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Reviewed.com / Jackson Ruckar
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The Bosch 800 Series SHP78CM5N is a near-perfect dishwasher. It scrubbed out every stain we threw at it, in record time, and has great smart features. Read More
4.8
This Bosch is one of the best dishwashers we've ever tested. It gets dishes clean and dry, quickly, and is ADA-compliant. Read More
The Miele G 7566 SCVi SF is a marvel of German engineering. It combines robust power with a subtle touch of convenience. Read More
The G 5266 blows most other dishwashers out of the water. If your budget can accommodate its premium price, it's one of the best models you can buy. Read More
4.6
This high-end Bosch dishwasher can remove tough stains and get all of your dishes (including plasticware) completely dry. Read More
The best third-rack dishwashers vastly improve the cleaning experience by better using the limited real estate inside dishwashers.
These sliding trays are mainly for silverware and larger utensils, such as ladles and spatulas, but some third racks can also fit smaller bowls and ramekins. Using a third rack also frees up space on the bottom rack by reducing or eliminating the need for a bulky cutlery basket.
In the nearly 15 years we’ve been testing dishwashers here at Reviewed, we’ve found that one of the most important factors in the best dishwashers is usability, something that a third rack adds.
After testing the best third-rack dishwashers on the market, the Bosch 800 Series SHP78CM5N (available at Wayfair) was our favorite. Not only is it our favorite third rack dishwasher, it's also one of the best dishwashers we've ever tested.
Editor's Note: Appliances purchases are a large investment of both money and time. We’ve not only compiled lists of the best dishwashers to shop, but also the best places to buy in-stock appliances right now and the best times of year to buy appliances to take advantage of sales and new releases.
It cleans even stubborn stains completely
Fast cycle times
It dries dishes
Controls can be finicky
Some options only available on app
Powerful cleaning
Automatic detergent dispenser
Efficient
Expensive
Niche interior
Impressive cleaning power
Third rack and adjustable upper rack
Nothing significant that we could find
Dries plastics
Stellar stain removal
Quiet operation
Nothing significant that we could find
High-end aesthetics
Third rack, bottle jets, and smart features
Inconsistent cleaning
Not the best value at its current price
We test a dishwasher's Quick, Heavy, and Normal cycles by challenging them to clean dishes with baked-on food stains—milk, spinach, egg, oatmeal, meat, and more.
There are three major parts of the dishwasher experience—performance, features, and usability. During our testing, we focus on those factors to find which dishwashers offer good value and which should be avoided.
Performance factors include stain removal, redeposit, cycle length, and drying. To assess stain removal powers, we test each dishwasher on three cycles—Normal, Quick, and Heavy—to see how they clean dishes with food baked on. When testing, we don’t pre-rinse dishes, either.
Dishwashers need to be able to wash and dry dishes, which is why penalize models when any dish comes out wet. We also take note of redeposit, when food debris from one dish gets stuck on another, and how long wash cycles take.
Features and usability go hand-in-hand. A third rack offers you the advantage of having somewhere to stow serving spoons, long knives, skewers, and other kitchen utensils that don’t fit in a dishwasher’s cutlery basket or can potentially fall out of the upper rack—no one wants a chef’s knife impaling their foot. It should slide smoothly and allow for an optimum wash.
Third racks allow people to more efficiently use the vertical space in their dishwashers by fitting items above the upper rack, including silverware and oversized utensils.
Most third racks also can accommodate smaller bowls and ramekins. By washing utensils in the third rack, you can create more usable space on the bottom rack for dishwasher-safe pots and pans, as the third rack often reduces the need for a cutlery basket.
In general, third racks are not best for heavily soiled dishes, as they typically don't have spray jets and rely on water from the washing arms at the bottom of the appliance.
Most of the dishwashers with third racks that we reviewed have dedicated spots for silverware that prevent “nesting.”
When loading your dishwasher, oversized utensils, such as mixing spoons, spatulas, and ladles, can be placed in a single layer on flat portions of a third rack.
If your third rack has tines for cups and small bowls, be sure to not overload the tray.
Until recently, a third rack was a premium feature only available on high-end dishwashers. Now, they’re more frequently seen in less expensive models. Third racks make good use of a dishwasher’s space.
Although third racks are more common, you may have to pay more money for a dishwasher that has one.
Mark Brezinski works on the Home Team, reviewing refrigerators, minifridges, dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, air conditioners, air purifiers, and fans.
Jonathan Chan currently serves as the Lab Manager at Reviewed. If you clean with it, it's likely that Jon oversees its testing. Since joining the Reviewed in 2012, Jon has helped launch the company's efforts in reviewing laptops, vacuums, and outdoor gear. He thinks he's a pretty big deal. In the pursuit of data, he's plunged his hands into freezing cold water, consented to be literally dragged through the mud, and watched paint dry. Jon demands you have a nice day.
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.
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.
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