The Best Budget Dishwashers Under £300 (2024 UK)

There are loads of dishwashers for under £300, which is great for people on a budget.

However, with so much choice, it can really feel quite daunting to choose one. You want to know that you’re making the right choice, and this article is here to help.

The dishwashers below prove that you can get an excellent dishwasher for under £300 without the daunting feeling that you made the wrong decision.

We’ve researched the market and picked out 5 of the top-rated and most highly regarded dishwashers available for less than £300.

We think these are some of the best budget dishwashers you can get in the UK.

Please note, prices can fluctuate so we can’t guarantee all of these models will be available for under £300 when you read this article.

 

 

 

Choosing a Dishwasher

What size dishwasher can you buy for under £300?

Buying the biggest dishwasher you can for your budget makes a lot of sense. It is far more economical to run a big dishwasher once than it is to run a smaller one twice. The smallest dishwasher reviewed above has 10 place settings. The largest has 15.

All of these dishwashers are considered to be on the bigger side of the place setting scale, and all of them are under £300. There are smaller dishwashers available for under £300. But for the economic cost of running them, a bigger dishwasher makes more sense, if you have space.

 

Which kind of dishwasher should I choose – integrated or freestanding?

This really comes down to personal opinions, like many things in the household. To understand what we are talking about, let’s see what the differences of each machine are first.

Freestanding

A freestanding dishwasher can’t have a door matching your cupboard doors fitted to it. They simply look like a dishwasher and don’t pretend to be a cupboard. This makes them slightly easier to install because you can miss out the last step of the install. However, they are typically deeper than integrated ones meaning they stick out into the room a little more.

Integrated

Integrated dishwashers can have a door fitted to them, so they look like a cupboard. They can be raised up to the height of your counter, and then a door is fitted to make them look a little prettier. The installation can be a little trickier with integrated dishwashers, but they don’t stick out into the room as much. They also provide a slightly more finished look to your kitchen.

Freestanding vs Integrated

So, which one should you buy? Well, freestanding machines are typically easier to install, fix, replace etc. but the integrated ones look a little better. So if you are wanting a really nice looking kitchen, an integrated one is probably the one to go for, but they are usually a little more expensive.

If you don’t mind the look of a dishwasher, fancy saving a little bit of money and having a better time installing it, a freestanding model would suit you best.

 

What Does Dishwasher Salt Do?

If you are considering investing in a dishwasher to save you some time after dinner, then you will also need to buy dishwasher salt to ensure it continues to work properly.

By breaking down limescale in your dishwasher, dishwasher salt helps keep your dishes squeaky clean. It is especially necessary to use in hard water areas where the water contains more calcium and magnesium that builds up in your dishwasher’s pipes to form limescale.

Why should you use dishwasher salt?

You will notice that your washed items come out streaky or become cloudy due to a buildup of limescale if you don’t top up the dishwasher salt regularly as well as causing problems for the dishwasher itself. As these white goods are expensive, you want to make sure that you take the best care of it so that it lasts as long as possible and saves you time instead of having to do the washing up.

 

How does it work?

Dishwasher salt works by breaking down the ions in limescale to soften the water as it runs through you dishwasher. Usually your dishwasher will contain an ionic exchange unit which will help with limescale to a certain extent, but is helped massively by the use of dishwasher salt as well.

 

Which salt should you use?

The salt used in your dishwasher is sodium chloride which, with its large grains, keeps the softener unit clear. It is important that you use the proper salt as others, such as table salt, can do damage to your dishwasher and even cause corrosion in the pipes of your dishwasher.

You don’t need to worry about struggling to source this specific salt as it is widely available in supermarkets and other shops for household items and is usually quite cheap, meaning you can buy a kilogram or two for a couple of pounds.

 

How and when should you use dishwasher salt?

The salt is usually added to your dishwasher through a compartment located on the bottom of your dishwasher. You will be able to find its exact location in the user manual for your specific dishwasher.

By removing the screw-on lid, you simply need to pour a decent amount of dishwasher salt into this compartment so that when you switch on your dishwasher, there is no light flashing to signal that the dishwasher needs more salt.

Exactly how much salt you will need to use and how often you need to refill this compartment will depend on the hardness of your water, how often you use it and the make of dishwasher itself. When you turn it on, a light on the front will indicate if more salt is needed or not.

