The best dishwasher I’ve ever had was a Whirlpool dishwasher. If there’s a single brand name that people associate with quality in dishwashers, it’s Whirlpool. In America, it’s the most popular choice in the land.
However, the question remains which are the best Whirlpool dishwashers of 2019 and is there really any point in paying for Miele or Bosch when these Whirlpool models are so affordable?
Why Are Whirlpool Dishwashers So Popular?
It probably helps that their name is actually associated with water, something that the luxury brands of dishwasher don’t seem to be able to claim.
The more obvious reason is that the price point of many Whirlpool brand items is substantially lower than the serious competition. Ignoring cheap Chinese knock offs, you can’t find many other brands that pack a great dishwasher into a sub-$500 price tag but Whirlpool can.
What Do Whirlpool Dishwashers Have To Offer?
It can help when considering which is the best Whirlpool dishwasher to buy to think about all the things they have in common. Now, given the huge size of the Whirlpool range – not every dishwasher is the same, so make sure if a feature is important to you that the model you are considering has it.
But, in general, terms you can find:
- TotalCoverage Spray Arms – this is a very different arrangement to that of other dishwasher manufacturers. They use a high-pressure spray delivered through an incredible 21 nozzles to smash the dirt off of every dish in the dishwasher. The idea being that with so much coverage every dish gets properly cleaned and properly rinsed afterward. People load dishwashers in different ways – so this is a big challenge for dishwasher designers.
- Plastic Tubs – they may not be as pretty as other choices but they sure help keep the manufacturing costs down. If you’re looking for a budget Whirlpool model, it’s almost certainly going to have a plastic tub. Many other brands can’t use a plastic tub because they don’t use a heating element to dry the dishes following washing. Whirlpool does.
- Stainless Steel Tubs – the stainless tubs look better and are a feature of Whirlpool’s higher priced dishwashers. There’s no real performance gain, that we’ve found, from having a stainless tub but we do prefer the way they fit our kitchen’s aesthetic.
- Fan Drying – this is a feature normally associated with premium manufacturers and it won’t come as a surprise that there is only one model in the current Whirlpool range that has a fan dry option (it’s the WDT730PAHZ). A fan drier makes drying faster and more energy efficient and it’s a nice to have if you can afford it.
- 1-Hour Speed Washing – the most energy efficient washes and water efficient washes take rather longer than they once did. Whirlpool recognizes that sometimes you just can’t wait for your dishes and every single model they sell comes with a 1-hour speed washing setting. Just remember, this costs more to run and it’s not environmentally friendly, so please, use it sparingly.
- Soil Sensor Technology – all Whirlpool dishwashers also come with soil sensor technology that automatically adjusts the cycle and water use to maximize the energy efficiency of the process without compromising on cleanliness
- Sensor Cycle Detection – this is very nearly the same thing as the soil sensor, and it impacts the load size, water and energy use. All but one Whirlpool model currently has this technology included.
- Pre-programmed cycles – the exactly cycles on offer vary from model to model but most Whirlpool dishwashers contain a wide-variety of pre-programmed cycles that are designed to function best with the normal usage of the device.
- Smart dishwashers – there are currently only a couple of “smart dishwashers” in the Whirlpool range and if you want to connect your dishwasher to a home automation system it comes at a premium price. We’d expect to see more of these in the future.
- Smart features include: a control lock mode (that is supposed to keep kids from opening the dishwasher to “see what’s in there”), additional cycle types (which can be downloaded from your phone), maintenance suggestions (the machine reminds you when you need to service it), automatic ordering (never run out of detergent again as long as you buy it from Amazon) and Alexa and Google integration.
The Best Whirlpool Dishwashers of 2019 – Individual Models
So, now we’ve seen what Whirlpool can offer. Let’s check out some of the individual highlights of the Whirlpool dishwasher range in 2019.
The Best Whirlpool Dishwasher Budget Model – The WDF520PADM
We do wish that Whirlpool would provide better model names than a bunch of numbers and letters, but this is an excellent entry-level model priced at just under $500.
It’s a bit noisier than we’d like (55 dB) and sadly, it’s also a little smaller than most models and only has capacity for 14 place settings.
However, at that price, who can really complain?
The Best Whirlpool Dishwasher Budget Fan Dry Model – The WDT7300PAHZ
It’s only $100 (ish) more than the previous model but it is quieter (nearly 10% quieter, in fact, at 51 DB) and it still has a plastic tub rather than a stainless one. It does have the fan drying option which means that drying is more economical and environmentally friendly.
The exterior is covered in stainless steel, which means that it looks amazing in the kitchen. If you can spring for it, this model is definitely worth the extra money.
The Best Whirlpool Dishwasher Low Cost High Feature Model – The WDTA503AHZ
Jump up roughly another $100 in price and you start to get some serious value for your money. The noise level drops down to a measly 47 dB which is nearly as quiet as some of the very expensive brands of dishwasher.
It also includes that super spray arm that we mentioned earlier and that means you can be sure that your dishes are always going to be perfectly clean with no stuck on food to remove after washing.
The Best Whirlpool Dishwasher Smart Home Model – The WDTA75SAHZ
Sure, this one costs another $100 over the last model but again it boasts an appreciable increase in service offerings. The noise remains at a relatively quiet 47 dB when in use.
But you buy this dishwasher when you absolutely want to integrate it with your smart home infrastructure and at this price it’s one of the most competitive offerings in the market today.
We highly recommend it if you’re wiring up your home to make your life easier than ever before.
Final Thoughts on Whirlpool Dishwashers
There is a good reason that Miele and Bosch dishwashers cost a small fortune and that’s the quality levels of engineering that they employ. While Whirlpool products aren’t quite as well-engineered the trade off is a much more attractive price point.
If you’re watching the pennies or don’t use a dishwasher too heavily, we can thoroughly recommend the Whirlpool line of dishwashers.
We think they represent the best value for money in dishwashers today and it’s no surprise that they are America’s best-known dishwasher brand.
We’d advise you to spend as much as you can to get the best features but we’re positive that you’ll be pleased with whichever model of Whirlpool dishwasher you decide to buy.
