Quietest Dishwashers of 2024

There are over 120 models from over two dozen brands in our dishwasher ratings, and three stand far above the rest in our noise tests. But a quiet dishwasher that breaks down might have you screaming, so we factored in predicted reliability, too.

The three dishwashers here nab the highest score in our noise test, and dishwashers from these brands rate above average for predicted reliability, which estimates the likelihood that newly purchased models from a given brand will break within the first five years. These brands also rate above average for owner satisfaction, which is the likelihood that the owner of a brand’s dishwasher will recommend it to a friend or family member. The reliability and owner satisfaction data come from our exclusive survey of almost 60,000 CR members’ experiences with dishwashers purchased between 2014 and 2024.

All of a dishwasher’s activity can produce a lot of noise. Ciufo ticks off a list of culprits, including splashing water, draining water, and the sound of the drain pump in action.

On top of those sounds, which are common to most dishwashers, some models may have particular features that add even more noise. “Dishwashers with a self-cleaning filter tend to be noisy when the grinder is busy pulverizing food,” he says. “So if you don’t mind the extra chore of cleaning the filter, a manual-clean filter is a good option. Cleaning it takes a minute or two.”

You may have come across claims that dishwashers with stainless steel tubs are quieter, or that the stainless steel helps dampen noise, but data from our tests doesn’t bear that out. "Stainless steel tubs don’t really do anything for noise," says Ciufo. They can, however, help dishes dry better, since stainless steel cools down quickly and can help draw moisture away from dishes at the end of a cycle.

Manufacturers report a model’s noise level in decibels, averaging the readings over the dishwasher’s full cycle. But that isn’t necessarily the best indicator of noise output. So CR’s panel of judges sit and listen to each dishwasher that we test through its entire cycle—even if it takes 3 hours.

“People remember a noise when it’s at its loudest,” Ciufo says. “An average doesn’t capture that, but our score does by taking into account the peak noises noted by our judges.”

As for other critical components of the dishwasher, our lab technicians run tests to assess how well a model washes dishes, dries them, and how energy efficient it is. Our testers load each dishwasher with 10 place settings of white ceramic dishes with baked-on food, plus some plastic items in the top rack, then run the load through a standard cycle.

Once the cycle is done, they use photo-imaging software to compare before-and-after photos of the dishes to determine how clean they are. To assess drying performance, our testers look at how much water remains on the dishes at the end of the cycle—and they take an especially close look at the plastic items, which dishwashers have a harder time drying than ceramic or glass. For energy efficiency, our testers measure how much water and energy are consumed in a standard cycle.