Which Is The Best Integrated Dishwasher Under £400?

An integrated dishwasher is designed to blend with your existing cabinetry. Without opening the dishwasher door, you cannot tell the difference between a cabinet and a dishwasher.

In keeping with the clean look, integrated dishwashers have the control panel hidden behind or at the top of the door.

When buying an integrated dishwasher, it is essential that you confirm size of the space where you’ll install it as well the number of place settings and energy class.

Price is also a major factor. Luckily, there are plenty of affordable integrated dishwashers that cost less than £400.

In this buying guide, we recommend the best integrated dishwashers under £400 in the UK, and give you some tips on how to choose the right one for your kitchen.

Key Considerations When Choosing An Integrated Dishwasher

A. Measurements

Unlike freestanding or table top dishwashers, you cannot afford to be wrong about the size of an integrated dishwasher.

Because it’s meant to fit perfectly into the available space, there’s little margin for error.

Dishwashers, even from different brands, come in standard dimensions.

• Full size dishwashers are 59.8cm wide, 55cm deep and 81.5cm or 82cm high.
• Slimline dishwashers are designed to fit into narrower spaces. They measure 45cm wide, 55cm deep and 81.5cm or 82cm high.

When preparing the dishwasher space, consider the clearance requirement for the dishwasher. Rear clearance is especially important for the plumbing and electrical connections. If need be, ask a pro to adjust the available space to ensure a perfect fit.

B. Capacity (Place Settings)

Once you are sure you have the right sized space, the next question is how big you want your new integrated dishwasher to be. The capacity of dishwashers is indicated by the number of place settings. A single place setting can fit a number of different utensils including a dinner plate, cup, glass and cutlery.

The bigger your family, the more place settings you need. But it’s important not to get a dishwasher that’s too big for your family. If you can’t fill the dishwasher completely every cycle, you’ll be wasting water and electricity.

If you opt for a slimline dishwasher, you are limited to dishwashers with a capacity of 10 place settings. This is ideal for small families of 2-4 people.

Full size integrated dishwashers range between 9 and 16 place settings. For most families (3-5 people), a dishwasher with 12 or 13 place settings is adequate. For bigger families, get a dishwasher with more capacity.

C. Features and Programs

Check what kind of program are available on the control panel. The most important ones are Eco, Intensive, Normal and Rapid.

Others that are nice to have include glass (for delicate ware) and pre-rinse.

As for features, the most useful ones include rinse aid and salt indicators, leak and flood protection, delay timer, overflow protection and adjustable compartments (gives you more flexibility in how you load the dishwasher).

D. Energy Class

A dishwasher’s energy class tells you how much electricity you can expect the appliance to consume. A higher energy class translates into more savings for you. And not just on electricity, but also water.

Highly efficient dishwashers can use as little as 12 litres of water per full cycle.

Currently, EU Energy Classes run from A+++ to D. We recommend a dishwasher with a rating of at least A+, though you’ll also find some integrated dishwashers with an A++ rating.

For more information on a dishwasher’s energy efficiency, check the product fiche. It’ll specify the average energy and water consumption in a year, drying efficiency and noise level.

Keep in mind that a dishwasher’s efficiency is often based on the Eco program. Intensive, rapid and other programs may have higher electricity and water consumption.

Best Integrated Dishwasher Under £400: Top 5 Reviews

1. Hotpoint Aquarius LTB4B019 Fully Integrated Standard Dishwasher

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With 13 place settings, the Hotpoint Aquarius LTB4B019 full size dishwasher is a great choice for medium size families.

The interior has plenty of slots and compartments for different types of dishes. You can even adjust the upper basket upwards if you need space on the lower basket to fit bigger items.

Once you load the dishwasher, select one of the four cleaning programs. They are intensive, eco, normal and soak.

Unfortunately, the Hotpoint Aquarius LTB4B019 lacks a rapid cycle for when you want to quickly clean lightly soiled dishes. The shortest cycle (other than soak) is normal and it takes approximately two hours.

The control panel also lacks temperature selections as well as a delay timer.

But for the price, we still think the Hotpoint Aquarius LTB4B019 is a good deal for most families. It has the most important features.

Another important area it excels at is energy efficiency. It has an A+ energy rating.

What we like about it:

• Affordable.
• Large capacity.
• Overflow protection.
• Energy efficient.

2. Bosch Serie 2 SMV40C00GB Fully Integrated Standard Dishwasher

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The Bosch Serie 2 full size dishwasher is pricier, but it packs more technology and settings.

