Most and Least Reliable Dishwasher Brands

Our predicted reliability ratings are based on data on more than 120,000 individual dishwashers, all in use in real people’s homes, as reported by CR members in our annual member surveys. We comb through the responses for any reports of performance problems or breaks in dishwashers that have been purchased in the past 10 years. Then we use those findings to predict how reliably a dishwasher from a given brand will hold up in its first five years of service.

The results are clear: Certain brands are much less likely to have problems in that time span than others. The truth is that no brand is completely immune to problems, and a brand’s quality can vary over time because of changes in design or production. (We also don’t try to predict any dishwasher’s total life span, though a number of manufacturers have told us they build them to last about 10 years.)

However, if you consider our reliability ratings, you should improve your chances of ending up with a dishwasher that should last the longest. We’ve published data on 24 brands, including popular names like Bosch, Frigidaire, GE, KitchenAid, LG, Maytag, Samsung, and Whirlpool, as well as store brands (Ikea, Kenmore), low-cost options (Amana, Hotpoint), high-end labels (Miele, Thermador, Fisher & Paykel), and more. 

CR members can read on for a summary of the brands that we predict will be the most reliable—as well as a warning about the three least reliable brands. Members can also check out our full dishwasher ratings of more than 110 models, which are based on extensive washing, drying, noise, and energy-use tests, as well as survey results.