5 genuinely useful smart dishwasher features

A smart dishwasher can connect to the internet and open up a range of useful features – from remotely starting a cycle using your phone, to accessing additional wash programs and keeping up with maintenance. 

Smart functionality isn't some niche feature found on only a handful of models – around a third of those we've tested are smart, including many Best Buy dishwashers. 

We assessed the functionality of apps used by smart dishwasher brands including Miele, Bosch, Haier (including Hoover and Candy), Samsung, Beko and Hisense. See why you'd want to connect your dishwasher to wi-fi, and what benefits it can bring. 

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1. Remotely start your dishwasher

All smart dishwasher apps enable you to remotely start a cycle with a tap on the app you download to your phone. 

Of course, you'll have to load the dishwasher first, and usually need to have activated a mode or program (often called 'remote start') on the dishwasher itself. 

You'll also need to ensure that the dishwasher door is closed before you leave the house. With most machines, for safety reasons, remote start won't work if the door is open.

2. Access additional programs

With all smart dishwashers, you can access additional programs – but how many depends on the brand. 

Hoover offers a staggering 29 additional programs, including some interestingly named options such as 'party', 'dinner for 2' and 'happy hour'.

Although the names can vary, most brands typically offer the extra program options listed below: 

• Hygiene and baby care: These raise the temperature to 70°C to kill bacteria, and can potentially be used to sterilise baby feeding bottles and other items. Always check first if an item is dishwasher-safe. 
• Even faster cycles: You always get a fast wash as standard, but smart dishwashers unlock even faster options including cycles that complete in around 20 minutes, for when you're really in a hurry. Find out what happened when we compared eco wash with quick wash for cleaning performance and efficiency.
• Special pans: Dedicated modes are aimed at cleaning specialist cooking pans, including woks, griddle pans and maxi pans. Just be careful with anything non-stick as the dishwasher action can damage it. 
• Extra-delicate cycle: Most dishwashers have a delicate wash for glassware, but smart dishwashers often have additional programs aimed at cleaning porcelain and crystal items. With anything very precious, though, do consider whether handwashing might be a safer option.  

You can often pre-set your favourite programs to access them more quickly.

Discover the surprising items you can and can't put in the dishwasher

3. Monitor performance

Most smart dishwasher apps have functions for you to monitor how your dishwasher is running, including tracking an activated program to see how long it has left. 

You can also monitor energy and water consumption of individual selected programs to see which are most efficient. 

Some apps have reports showing consumption over a period of time, and suggest ways to optimise usage going forwards. 

4. Get maintenance help

Keeping your dishwasher properly maintained is essential to ensure that it remains in top working order. 

Alongside regularly running maintenance or 'machine care' washing cycles, you should ensure that salt and rinse aid is regularly topped up. 

Smart dishwashers will alert you immediately if salt or rinse-aid levels need attention. Some will also detect the water hardness and help you add salt to the right level. 

Find out more about maintenance in our guide on how to clean your dishwasher

5. Troubleshooting

Some brands offer advice and guidance via their apps on how to troubleshoot your dishwasher if something goes wrong.

On the Bosch app, a link takes you to a selection of self-help tips on the Bosch website, including what any error codes mean, and advice on how to clean and descale your dishwasher. 

With Samsung dishwashers, a supposed 'AI' diagnosis tool monitors the device for any issues, such as leaks and problems with the water supply and drainage. 

Haier's hOn app (also used by Hoover and some Candy machines) has a wealth of troubleshooting advice, but it's quite basic and a lot of it focuses more on problems with the app than your appliance.  

How much does a smart dishwasher cost?

The cheapest smart dishwasher we've tested costs around £250, but the cheapest smart Best Buy will cost at least £449. 

By contrast, you can get a non-smart Best Buy full-sized dishwasher from around £300, so you do generally pay a premium for smart features. 

When considering a smart dishwasher, think about whether the features outlined above would be genuinely useful to you. If not, then go for a traditional dishwasher instead. 

Browse all tested models from brands such as Bosch, Beko and Samsung in our smart dishwasher reviews

Which smart dishwasher brands offer the best security support?

When you invest in a new dishwasher, you'd expect it to last many years before it needs replacing – our research indicates the average lifetime of a dishwasher is 13 years. 

Security support policies determine how long a brand will update the dishwasher with security patches to guard against emerging cyberthreats, thus keeping the smart element in good working order.

We contacted the biggest brands to find out their support policies, and some are most definitely better than others. 

• Miele will support dishwashers with security updates for 10 years after the model stops being produced. It might release critical updates beyond this period.
• BSH, the manufacturer of Bosch, Siemens and Neff dishwashers, will support all its Home Connect appliances for at least 10 years after the last model has been sold.
• AEG offers support for five years from when the product was launched – so you'll need to know that date to calculate how much longer support will be offered.
• Samsung and LG both support smart dishwashers for a minimum of five years from launch.
• Haier Group (including Hoover and Candy) will support products for a minimum of two years from when they were purchased (a bit like a traditional guarantee). 
• Beko and Grundig only offer support for the same period as the warranty, which can be as little as one year as standard (although some Grundig machines can have longer). 

For further information, read our guide to smart devices and security.

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