The more you know about a graduate's plans for the future, the easier it is to come up with a cheap graduation gift. However, the suggestions below should work for most any grad and cost less than $25.
Energy Efficient Dishwashers, Dishwasher Drying Ability
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Dishwasher Features (continued)
Energy Efficient Dishwashers.
Thrifty consumers will find plenty of energy efficient dishwashers in the budget range.All of the dishwashers we researched qualify for an Energy Star label. One particularly useful feature on the Bosch Ascenta SHE5AL02UC lets users fill one rack and run a half-load. Some dishwashers, notably the Frigidaire FDB520RHS, offer the option to run some sort of economy cycle that uses a lower temperature and less water to wash dishes that aren't very dirty.
Dishwasher Drying Ability.
Many low-cost dishwashers come with heated dry and air dry functions. The former relies on an electric element at the bottom of the dishwasher to heat the air, while the latter uses hot air left from the wash cycle.Reviews are mixed on the subject of dishwasher drying. According to users, no-heat or economy dishwasher drying leaves pools of water on the bottoms of cups and glasses and moisture on the tub walls. Many dishwasher manufacturers tout the benefits of stainless steel tubs, which are supposed to dry more efficiently because they deflect heat, so you won't find water in the bottom at the end of a cycle. However, a stainless steel tub adds significantly to the price of a dishwasher, and the Bosch Ascenta SHE5AL02UC is the only model on our list that has one. Even heated dishwasher drying fails to meet frugal consumers' expectations. A word to the wise budget shopper: Don't toss away that dishtowel just yet.
Dishwasher Filters.
Scraping and rinsing dishes before loading them into the dishwasher is supposed to be a thing of the past. If you plan on skipping this chore, make sure your dishwasher comes equipped with a stainless steel food disposer to keep food from winding up back on the dishes or clogging the pipes. A self-cleaning filter frees users from having to check and clean the filter, while a manual filter requires periodic cleaning. Perhaps counterintuitively, many expensive European brands, including the Bosch we picked, have manual filters, because they help reduce noise. Most cheap dishwashers, including rest on our list, have self-cleaning filters. It's important to note that a dishwasher filter is not the same as a garbage disposal in a sink, as one consumer points out in a review of the Whirlpool DU1301XTV at Sears.Dishwasher Safety.
Families with small children likely are concerned about dishwasher safety. Most budget dishwashers, including the Bosch Ascenta and both Whirlpool machines on our list, have a child lock activated via the control panel or with a manual latch.Dishwasher Indicator.
Some inexpensive dishwashers, including the Whirlpool models on our list and the GE GSD4000RWW, have indicator lights on the control panel that tell you how far along the cycle is and when it is complete. Dishwasher indicator lights are a feature users appreciate on models that have it and miss on models that don't.
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Read user comments below
Best Cheap Dishwashers
Bosch Ascenta SHE5AL02UC
This low-priced dishwasher from the high-priced European brand is whisper quiet. Features include auto wash, quick wash, and sanitary wash, plus the ability to run a half load. Consumers give its cleaning performance overwhelmingly positive reviews. Read more »Dishwashers Deals
Whirlpool DU1301XTV
This low-priced option gets raves for some high-quality features, such as the Auto Soil Sensor, which senses how big the load is and how dirty the dishes are. A flatware basket that fits in the door lets users free up real estate for larger dishes. Read more »Dishwashers Deals
Good Cheap Dishwashers
Frigidaire FDB520RHS
This super-cheap, no-frills dishwasher does just what it's supposed to do: get dishes clean. It is best for a small family, as it doesn't hold a lot of dishes, and it's a bit noisier than some other cheap dishwashers. But all that is mitigated by its price. Read more »Dishwashers Deals
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Don't Bother Cheap Dishwashers
GE GSD4000RWW
The features on this dishwasher include a rinse-only cycle, precision water jets to blast away food particles, and a rinse aid dispenser you can prefill, with an indicator to show how much is left. But consumers report breakdowns and disappointment in its cleaning ability. Read more »
Whirlpool DU1055XTV
A large tub and 10 cycles and options, plus Whirlpool's Auto Soil Sensor, make this dishwasher seem like a great deal for the money. But relatively inflexible racks make it difficult to fit many dishes and consumers report numerous problems with durability. Read more »
Products Mentioned in This Review
Maytag Jetclean Plus MDB4709AWGE GSD4000RWW
Whirlpool DU1055XTV
Frigidaire FDB520RHS
Bosch Ascenta SHE5AL02UC
Whirlpool DU1301XTV
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