Compact and Counter Top Dishwashers: Save Space with Style

In many older homes and many apartments or condos, there is simply no room for a standard sized dishwasher. In these scenarios, a compact or counter top dishwasher is often the best product to provide the convenience of a dishwasher, while taking up a minimal amount of space.

Varieties of Compact Dishwashers
For those on the go, buying a compact dishwasher is an economical and convenient way to save time, even if the space in your kitchen is very limited. There are drawer, free standing, and counter top dishwashers on the market that will make the most of the space you do have and still have the capacity to wash 4 or more place settings at a time.

Free standing (or portable) compact dishwashers are very much like a conventional dishwasher but are narrower. Additionally, they often come equipped with wheels, so they can be moved to another part of the residence when not in use. Some free standing models even have butcher block tops, giving you some extra counter space.

Drawer dishwashers can be found in single and double drawer models. A double drawer model is about the same size as a standard dishwasher, and probably not a good fit for small spaces. A single drawer model, on the other hand, will take up half the space and can easily be installed under a counter while leaving space above or below it for storage.

Counter top dishwashers are exactly what they sound like. Larger than most microwaves, but small enough to fit into most kitchen spaces, a counter top dishwasher sits near the sink and does the job of a larger model on a smaller scale.

Compact Dishwasher Installation
Drawer models often use the same sort of hook ups that a regular dishwasher would use, so putting one into a kitchen that wasn't designed for a dishwasher could involve some plumbing and/or electrical alterations.

Portable and counter top dishwashers are designed to hook up to the faucet on your kitchen sink and plug into any available outlet. They actually don't require any more installation than any small kitchen appliance; if you can install a blender, you can install one of these. Counter top dishwashers generally aren't meant to be hooked up to anything other than a sink, but some portable dishwashers can be converted to use direct water lines.

The hose that connects a sink to a dishwasher is designed to fit most modern faucets. In some cases, however, the kitchen is old enough that the faucet is not compatible with the hose. A faucet replacement or different hose fittings might be necessary.

Energy Consumption
Compact and counter top dishwashers use less electricity and water than their full size counterparts. This is good news for households where washing many small loads of dishes is more convenient than washing one large load. If small size and energy efficiency aren't enough, the price tag will be a lot less than a standard dishwasher, too!