Your average household dishwasher sees a lot of use. To get the right answers, we consulted with Andrea Zaff of Boston-based Zaff Architecture, who specializes in helping her clients source appliances.
Photograph by Laure Joliet.
A dishwasher is conveniently located next to the sink in Kitchen of the Week: In Los Feliz, A Moody, Romantic Spanish Modern Update.
Are all dishwashers the same size?
Most dishwashers are one of three basic types: standard, compact, or custom. Depending on the manufacturer, the standard and compact models can vary slightly in width, depth, or height, which could make a difference during installation.
Standard size is generally listed as 24 inches wide, 24 inches deep, and 35 inches high, with leveling feet that let you adjust the height to fit neatly under the counter.
Standard
Compact
Compact or space-saving dishwashers are 24 inches deep by 35 inches high, but typically only about 18 (or 17 5/8) inches wide.
Custom
Custom (also called oversize) models are wider or taller than the standard dishwasher. There aren’t many on the market, however, due to poor performance.
Other Options
Portable stand-alone dishwashers are also available, and can be a solution in a kitchen where the sink isn’t close to where you’d want to install a dishwasher.
A standard dishwasher in an LA remodel.
How do I know if my new dishwasher will fit in the existing space?
If you’re replacing one standard-size unit with another, chances are good that the new one will slide right in.
However Andrea warns In an older home you might find that once the old dishwasher is removed the distance between floor and counter isn t quite what you d expected If your flooring was laid down...
...over older flooring for example it might not extend under the dishwasher and cabinets And if the finished floor is higher than where the dishwasher sits it may be hard to get the old dishwasher out
A white-fronted dishwasher is unobtrusive with the neutral palette of Kitchen of the Week: In Montana, Rustic Chic on a Budget.
I’m upgrading to a fancy new dishwasher. Will I need to upgrade the wiring and/or the plumbing?
A dishwasher requires electricity, a hot-water pipe, and a drain.
But Andrea notes Since 2014 the National Electric Code has required a dishwasher to have a dedicated circuit one not shared with other appliances with a GFCI protective device installed on the circuit...
...breaker panel for extra protection It must also have a shut off valve within four feet of the appliance The electrician installing the new unit will be able to confirm all of that
Without the mounting plate, two holes will be exposed at the rim of the sink.
A dishwasher drawer in a tiny kitchen by Mesh Architectures, a member of the Remodelista Architect and Designer Directory.
It can be done, though it generally means losing kitchen storage.
How can I make space to upgrade from a compact dishwasher to a standard-size one?
Can I switch from a standard-size dishwasher to dishwasher drawers?
Most double dishwasher drawers have the same dimensions as a standard dishwasher, so there won’t be any problem fitting them in the existing opening.
A dishwasher, neatly fit under the counter.
Photograph by Justine Hand for Remodelista.
“You’ll find the Energy Star rating—as well as the estimated energy use and cost per year—on the yellow tag displayed on the front of the machine,” says Andrea.
How can I save energy—and money—with my new dishwasher?
Standard-size dishwashers that have earned the Energy Star are on average 12 percent more energy efficient and 30 percent more water efficient than standard models.” That helps the environment and also saves consumers money.
In Kitchen of the Week: A Retro Kitchen in London from an Emerging Design Star, a dishwasher fits beneath African hardwood countertops.
The retailer who sold you the new unit will probably remove it when they make delivery. But if you’re not sure where the old unit will go after that, you might want to take disposal into your own hands.
What do I do with my old dishwasher?