When renovating the kitchen, people often want all their furniture and appliances to match. Luckily, customizable dishwashers are available, and will help you match your dishwasher to your kitchen décor.
This review of the top panel ready dishwashers on the market will take you through seven great options, outlining the pros, cons, and specs of each, to help you decide on your ideal dishwasher!
What Are Panel Ready Dishwashers?
Panel ready dishwashers are dishwashers designed specially to blend in with your kitchen cabinets. Many dishwashers simply have white, grey, black, or stainless-steel exteriors. These exteriors won’t look good with every kitchen design, so panel ready dishwashers allow you to add a customized panel that will suit your individual kitchen.
Keep In Mind: You’ll need to purchase your custom panels and handles separately, and they’ll need to be installed.
Can You Put a Panel on Any Dishwasher?
Only panel ready dishwashers can have panels installed. These are still more of an anomaly on the market, making them rarer, but you can still pick from a couple excellent options.
Panel ready dishwashers are sometimes referred to as “fully-integrated,” so keep an eye out for that term too.
How to Choose the Best Panel Ready Dishwasher
Looking to buy your own panel-ready dishwasher? Let’s go over some important considerations:
Size
You’ll need to make sure your dishwasher of choice will fit into the cabinet space you have.
How Do I Know If a Dishwasher Will Fit?
Measure the depth of your dishwasher space. Usually, standard counters have a depth of about 24 inches. Most dishwasher panels are .75 inches thick. This leaves around 23.25 inches for your actual dishwasher if you want to ensure that it won’t protrude further than normal. In general, note the dimensions of your unit.
Noise
Dishwasher noise levels, like all other sounds, are measured in decibels (dB). The higher the decibels, the louder your unit will be. The quietest dishwasher model available is only 39 dB.
Budget
Remember that the panel and handle of your dishwasher will need to be bought separately, which might require a slightly higher budget than for a plain dishwasher.
Performance
Read product reviews to make sure you pick a dishwasher with your desired power and reliability.
Wash Cycles
Note the available wash cycles offered to make sure they fit your needs. Someone who needs to wash more heavily soiled pots and appliances is going to need a dishwasher with heavier cycles.
Drying Capacity
Note the drying capacity and method of your prospective unit. It might operate using condensation drying, heated drying or a combination of both. Some dishwashers, like Bosch’s CrystalDry, use their own unique drying technology.
Dishwasher Capacity
Ensure the dishwasher is big enough for your needs, especially if you have a family. You should check the place setting capacity and size of the dish racks.
Eco-Friendly
If your unit has an Energy Star certification, the dishwasher is energy efficient. This means it might be more affordable to run.
Ease of Installation
If you go for custom panels, you’ll likely need to install the panel and handle personally. Consider how difficult it may be to install.
Warranty
Manufacturer warranties are usually around one to two years, with some brands providing a longer warranty period. Usually, you can purchase extra warranty coverage when paying for your unit.
Design
Some panel ready dishwashers will include a standard front panel for you to use until you can install your own custom panel. This lets you use the dishwasher even before you get hold of your custom design.
Extra Features
Consider what extra high-tech features your unit might come with, such as LED lighting, foldable tines, mobile apps, or child lock capabilities.
Fitting Right In
Purchasing a panel ready dishwasher means you can fit your dishwasher right in with your whole kitchen décor. However, the following seven dishwashers also include an abundance of great features.
Ensure you pick the best dishwasher for your lifestyle by considering the size, noise levels, wash and dry cycles, capacity, and warranty!