up to six place settings at a time—just keep in mind that plates must be smaller than 10 inches in diameter. 

Despite its low price, this countertop dishwasher offers a wide range of wash settings, including heavy, normal, eco, glass, 90-minute, and rapid modes. It has both upper and lower spray arms in its stainless steel tub, and there are even high-temperature washing and heated dry settings. A three-part filter system helps to keep food out of the pump and wash arms, and the unit is even Energy Star-certified. However, you will want to pre-rinse dishes to remove any large particles or caked-on food, as this unit isn’t the most effective at getting tough gunk off.

Price at time of publish: $375

_{Type: Countertop | Dimensions: 17.2 x. 21.5 x 21.7 inches | Decibel Rating: 60 decibels | Capacity: 6 place settings | Cycles: 7 | Tub Material: Stainless steel | Control Location: Front | ADA Compliant: No}

Best Compact

BLACK+DECKER 18-Inch Portable Dishwasher

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If you prefer a freestanding dishwasher but have a fairly small kitchen, this 18-inch model from BLACK+DECKER is a great compromise. It has a narrow form that’s compact enough to store in a closet when not in use (though, some people opt to use the top of the appliance as added counter space), but it can still hold up to eight place settings at a time. Plus, the upper rack is adjustable, allowing you to easily fit bulkier items on the bottom. 

This Energy Star-certified dishwasher has six different wash cycles, including a high-temperature wash and heated dry options. However, the heated dry setting isn’t the best—your dishes will likely come out somewhat wet, but a rinse aid can help. The appliance has a quick-connect faucet connection, and it’s mounted on four caster wheels, two of which can be locked. The dishwasher has a durable stainless steel interior, and there are white and black finishes to choose from.

Price at time of publish: $699

_{Type: Portable | Dimensions: 35.63 x 23.62 x 17.64 inches | Decibel Rating: 52 decibels | Capacity: 8 place settings | Cycles: 6 | Tub Material: Stainless steel | Control Location: Front | ADA Compliant: No}

Best Large

Whirlpool 24 in. Front Control Heavy-Duty Portable Dishwasher

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Large households will appreciate the spacious interior of this portable dishwasher from Whirlpool. The 24-inch unit can hold up to 12 place settings at a time, and the top of the unit is outfitted with a wood surface that allows it to double as a workstation in your kitchen. You can choose between two finish colors, and the appliance is mounted on caster wheels that make it easy to roll into place when you’re ready to wash dishes. 

This portable dishwasher only offers three cycles—normal, heavy, and one-hour wash—but it does have a high-temperature option and a heated dry setting. The unit has a four-hour delay option, as well as a control lock that prevents children from accidentally starting it, and the design is even Star-K certified as Kosher Consumer Friendly. Some people do find the buttons on the control panel hard to read, but there are only a few options, so you should be able to figure them out fairly quickly.

Price at time of publish: $999

_{Type: Portable | Dimensions: 37 x 26.5 x 24.1 inches | Decibel Rating: 55 decibels | Capacity: 12 place settings | Cycles: 3 | Tub Material: Plastic | Control Location: Front | ADA Compliant: No}

Best Countertop

hOmeLabs Compact Countertop Dishwasher

4.8

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The hOmeLabs Countertop Dishwasher can be tucked right under your kitchen cabinets, and it’s a great alternative to a full-size model, especially in smaller homes. This dishwasher has a plain white design, and it can accommodate up to six place settings at a time. To operate this unit, you simply attach its quick-connect assembly to your faucet—it comes with both an inlet and drain hose, as well as a faucet adapter—and select one of its six wash cycles. Options include heavy, normal, eco, glass, speed, and rinse, and there’s also a delay button to postpone the beginning of the cycle. 

This countertop dishwasher is Energy Star-certified, and it has a dish rack and silverware basket that allow you to fit more in each wash. The controls are simple to use, and the unit has a sleek appearance that isn’t an eyesore in your kitchen. However, there’s no drying cycle, which means your dishes might still be a bit wet when they come out of the dishwasher. A rinse aid can help get the contents drier, though.

Price at time of publish: $275

_{Type: Countertop | Dimensions: 17.2 x 19.6 x 21.6 inches | Decibel Rating: Not listed | Capacity: 6 place settings | Cycles: 6 | Tub Material: Stainless steel | Control Location: Front | ADA Compliant: No}

Best for Environment

SPT SD-9263SSA 18 in. Stainless Steel Portable Dishwasher

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If you’re looking to minimize the amount of water and electricity you use, the SPT Portable 18-Inch Dishwasher is an Energy Star-certified option. Not only that, but it also has an eco-mode that uses less water—in fact, it can use as little as 2.6 gallons per cycle! The compact design has two levels, including an adjustable upper rack, and it can hold up to eight place settings at a time. 

This dishwasher is mounted on caster wheels, and it comes with a faucet adapter that makes it easy to attach to your sink. There’s an automatic detergent and rinse agent dispenser on the inner door, and you can select from six wash programs, including heavy, normal, glass, 90-minute, and more. However, the manufacturer does note that the hose may leak if it’s attached to a faucet with a detached side sprayer, so this isn’t the best option if your sink is set up that way.

Price at time of publish: $758

_{Type: Portable | Dimensions: 35.6 x 23.6 x 17.6 inches | Decibel Rating: 52 decibels | Capacity: 8 place settings | Cycles: 6 | Tub Material: Stainless steel | Control Location: Top | ADA Compliant: No}

Best for Apartments

Farberware FDW05ASBWHA Complete Portable Countertop Dishwasher

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The Farberware Countertop Dishwasher has a compact size, yet it’s still powerful enough to get your dishes squeaky clean. It stands apart from other countertop models thanks to its built-in water tank, which can hold up to 5 liters at a time. This allows you to place it somewhere other than your counter, as it doesn’t need to be hooked up to the faucet (though you can do that, as well). This makes it especially well-suited for apartments with small kitchens. However, keep in mind that this unit is more than 20 inches tall, so it likely won’t fit underneath kitchen cabinets. 

This countertop dishwasher can hold up to six place settings at a time, and it can even accommodate 12-inch plates if you put them at an angle. There are five wash settings to choose from, including normal, rapid, and glass, as well as a baby care option that uses steam to sanitize bottles. The appliance has an air exchange function that helps to dry dishes after the cycle is complete, and the see-through window gives you a front row seat to watch your tableware being cleaned.

Price at time of publish: $400

_{Type: Countertop | Dimensions: 22.4 x 20.9 x 21.9 inches | Decibel Rating: Not listed | Capacity: 6 place settings | Cycles: 5 | Tub Material: Plastic | Control Location: Front | ADA Compliant: No}