Our favourite piece of tech is the LoadSensor that detects the load weight and adjusts the amount of water it uses to clean dishes. This saves water when you are washing less than a full load of dishes, meaning you don’t have to wait until you’ve accumulated enough dirty dishes to wash them.

Another way the Bosch dishwasher saves you money is through its ActiveWater technology. This technology re-uses water from the pre-rinse cycle for the main washing cycle. This cuts down on the amount of water and heating needed to clean dishes.

The Bosch Serie 2 has another nifty feature called DosageAssist. This feature consists of a basket that the detergent tablet drops into when the washing cycle begins. This basket gives the tablet time to fully dissolve, ensuring cleaner results and no residue on your utensils.

Another thoughtful addition to the Bosch Serie 2 dishwasher is InfoLight. The small red light shines on the floor under the dishwasher, letting you know that the dishwasher is working.

InfoLight is handy since the dishwasher is so quiet, it can be hard to tell whether it’s on. Instead of opening the door and interrupting the cycle, you can just check the floor. If the light is not there, you know the cycle is complete.

The Bosch Serie 2 has 12 place settings, enough for medium size households of 3-5 people. The top basket is adjustable, letting you fit bigger items at the bottom.

Programs include normal, eco, quick wash and pre-rinse. You can also select from three temperature option.

What we like about it:

• High energy efficiency (A+).
• Versatile settings and programs.
• Large capacity.
• Helpful and energy/water-saving technology.

3. Smeg DI12E1 12 Place Fully Integrated Dishwasher

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The Smeg DI12E1 full size integrated dishwasher is another good option for mid-size families. It has 12 place settings with a fixed lower basket and an adjustable upper basket. You can set the upper basket at one of the three levels, giving you space to fit pot, pans and other large utensils on the lower basket.

A unique feature of the Smeg DI12E1 is its orbital wash system. A smaller rotating arm is mounted onto the main rotating arm. The two spray arms deliver water to dishes more evenly and with better precision.

The Smeg dishwasher comes with five washing programs. They include eco, quick (27 mins), ultraclean, soak and normal. In addition, you can select from five temperatures.

The Smeg DI12E1 has an A+ energy efficiency rating with an average consumption of 1.02 kWh and 12 litres per cycle.

What we like about it:

• Blue anti-drop inserts.
• Orbital arm design increases cleaning performance.
• Multiple washing programs and temperature settings.
• Three-level adjustable upper basket – gives you more flexibility in loading the dishwasher.

4. Whirlpool WSIC3M27C Integrated Slimline Dishwasher

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Shopping for a slimline dishwasher? We recommend the Whirlpool WSIC3M27C integrated dishwasher. Measuring 45cm wide, it is 15cm narrower than standard full size dishwashers. Height (82cm) and depth (55.5cm) are similar to other dishwashers.

The narrower design means you lose some capacity. Instead of the usual 12 place settings, the Whirlpool WSIC3M27C has 10 place settings. It’s perfect for smaller households of 2-4 people.

The Whirlpool WSIC3M27C is one of the most efficient models among our picks. It has an A++ energy rating. It uses 0.7 kWh of energy and 9 litres of water per cycle. That’s lower than our other picks.

One feature that helps the Whirlpool dishwasher operate efficiently is 6TH SENSE technology. A sensor detects how dirty the dishes are and adjusts amount of water and cycle time accordingly.

The hidden control panel offers a variety of programs and settings including a rapid 30min cycle, an intensive cycle, a delicate glass cycle and a delay timer.

What we like about it:

• High energy efficiency – uses less electricity and water than most dishwashers.
• Slimline design allows installation in a narrow space.
• Multiple programs and options.
• Half load cycle – saves water when washing fewer dishes.

5. Cookology CBID601 Fully Integrated Dishwasher

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If you are looking for a full size integrated dishwasher that has a high energy efficiency rating, we recommend the Cookology CBID601. It has an A++ rating, the second highest rating possible.

With 12 place settings, the Cookology CBID601 is a good fit for mid-size families of 3-5 people. The top shelf is adjustable to create more space at the bottom. You can also fold down the bottom basket to fit large items like a pan.

The control panel has six washing programs including eco, intensive and rapid (40 mins). You can also select a delay timer to have the dishwasher start cleaning at a specific time. You can set the timer for up to 12 hours.

Another control panel option we love is the half load setting. The Cookology CBID601 doesn’t have a fancy sensor that measures the dish load to determine the amount of water to use.

When you are washing just a few dishes, activating the half load mode tells the dishwasher to use less water.

What we like about it:

• High energy efficiency.
• Multiple washing program including half load.
• Large capacity.
• Delay timer.