 

Best Dishwasher Brands

Finding the best dishwasher is not always that easy, particularly as there are so many different makes and models on the market.

Here is where we hope to make your search just a little bit easier. Carry on reading to learn about 5 of the best dishwasher brands in the UK.

Beko

Based in Europe and a subsidiary of a Turkish company, Beko was established in 1955 and has since become a household name.

They have a reputation for being a good budget brand, and according to their website, 96% of their customers would recommend their appliances.

Beko provides a range of freestanding and integrated dishwashers, making them ideal for all kinds of home in the UK.

Slimline and full-size dishwashers are also available, catering to space and need. Beko typically sells dishwashers that come with white, stainless steel, silver, graphite or black finishes.

Although Beko is a budget range their dishwashers come with many different features such as:

• Aquaintense
• Everclean filter
• Additional cutlery tray
• Quick and clean programmes
• Time delay
• Steamgloss
• Fast+
• Half Load
• Time remaining display
• Prosmart inverter motor

While many of Bekos dishwashers come with an A+ energy rating, some of the more expensive models feature an impressive A+++ rating, meaning they are more energy-efficient than ever before.

A budget brand but with a lot to offer, Beko is certainly making a name for itself.

 

Bosch

Based in Germany with offices and factories throughout the world, Bosch invented their first appliance in the late 1920s.

With a reputation for being one of the best home appliance providers, Bosch continues to grow and develop.

Currently manufacturing appliances for the home, Bosch has recently started making smart products including a wide range of impressive dishwashers.

Selling freestanding, built-in, and compact dishwashers, Bosch has ensured that they have a dishwasher for everyone.

Potential customers can also choose between dishwashers of specific widths making them ideal for even the smallest kitchens.

Known throughout the world, Bosch dishwashers come with a lot of different features including:

• Differing noise levels
• Widths of either 45 or 60 cm
• 1 hour-programme
• ExtraDry
• Heat exchanger
• VarioFlex Plus
• VarioFlex Pro
• Zeolith

Available in black, stainless steel or white, Bosch dishwashers have something for everyone.

 

Hotpoint

Based in the UK and manufacturing products since 1911, the Hotpoint brand is still going strong more than 100 years later.

With a reputation for being a trustworthy manufacturer Hotpoint dishwashers come in many shapes and sizes with integrated and slimline dishwashers available along with traditional ones as well.

Hotpoint dishwashers offer a number of different features including:

• Digital or LCD display
• Dual space
• Extra silent
• Zone wash
• A specific number of wash programmes

Hotpoint is a mid-range to high-end brand that can be found in millions of homes around the country.

Available in black, graphite, stainless steel or white, Hotpoint offer dishwashers that are ideal for busy or quiet homes, and those who wish to spend a little more on a brand that has a trusted reputation and sells a product approximately every 19 seconds.

 

Indesit

Based in Italy and founded in 1975, Indesit has made a name for itself in Europe as being one of the leading manufacturers of domestic appliances.

Selling fully integrated and half integrated dishwashers along with freestanding, and one compact dishwasher, Indesit has tried to cater to everyone’s needs.

Indesit dishwashers come with a lot of different features including:

• A number of different place settings
• 3 energy classes
• eXtra hygiene
• Half load
• Delay timer
• Baby care cycle

Available in white, silver, inox (steel) and black, Indesit is a mid-range brand that offers a wide variety of dishwashers, ideal for almost every home.

 

Smeg

Established in 1948, and based in Italy, Smeg introduced its very first dishwasher in 1963, and the company has continued to grow ever since.

With a reputation for producing both 1950’s retro and modern-looking dishwashers, Smeg is a high-end brand that produces both built-in and freestanding dishwashers.

Features found in Smeg dishwashers can include:

• ECO
• ECO quick
• Normal quick
• Ultra-clean
• Enersave
• Aquatest
• Time delay
• Widths of either 45 or 60 cm
• Adjustable water softener
• Energy ratings up to A+++

Smeg is a high-end brand that offers a sleek design, and with dishwashers available in stainless steel, black, white, red or cream.

Smeg dishwashers are becoming an increasingly popular brand in the UK thanks to their unique finishes and impressive energy ratings.

 

Conclusion

If we had to pick just one dishwasher under £300 to recommend, it would be the Beko DVN04X20W Standard Dishwasher. It’s easy to use, a good size for a family and has a very useful 58-minute quick wash setting.