The home appliance landscape is rapidly changing now with new features coming every year, including internet connectivity, front viewing windows, and more. But with all this change, is it worth buying one yet? Or are all the new features overhyped? Well, that’s what this article intends to help with; sorting the rubbish from the gold of new dishwasher technology.

What Has Changed?

Some features have improved, and some are completely new to this generation of appliances. So here is a list of the features you can expect on new smart dishwashers. Smart dishwashers have some features that make the dishwashers easier to use and a bit more helpful.

• On the top shelf some have bottle jets that will help clean those pesky bottles and caked on dirt that sometimes comes out unclean.
• Some dishwashers have a third rack on top of the two existing ones, a thinner rack to hold things like cutlery or utensils separate from the rest of your dishes, making them easier to clean.
• A handy feature which has come into popularity are adjustable racks that you can lower or raise so that you have ample room for all your dishes to wash.
• Some dishwashers are now lit with LED lighting to make it easier to see what’s in your dishwasher.
• Some dishwashers even have windows in the front now so you can see inside during the cycle to see how the wash is going.
• Efficient filters remove food particles, and, in some models, these will be sent down to a food disposal unit within the dishwasher itself.
• High powered jets and newly designed spray arms now use water more efficiently and can clean better than ever before.
• Improved dish drying capabilities with new heating elements, vents and fans for improved drying and more efficient work in general.
• Water can be recycled using reservoirs making it even more efficient on water to make it even cheaper and less harmful to the environment to wash your dishes.

So this is how dishwashers have improved on their existing features recently, but what about the SMART Features in new dishwashers? Here’s what we’ve found.

• WiFi Connectivity makes your dishwasher part of your smart home ecosystem.
• Start cycles on your smartphone through an app, and keep track of performance.
• Lock or unlock your dishwasher door from your phone, good for keeping your children from opening it.
• Compatible with voice control assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant, increasing ease of control.
• Get notifications on your phone for when your cycle finishes, when you’re low on tablets / rinse aid, and when you need to change the salt.
• Be notified when your dishwasher has a malfunction or fault.
• Download new wash cycles for special items that need extra care.
• Sensors that detect the level of dirt on the load and adjust the use of water accordingly, to be more efficient.
• Monitor the energy use in your area and automate your dishwasher to turn on when the power usage is low, meaning you save money when you use your dishwasher.
• Some models have detergent dispensers that you can set to notify you when detergent is running out, or set it to order you some more when you run out from Amazon.

How Expensive Are Smart Dishwashers?

Smart dishwashers are certainly still an extra outlay if you’re looking to upgrade. You can get a standard dishwasher for as cheap as £300 but for a smart dishwasher, you’ll be looking for at least £650, all the way up to around £2000 at most. This is because these features are relatively new to the market, but we think £650 is a decent price for a starter smart washing machine. If you don’t need the features though, maybe it’s worth saving some money and getting a standard dishwasher.

What Brands Sell Smart Dishwashers?

There are a lot of options for smart dishwashers on the market at the moment, currently, the major brands that sell smart dishwashers are Samsung, Bosch, LG, Whirlpool, Hobart, and GE. Not all of these include WiFi connectivity, but they all have great features and are top-quality machines.

Is My Dishwasher Safe from Being Hacked?

Smart dishwashers connect to the internet on the same network as all of your other home devices, so the only way it could be weak is if your internet at home has weak security. Plus, of all the things someone would hack into – it is a wonder why they’d hack your dishwasher. Either way, if your internet is secure then your dishwasher is too.

Are Smart Dishwashers Expensive to Repair?

Smart dishwashers may be a little more expensive to repair, but as they are becoming quickly more popular they are changing the market as well. Standard dishwashers are starting to incorporate some of the features that smart dishwashers have, in turn making engineers have to deal with new types of repairs as standard. Also, warranties on parts are increasing because of this. Though a brand new smart dishwasher shouldn’t break down too often anyway, it’s good to know they’re definitely covered.

So, Should You Buy a Smart Dishwasher?

If you think you would make use of the features, a smart dishwasher is definitely a good investment if you have the money. You’ll save a fair bit on energy costs and water costs, and keeping your dishwasher running smoothly will be easier than ever. However, if you’re looking to save cash and these features aren’t much of an improvement for you, then a smart dishwasher probably isn’t the best purchase you could make. If you’re looking for a dishwasher buyer’s guide, take a look at our article on how to buy a dishwasher.