Dishwasher Functions & Features

Which dishwasher functions do I need? What features are standard for dishwashers these days? You will certainly ask yourself questions like these before you buy a new appliance. In this article, we would therefore like to show you what today’s dishwashers have to offer and what of them could be useful for you.

What dishwasher functions & features are available on the market?

Of course, you will already know many dishwasher functions from your previous device. Still, manufacturers continue to offer more new features and functions to give consumers more flexibility and control when washing dishes. Here now is a list of the typical and special dishwasher functions or features that can be found on today’s models:

Load sensor

The load sensor helps save energy when washing dishes with the machine. It determines the load amount and then adjusts the water consumption accordingly. So it doesn’t matter how many place settings are in the dishwasher under £500 or whether it is fully loaded. The wash program only uses the amount of water that is actually needed.

Multizone function / Half load

With the help of this dishwasher function, you can set whether you want to wash only the upper basket or only the lower basket. This also saves energy and costs.

Automatic program

Many dishwashers (still) have only 4-5 standard wash programs, which are usually sufficient. Modern dishwashers, on the other hand, already offer automatic programs that independently take over all important settings. In this program, a sensor detects the amount, type and degree of soiling of the dishes. Adapted to this, the machine now regulates the water consumption and temperature fully electronically. Optimal if you want to save electricity and water.

AquaStop

As with all larger household appliances connected to the domestic water supply, care must be taken to ensure that the dishwasher is equipped with sufficient safety mechanisms to prevent water damage. Aquastop is the buzzword here. This has the task in the event of a defect to interrupt the water supply, so that your kitchen is not one day under water. There are different types and modes of operation of Aquastop.

VarioSpeed

With this dishwasher function, you can ensure that the program length is shortened. Especially if you need your dishes quickly again, this function can help. In this case, the rinsing and drying result is similarly good as with the normal program sequence, but the power and water consumption increases not insignificantly here.

Start time preselection

Time management is an important issue in many households these days. The children have to be brought to kindergarten on time, the sportswear has to be clean again for the weekend or there are not enough dishes left for breakfast – so what to do? A 24h – start time preselection facilitates the solution of such problems. With it, you decide when the dishwasher should be done with your work. So you can let the machine start while you are at work or sleep at night, so that it has finished its work when you are back.

Remaining time display

A remaining time indicator is actually standard by now. On a display you can read how long the selected program still needs.

InfoLight / TimeLight

Fully integrated dishwashers have no visible display, because they disappear completely behind a uniform kitchen front. Since today’s dishwashers are also very quiet, the consumer must somehow know when the washing process is actually complete. The solution is the so-called InfoLight or TimeLight. The machine casts an LED light spot on the floor, so you know when the dishes are finished washing. With the TimeLight, the remaining time is even projected onto the floor.

Child lock

An absolutely useful feature, in a household with children, is the child lock. As a rule, this is a key lock that prevents children from (unintentionally) adjusting the settings while the dishwasher is running.

Zeolite drying

Dishwashers with zeolite drying use less energy in the drying process. The mineral releases heat when it comes into contact with water, ensuring that the dishes are dried optimally.

Flexible rack system

Do you already know today which dishes you want to put in the dishwasher in the future? If not, or if you already wash large dishes in the machine today, a flexible basket system makes a lot of sense. With this, for example, the height of the upper basket can be changed so that pans, wheat beer glasses & Co fit better in the upper or lower basket, or you can simply change the baskets for special circumstances.

Interior lighting

A few models also offer interior lighting. Some Neff dishwashers, for example, have the so-called EmotionLight, which comes on when the door is opened. The long-lasting, energy-saving LEDs in the interior provide bright, even and glare-free illumination of the interior.

Automatic door opening

This feature ensures that the door of the unit opens automatically when the program has run through. This is to achieve a better drying result and eliminate the need for post-drying with the drying cloth. The Dishwasher function is said to be particularly helpful for plastic dishes that normally do not dry properly in the dishwasher under £400.

DosageAssistant

Bosch and Siemens dishwashers now also offer DosingAssistants, which ensure that the dishwasher tabs are optimally utilized without creating tab residues.

WLAN-capable + control via app

Everyone is talking about smart homes these days. And the dishwasher market is no exception. Some models are already available that can be connected to your own Wi-Fi network and then managed and controlled from your smartphone using an app.

Also of interest: How to connect the dishwasher

Which dishwasher functions do I need?

Depending on the household, different dishwasher functions and equipment are useful. While protection against water damage in the form of Aquastop should be present in every machine in any case, a child lock, for example, is only particularly important in families with small children. A start time preselection should also be available as standard, as should a residual run indicator.

The other functions mentioned here provide more ease of use and help save electricity and water. They are not absolutely necessary, but they make it easier for you to get the most out of your dishwasher under £300. A decision whether your new device should have such a function or such equipment, you have to make for yourself.