What size dishwasher do I need?

The standard widths: full-size, slimline and compact

Dishwashers come in three broad sizes. A full-size machine is 60 cm wide and holds 13 to 15 place settings — the standard choice for most kitchens and the best value per place setting. A slimline machine is 45 cm wide and holds around 9 to 10 settings, designed for galley kitchens and compact flats where a 60 cm machine simply won't fit. There are also compact tabletop units that sit on a worktop and hold around 6 settings, intended for very small kitchens or single-person households with no room for a freestanding machine at all. All three are about 60 cm deep, and full-size and slimline machines stand 82 to 85 cm tall to fit under a standard worktop.

For the overwhelming majority of homes, the real decision is full-size versus slimline, and it comes down to whether your kitchen has a 60 cm gap or only a 45 cm one. If you have the space for a full-size machine, you should almost always take it — more on why below.

Place settings explained

Manufacturers measure capacity in "place settings" so you can compare machines fairly. One place setting is a standardised group of items for a single person: a dinner plate, a side plate, a bowl, a cup and saucer, a glass and a full set of cutlery. A 13-setting machine, then, can in theory hold thirteen of each of those at once. In practice, no one loads a dishwasher that neatly — pans, mixing bowls, baking trays, chopping boards and oversized platters all eat into the quoted figure, often dramatically. Treat the place-setting number as a comparison tool between machines, not a literal promise of how much of your actual washing-up will fit.

A practical way to size up is to count one place setting per person you regularly cook for, then add two or three settings of headroom for the awkward items. A couple is comfortable with a 9 to 10-setting slimline; a family of four is well served by a 13-setting full-size machine; and a big household that cooks from scratch every day will appreciate the 15 settings of a machine like the Hotpoint HF5C2615WG. Just as important as the headline number is whether the racks are flexible: fold-down tines, an adjustable middle basket and a separate cutlery tray are what let you fit those big, awkward items in at all.

Measuring your gap properly

Before you buy anything, measure the space three ways. Width is the obvious one — a full-size machine needs a clear 60 cm, a slimline 45 cm — but allow a little tolerance so the machine isn't a forced fit. Height matters because the machine has to slide under the worktop; standard machines are 82 to 85 cm tall, and most have adjustable feet to fine-tune the fit. Depth is the one people forget: leave room behind the machine for the water inlet and waste hoses, and make sure the door can drop fully open in front without hitting a kitchen island or opposite units. Measure twice; a machine that won't quite fit is an expensive mistake.

Choosing your size: full-size or slimline?

If your kitchen can take a 60 cm machine, choose full-size. It costs less per place setting, holds more, and means fewer cycles — all of which save money and time over the years. Only choose a slimline machine when the gap genuinely demands it. The temptation to "size down to save money" usually backfires: a slimline machine isn't much cheaper to buy, costs more per place setting, and forces you to run it more often. Where a slimline is the right call — a narrow galley kitchen, a compact flat — a model like the Bosch Serie 2 slimline gives you proper cleaning in the smaller body, which is exactly the point. Match the machine to the space first, then to the household.