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Jun 23, 2023

5 Best Countertop Dishwashers of 2023

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission. Prices were accurate at the time this

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission. Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

Reviewed's mission is to help you buy the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need.

This Danby countertop dishwasher is our best overall, having cleaning performance that's comparable (or even better) than that of regular dishwashers. Read More

This portable dishwasher doesn't require a sink hookup and will clean and dry your dishes with no muss and no fuss. Read More

This modern-style countertop dishwasher offers great cleaning performance and cycle options. Read More

For those looking more into design over performance, the Black & Decker countertop dishwasher offers a sleek stainless steel finish. Read More

Reviewers say that this dishwasher is worth it if you don’t have one, and that it both operates quietly and washes dishes well. Read More

Updated June 8, 2023

If you don’t have the budget or space for a full-size, built-in dishwasher, but don’t want to spend a lot of time scrubbing dirty dishes, it makes sense to buy a compact countertop dishwasher.

While the best countertop dishwashers look tiny, they can typically fit up to six place settings (consisting of a plate, bowl, glass, fork, knife, and spoon), and generally don’t require any additional plumbing other than access to your kitchen faucet. They're also significantly more efficient than trying to hand wash all of your dishes.

Most of the countertop dishwashers on this list are very similar and will work well in your kitchen. Based on our findings, these are some of the best countertop dishwashers you can get online right now.

This portable dishwasher has excellent cleaning performance, with stain removal ability comparable to some full-size dishwashers. The normal cycle time clocks in at about 100 minutes. You can also choose from eight different cleaning cycles: Heavy, Normal, BabyCare, Eco, Glass, Speed, Rinse, and Mini Party. (We guess you can only have a mini party with a mini dishwasher?)

With an extra drying option, a digital display, and a sleek-looking exterior, the Danby DDW631SDB is a great pick for a dishwasher that takes up a minimal amount of counter space that's capable of getting the job done right the first time.

Has comparable cleaning to a full-size dishwasher

Plenty of cycle options

Has issues with spinach redeposit

There’s a lot to love about the Farberware FDW05ASBWHA countertop portable dishwasher. It has this great feature where you can use either the kitchen sink hookup or the separate water tank as the dishwasher’s water source. The built-in water tank is a great option if you have difficulty attaching and securing water hoses, or if you want to wash dishes far from a sink.

This dishwasher comes with five wash cycles: Baby Care, Glass, Fruit (where you can use the removable basket to wash your fruits), Normal, and Rapid. It also has an Air Refresh option that can be used with any wash cycle and is meant to improve drying. Perhaps the coolest feature is that this dishwasher has a little glass window so that you can watch the food stains get cleaned off your dishes in real time.

Speaking of clean dishes, this portable dishwasher does a great job of removing stains, including difficult baked-on stains like chopped spinach, with only a few minor instances of redeposit. Furthermore, almost all of the cleaned dishes came out completely dry.

Overall, if you’re looking for some flexibility when it comes to washing dishes in a small kitchen, you’ll appreciate the performance and thoughtful design of the Farberware FDW05ASBWHA.

Great performance

Dries dishes

Has a fruit cleaning cycle

Minor issues with redeposit

The HomeLabs HME010033N is nearly identical to the Danby DDW621WDB. It has the same cleaning performance, the same cycles (although the “Light” cycle is called “Eco” here), and similar cycle times. Its exterior looks a bit more modern than that of the DDW621WDB, but if you’re interested in buying this flavor of countertop dishwasher, we recommend buying whichever of these two products is on sale that day.

Sleek look

Intuitive controls

Very small capacity

The cleaning performance for this countertop dishwasher is pretty comparable to that of the others on this list. In addition to the same six cycles that most of its competitors have, the BCD6W also has a 90-minute BabyCare cycle. Like the Magic Chef, the Black & Decker also has a 1- to 24-hour delay feature.

