A Beginner’s Guide to Table Top Dishwashers

What’s the one daily chore you hate the most? For many, it’s washing dishes. When you’ve just polished off a tasty meal, you want to relax and enjoy the rest of your evening – not head back into the kitchen and clean up.

That’s why dishwashers were invented. The concept was first dreamt up by American inventor Joel Houghton all the way back in 1850 (and improved upon by Josephine Cochrane a few decades later), but it took another century for the idea to truly catch on. By the mid 20th century, dishwashers were beginning to appear in homes across the US and overseas, and today they’re considered a must-have by many.

But there’s a problem. Dishwashers take up a lot of space, making them an impractical solution for small kitchens or temporary accommodation (like caravans or motorhomes). That’s where table top dishwashers come in. If you can’t fit a full-size dishwasher into your kitchen (or simply don’t want to give up cupboard space), you don’t have to continue washing dishes by hand: you can opt for a compact, portable table top model instead.

In this beginner’s guide, we’re going to bring you up to speed on the benefits of table top dishwashers and tell you everything you need to know before you buy. We’ll explain how they work, cover how many dishes they can accommodate and give you a few helpful tips to make choosing the perfect appliance that much easier.

Why choose a table top dishwasher?

First, let’s cover the advantages of table top dishwashers – why should you spend your hard-earned money on one? Simply put, they deliver all of the same benefits as regular, full-sized dishwashers but take up a fraction of the space. Instead of having to be built into your kitchen units, table top dishwashers can sit anywhere you like. You can even store them out of sight when they’re not in use.

The benefits don’t end there. Because of their diminutive size, table top models are significantly more affordable than their full-size counterparts. So, if you’re on a tight budget and don’t have a particularly large kitchen, a table top dishwasher could be just what you need.

How big is a table top dishwasher?

A variety of different options are available depending on your requirements. The smallest table top dishwashers are similar in width to a typical countertop microwave oven, but tend to be taller and deeper. While a standard microwave measures roughly 25cm tall and 35cm deep, a compact table top dishwasher is around 43cm tall and 43cm deep.

If you have a little more space to work with, you could opt for a larger model. The biggest table top dishwashers we offer here at Cookology are 59cm tall, 55cm wide and 52.4cm deep, allowing them to swallow up a surprising number of dishes and cutlery pieces.

How much can you fit in a table top dishwasher?

That brings us onto one of the most frequently asked questions regarding table top dishwashers: how many dishes can they accommodate? Obviously this will vary depending on the model you choose and the type of dishes you’re washing; if you’re just washing cutlery and small plates, you’ll be able to fit more inside than if you’re washing a mixture of plates, bowls and baking trays.

Our largest table top dishwasher can accommodate eight place settings (that’s eight different pairs of cutlery, plus eight glasses or mugs and eight plates or bowls) – more than enough for a typical, medium-sized family.

How do table top dishwashers work?

Table top dishwashers work in exactly the same way as their full-size counterparts, utilising pressurised jets of water, salt and rinse aid to effectively clean everything from glassware to plates and cutlery.

Cookology table top dishwashers have as many as eight different programmes to choose from. From Eco cleaning modes to Glass Wash settings, it’s easy to find a suitable mode and achieve perfect results each and every time. Handy cutlery holders and baskets make loading and unloading a breeze, too.

Do table top dishwashers need to be plumbed in?

No. They can be plumbed in like a regular dishwasher if you choose, but this isn’t a requirement. If you’d like your dishwasher to be portable or simply don’t want the hassle of plumbing it in, you can use an adapter and connect the unit straight to your kitchen tap. Simply switch on your tap and that’s your water supply taken care of.

The dishwasher’s waste pipe can either be plumbed in or simply rested in the sink, allowing the dirty water to drain away.