Best Stainless Steel Dishwashers Under $399 (Reviews/Ratings)

Back when I started 20 years ago, the most popular dishwashers were $399. With the advent of stainless interior dishwashers with the emphasis on quiet performance, the average dishwasher is now $599-$799. That does not mean, however, $399 dishwashers are bad. They still wash dishwashers well, but decent ones are harder to find. The three most popular brands at that price are Frigidaire, Maytag and Whirlpool. Below is a brief history of the companies.

Whirlpool

Whirlpool is the parent company of some other well known appliance brands such as Maytag, Amana, KitchenAid and Jenn-Air. Having these 4 major players and other smaller companies under their belt makes Whirlpool the largest appliance manufacturer in the world. Today Whirlpool employs more than 68,000 people in 66 manufacturing and research plants worldwide.

Frigidaire

Frigidaire was founded as the Guardian Frigerator Company way back in 1916. In 1919 Frigidaire was then purchased by the General Motors Corporation who in 1979 sold the company to (W.C.I.) White consolidated industries. Under ownership of W.C.I., Frigidaire struggled as a company. The company offered moderately priced appliances without any real distinctive features to offer. In 1986 Frigidaire was purchased by AB Electrolux of Sweden. AB Electrolux totally reinvigorated Frigidaire. Today Frigidaire is known for its value as well as its feature driven appliances.

Let’s take a look at a few Maytag, Whirlpool and Frigidaire dishwashers in stainless steel.

Whirlpool vs Maytag vs Frigidaire

If you take a close look at the comparisons you will see the Maytag is a bit smaller at 12 place settings versus 14 for the Whirlpool and the Frigidaire’s. The Maytag dishwasher is also a bit louder at 57 decibels. 

The reason for this is the high pressure wash and hard food disposal. The high pressure wash creates more noise inside the dishwasher. The hard food disposal eliminates the need for pre-rinsing however it also creates more noise. If you are willing to sacrifice a bit of noise and capacity to not pre-wash dishes then Maytag has a great wash system.

Whirlpool has always made a good, reliable dishwasher. The silverware basket can be placed on the door for additional space inside the dishwasher. The dishwasher is 55 decibels which is not bad however it only has 4 cycles. Whirlpool has never been a bells and whistle company.

Like the Whirlpool, the Frigidaire offers 14 place settings. All three dishwashers are also 55 decibels. The exterior of the Frigidaire features smudge proof Stainless steel. The smudge proof stainless steel does a good job of hiding finger prints. Also, like the Whirlpool it has a soft food disposal.

Summary

So which one do I like? At the $399.99 price point they are all good deals. I feel at $399.99 less a $30.00 rebate the Frigidaire FFBD2411NS may have an edge. It has 5 cycles with 14 place settings and is $369.99 after rebate. Frigidaire has more consistent rebates and package opportunities

However, Maytag does have the better wash system and should be considered with an individual purchase

Additional Resources

Dowload the Yale Dishwasher Buyers Guide for specs, features and tips on all the major brands. Well over 30,000 people have read a Yale Guide.

Have a more flexible budget? If your pricepoint could be upwards of $399, check out the blog on the best stainless steel dishwashers under $699.