Number of place settings
The maximum number of dish sets that can be loaded into the dishwasher at one time. A set is considered a set of dishes for one person: four plates (for the first course, for the second course, salad, bread), a plate for dessert, a cup, a spoon and a fork.
The large capacity allows you to wash numerous dishes in the device at one time without starting the washing programme again. At the same time, excess capacity is just as undesirable as insufficient. Firstly,
a capacious operating chamber affects the dimensions of the entire device. Secondly, such units consume more water. Thirdly, if there is not much dirty dishes, you either have to wait until it accumulates, or start an underloaded device, wasting water and detergents. Therefore, when choosing according to this indicator, real needs must be taken into account and not chase after the maximum capacity.
Water consumption
The amount of water used by the dishwasher in one washing cycle. Usually, it is indicated for a standard cycle — at full load, without pre-rinsing, etc. Accordingly, in special modes, the consumption may differ from the indicated one.
The lower the consumption — it better; this is especially true for those who consume water by metres or who have a limited supply of water (for example, it is drawn from a well with a low productivity). On the other hand, a reduction in consumption can have a negative effect on the quality of the wash. So, choosing an
economical dishwasher, you should pay attention to the washing class (see below). In addition, only models of the same capacity can be compared in terms of consumption — after all, the more dishes, the more water is required to wash them.
Dryer type
The dishwasher has a drying function. Drying can occur both due to the natural evaporation of water from the surface of the dishes (
condensation drying), and due to its
blowing with heated air; the first option is more economical, since it does not require energy and there is also an improved one —
with a heat exchanger; the second, in turn, provides faster drying. The recently introduced new type of
Zeolith drying combines two methods, as it first collects residual moisture and then converts it into heat, which dries the dishes and belongs to premium segment models. Note that not all dishwashers are capable of drying dishes to dryness; see drying class for details.
Noise level
The approximate noise level produced by the dishwasher during operation. In modern models, this parameter can range from 37 – 39 dB (muffled human voice) to 59 – 60 dB (loud conversation); more detailed decoding of what sound corresponds to a particular number of decibels can be found in special tables. Anyway, the
low noise level contributes to the comfortable use of the device. It is especially important if the dishwasher is to be used at night (for example, if there are reduced electricity rates at night).
Child lock
A protective system designed for those cases when there are small children in the house. To prevent a curious child from injuring himself and ruining the dishwasher, various locks can be provided in the design — usually for the door, sometimes also for the control panel.
The child lock function turns off in a way that is easily accessible to an adult but not accessible to a child.
