Built-in VS. Freestanding Dishwashers: Which One To Buy?

Considering the fast-paced life we are living, who got time to wash the dishes anymore. Dishwashers became a modern life necessity. While browsing the internet looking for a dishwasher you may have seen two different types, freestanding dishwashers, and built-in dishwashers. So, what’s the difference between these two, and which one is better for your needs?

Installation

If you look at their names, you will probably know the main difference between them.A built-in dishwasher is designed to be permanently installed in your kitchen. It is meant to fit within a designated compartment with a cabinet door that will match the rest of your kitchen. And since it requires no direct hook up to a faucet you will be able to use your kitchen sink and the dishwasher at the same time.

Being integrated into your kitchen, a built-in dishwasher will give a more elegant and sleeker look to your kitchen’s exterior.

Features

There might be few differences in the features and cleaning options of the two dishwashers. The built-in one would normally have more advanced features including multiple spray arms. It also offers more specialized washing cycles and targeted sprays which makes cleaning items like baking trays much easier. That doesn’t necessarily mean that freestanding dishwashers are not a good option to consider, they are known to have advance load-sensing technologies, digital timers, control panels, and multiple spray arms as well.

Capacity

The question here “how big is your family?” dishwashers are measured in ‘place settings’, both types have various capacities ranging from 12-15 place settings. Each 1 place setting means that the dishwasher can hold 10 items which include 1 dinner plate, side plate, saucer, bowl, coffee cup, drinking glass, knife, fork, and two teaspoons.

Study your household needs and decide which capacity is better for you. If you live alone you may want to consider buying a slimline built-in or freestanding dishwasher, which has a smaller capacity.

Convenience

There are some points to consider here. A built-in dishwasher will be permanently fixed to your kitchen which means that if you decided to move you will have to purchase a new dishwasher and leave your current one behind, and that’s not an issue with freestanding dishwashers. But if you have just bought your dream home and have no intentions to change places then a built-in dishwasher will give you more space to have extra cabinets or drawers.

Unlike a freestanding dishwasher, a built-in dishwasher has separate plumping installment that is connected directly to the water supply which means you can use your sink and water tap even when the dishwasher is running.

Cost

The overall cost of a built-in dishwasher may be more expensive since it requires a special installation process that needs to be done by a professional plumber. If you overlooked this, both types have energy-saving cycles that will go easy on your electricity and water bills.

Which One to Buy

There are no wrong or right answers here. It is up to you to determine your needs and study the features of both options to decide which one will deliver better results in your case.