There are many factors to consider when purchasing a dishwasher; the number of wash cycles, how many place settings will it hold, what colors are available, but the most asked for feature is for it to be quiet.
Dishwasher noise levels are rated in decibels, the lower the decibel number the quieter the dishwasher. A difference of just a few decibels may not seem to be much, but a dishwasher that is just one decibel more is actually 30 percent louder. A dishwasher that is four decibels more is twice as loud.
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Some factors that can affect how noisy a dishwasher will be are:
- The quality of insulation.
- A dishwasher with a disposal will make it louder.
- Sound dampening material on the exterior of the tub.
- Stainless steel tubs tend to be quieter than plastic tubs because it dampens the sound of the water being sprayed inside.
A decibel rating of 60 will make it hard to have a conversation in the kitchen, models rated from 41 to 46 decibels will be quiet. For a better perspective here are decibel ratings of some common sounds:
- A whisper - 15 decibels
- A normal conversation - 60 decibels
- A lawnmower - 90 decibels
- A car horn - 110 decibels
- A firecracker - 140 decibels
Today's dishwashers are designed for kitchens with open floor plans and are quieter than models purchased 10 years ago.
The quietest is now 38 DBs, but the real difference is KitchenAid. The brand is quieter, because of their change from soft
For this year's update, I included the most popular models for the brands we sell.
Updated Feb 2017
Dishwasher Sound Level Comparison
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Quietest Dishwasher By Decibel Rating
Miele
Miele G6985SCVI at 38 dB - $2499
Additional Models:
- G6365SCVISF at 44 dB - $1499
- G6305SCUBLat 45 dB - $1499
- G4760SCVI at 46 dB - $1399
- G4925SCUWH at 46 dB - $1099
Bosch
SHX9PT75UC at 38 dB - $1,999
Additional Models:
- SHE3AR75UC at 50 dB - $539
- SHV68T53UC at 44 dB - $899
- SHX68TL5UC at 44 dB - $899
- SHP68TL5UCat 44 dB - $899
- SHE68TL5UC at 44 dB - $899
- SPX68U55UC at 44 dB - $899
- SHXN8U55Uat 40 db - $1079
Thermador
DWHD650JPR at 42 dB - $1699
Additional Model:
- DWHD440MFM at 48 dB - $1299
Asko
D5436XLS at 46 dB - $1155
Additional Model:
- D5425XLS at 46 dB - $1050
Fisher and Paykel
DD24DCTX7 (top drawer) at 46 dB, (bottom drawer) at 49 dB
(If used together) 51 dB - $1299
KitchenAid
KDTE254ESS at 39 dB - $989
Additional Models:
- KDFE204ESS at 46 dB - $809
- KDTE554CSS at 49 dB - $899
- KDTM354ESS at 44 dB - $989
Jenn-Air
JDB9800CWS at 40 dB - $1599
Additional Models:
- JDB9000CWS at 48 dB - $1099
- JDB9200CWS at 42 dB - $1299
Gaggenau
DF281760 at 40 dB - $1599
Electrolux
EI24ID50QS at 47 dB - $999
Additional Model:
- EW24ID70QT at 47dB - $1099
Frigidaire
FPID2497RF at 47 dB - $899
Additional Models:
- FFBD1821MS at 55 dB - $609
- FGID2466QF at 54 dB - $499
- DGCD2444SA at 54 dB - $429
- FBD2400KS at 62 dB - $319
Final Thoughts
This article should read two ways. First, you should now know what is quiet. So if you are opening the living room to your kitchen, you can be safe at 44 dBS. Unless you are interested in other features, you do not need to spend any more money for quietness past 44 dBs.
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