The 5 Best 18-inch Dishwashers As Of November, 2020 (And 4 Other Models)

This portable small dishwasher from Danby garnered a combined rating of 4 stars, aggregated by our system from a total of 1390 reviews. According to buyers who gave it a 5-star rating, it does a fine job cleaning dishes. However, some of them have remarked that this ideal result is realized only when items are placed in a specific position and orientation.

With only eight place settings and being an 18-inch model, it's really no surprise that it has more limitations than the standard dishwasher when it comes to capacity. Danby seemed to have added salt to the wound when it opted for a silverware basket that reviewers have described to be "clunky" and "too big," thus failing to optimize the already-constricted space. The upper rack has also been criticized for its apparent flimsiness and tendency to get stuck every once in a while.

Some have also remarked that this portable dishwasher's faucet adapter works with only with select types of faucets. Those who were lucky enough to have escaped this problem, however, raved about the Danby DDW1801MWP's easy-breezy faucet hookup and installation.

It also apparently is a relatively-quiet unit, with one reviewer saying that it only produces white noise. However, definitive data about its noise rating isn't available, so take this claim with a grain of salt.

Overall, the Danby DDW1801MWP still has garnered a hefty share of 4-star and 5-star reviews as opposed to critical ones. Because of this, it has clinched the place of Alphachooser's best 18-inch dishwasher 2020 (Learn how we rank items), with a confidence level of 88 (More on confidence levels), in our list of the top 5 18-inch dishwashers.

The DDW1802EBLS offers seven preset programs, which is quite-respectable, especially for an 18-incher.

This semi-integrated model from Frigidaire didn't make it as an Alphachooser good choice of our top 5 18-inch dishwashers for nothing. It has secured a great number of reviews praising it for its physique, with its stainless steel finish (for the FFBD1821MS variant, at least) giving its exterior a sleek and modern look. Furthermore, praises for its cleaning ability come aplenty, even with its light cycle -- but note that most of the reviewers who've written this remark have also mentioned that they routinely pre-rinse extra-dirty dishes in the first place.

Opinions about the Frigidaire FFBD1821MS' noise level isn't as definitive, however. Some consumers have noted that it is "very quiet," while some expressed wishes for it to be less noisy. As such, perhaps the most solid benchmark we can rely on at this point is really its 55dB noise rating, which is relatively-noisy, but its not unexpected for a semi-integrated compact dishwasher.

Common complaints found among its 434 reviews involve the "wonky" silverware basket and this semi-integrated dishwasher's height (or lack thereof), which is not the tallest but is definitely taller than the category average. So if you're iffy about having a dishwasher that may potentially leave some space between it and the countertop, then we suggest that you take diligence in comparing measurements before taking the plunge.

In the end, the Frigidaire FFBD1821MS was able to traverse past its imperfections, winning an impressive number of fans in the process

The Frigidaire FFPD1821MW seems to pack quite a punch within its 18-inch body. The dishwasher has racked up 99 reviews across multiple sources, and its aggregated rating is at 4 stars. According to many of these customer feedback, it doesn't fail at delivering sparkling-clean dishes (granted, extremely-dirty dishes with dried-on gunk still have to be pre-rinsed). Some even reported that they feel like they're consuming less dishwasher compared to their previous models, and yet are getting better results. Furthermore, the Frigidaire FFPD1821MW has also been praised quite a lot for its looks, and the "easy-to-clean" stainless steel interior has gained it some fans, as well.

While it's nothing disruptive, this 18-inch dishwasher's 59dB noise rating isn't its most encouraging feature. It's true that models that veer away from the standard size tend to have higher noise ratings, but the FFPD1821MW clearly has a lot of customers wishing that it was a bit quieter. Another complaint we've seen more than a few times concern the silverware basket. Reviewers have pointed out that it feels quite wonky and that they wish it was bigger. Also, the silverware slots inside aren't too accommodating for larger utensils. Luckily, the slots can be removed in favor of having just a plain old basket.

Still, the Frigidaire FFPD1821MW appears to have shown customers all that it is capable of doing, which has left a lot of people satisfied, based on the reviews we have encountered. Due to this, it's been named as an Alphachooser good choice by our system (Learn how we rank items) with a 72 confidence level (More on confidence levels).

The DW1831D0WE keeps to an 18-inch body, but offers a washing lineup similar to full-size models -- including six programs (Eco, Glass, Heavy, Normal, Rapid, Rinse) and three cycle options (Sanitize, High temperature, Heated dry).