One aspect that separates the Black & Decker countertop dishwasher from the competition is its looks—with its stainless steel handle finish and its touchscreen user interface, it’s easily the best-looking dishwasher on this list. If you have a more modern-looking kitchen and don’t want a white box on your countertop to ruin its visual appeal, you won’t regret choosing the Black & Decker countertop dishwasher.

Stainless steel finish

1-24 hour delay option

Has issues with spinach redeposit

If you want an affordable tabletop dishwasher for your small space, it’s worth checking out the RCA RDW3208. This one includes a durable stainless steel interior, can fit under almost all types of kitchen cabinets, and even has a bottom rack that can fold down. Plus, this one uses less water to wash up to six regular place settings and includes an easy-to-operate, self-cleaning feature.

Reviewers say that this dishwasher is worth it if you don’t have one, and that it both operates quietly and washes dishes well. A few have had issues with theirs leaking, but overall, we believe that this one is a top pick, especially for the price.

Cleans dishes well

Operates quietly

Affordable

May leak

Countertop dishwashers look a lot like full-sized models on the inside—including full-sized filters, stainless interiors, and washarms.

If you’re concerned about the environment, a countertop dishwasher uses less water than hand washing, while typically being more energy efficient than built-in washers. This makes it an especially attractive option for an RV or somewhere else where you don't have the space for a fully-installed or portable dishwasher.

Using these compact dishwashers also requires a lot less effort than washing dishes by hand, and our tests show that it does a much better job cleaning. If you’re a clean freak, buying a countertop dishwasher is a small price to pay to ensure that your dishes truly get clean.

Be aware that you’ll still have to wash larger items in the sink. Additionally, a countertop dishwasher can take up valuable space on your counter when it’s not in use.

Larger portable dishwashers, which also hook up to kitchen faucets and wheel out of the way when they’re not in use, can cost twice as much, but can also accommodate more, larger dishes.

Countertop dishwashers can usually fit up to six place settings, which includes one plate, one bowl, one glass, one fork, one spoon, and one knife.

Nearly every countertop dishwasher works the same way: There are two hoses that join a “quick connect” mount that should attach to almost any faucet. One hose takes in fresh water, the other drains dirty water into the sink.

This faucet likely won't work with a countertop dishwasher

You can keep the dishwasher attached to your sink and press a bypass button to get fresh water, or you can disconnect it after use.

Note that not every faucet works with a portable dishwasher. We had to purchase a small 15/16 inch to 55/64 inch faucet adapter at a hardware store. Stylish faucets with hidden “Cache” aerators may not fit a portable dishwasher at all.

It’s possible to hook up a sprayer faucet to a dishwasher—several online guides exist that explain how to do so—but it’s not recommended.

Two hoses hook up to the rear of the dishwasher, and then attach to a single connector that hangs from a kitchen faucet.

A hOmeLabs portable dishwasher—made by Midea.

After looking at bills of lading and other import data, we learned that nearly every portable countertop dishwasher sold in the U.S. is made by Midea.

Midea, based in Guangdong, China, is one of the largest appliance companies in the world. It owns vacuum-maker Eureka, has the rights to use the Toshiba name on small appliances, and manufactures hundreds of products for companies like GE Appliances and even Instant Pot.

Midea now sells appliances under its own name, and recently opened several research and development centers in the U.S.

It makes sense that these products are imported from China, and not just because of lower manufacturing costs. Countertop dishwashers are much more popular in China, and it’s a lot easier to import these rectangular, easy-to-ship boxes from an existing factory than to set up production in countries where they’re more of a niche product.

Lily Hartman

Staff Writer, Search

Lily Hartman is a staff writer who also enjoys writing magazine articles about health and outdoor recreation. In her free time, she likes to hike, camp, run, and lift weights.

Julia MacDougall

Senior Scientist

Julia is the Senior Scientist at Reviewed, which means that she oversees (and continually updates) the testing of products in Reviewed's core categories such as televisions, washing machines, refrigerators, and more. She also determines the testing methods and standards for Reviewed's "The Best Right Now" articles.

Kyle Hamilton

Product Tester

Kyle Hamilton is a product tester at Reviewed, specializing in home appliances and technology.

Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.