What's the Best Bosch Dishwasher for Your Kitchen?
This popular brand dominates the top of our dishwasher ratings. Here's how to find the best model for your budget and needs.
By Liam McCabe
Bosch makes more than 50 dishwasher models, and it’s not always obvious what sets each one apart. We’re here to demystify the lineup.
The good news is that every Bosch dishwasher is similarly great at cleaning dishes and should be similarly reliable over time—as we’ve found in our extensive lab tests and member surveys. The major differences between the dishwashers boil down to aesthetics, as well as nice-to-have features like quieter cleaning, extra rack space, better plastic drying, and a few others.
Bosch’s flagship model sells for more than $2,000. But depending on what you want and need out of your dishwasher, the right Bosch for your kitchen can cost just a third of that price.
Bosch’s dishwasher lineup is grouped into six (mostly) well-organized tiers, and once you understand the structure, it’s much easier to find the best one for your needs and budget. Here’s a super-basic overview:
Ascenta: The entry-level series, with solid performance but few features
100 Series: Mostly similar to Ascenta, but some upgraded features
300 Series: Quieter and more capacity—and often still under $1,000
500 Series: Sharper look, faster drying, upgraded racks
800 Series: Style refinements, the best plastic drying, other tweaks
Benchmark: A premium look and feel, minus some features
Below, we’ve put together a more detailed but still easy-to-scan overview of the important features that you’ll get as you step upward through each tier.
We’ve included a rundown of Thermador dishwashers, too, because they’re manufactured by the same parent company as Bosch (BSH). Thermador dishwashers put a greater emphasis on high-end looks than practical features, and cost much more than many Bosch models. But the two brands have a lot in common otherwise.
Consumer Reports has tested at least one model from each Bosch and Thermador tier. Each dishwasher that comes through our labs undergoes at least 28 hours of tough testing. We’ve also collected reliability and owner satisfaction data on more than 100,000 individual dishwashers in use in real homes, through our member surveys.
CR members can read detailed ratings for performance, predicted reliability, and owner satisfaction for all of the Bosch dishwashers we’ve tested, along with ratings for dozens of other machines from more than 20 brands in our dishwasher ratings. And check out our dishwasher buying guide before you shop; there, we explain how we test and rate dishwashers, and the questions you should ask before deciding on a model.
Bosch Ascenta: Basic Features, Solid Performance
This is Bosch’s entry-level dishwasher. The Ascenta washes nearly as well as any of the pricier Bosch models, and should be just as reliable, too. But we found that its drying performance is mediocre, likely due to its partially plastic tub. Its feature set is also relatively sparse compared with the rest of the Bosch lineup. Here’s what to expect:
Racks: Two racks, manual height adjustment
Tub: Stainless walls and ceiling, plastic (stain-susceptible) base
Noise: Sort of loud, rated at 50 decibels
Controls: Front
Finishes: Stainless steel, white, or black
Bosch Ascenta SHE3AR72UC
Bosch 100 Series: Small Upgrades
We mentioned above that Bosch’s tiers are mostly well-organized. The 100 Series is the exception.
A couple of the 100 Series models are barely different from the Ascenta series. We haven’t tested these, so we’re not sure if they perform more like the Ascenta, or more like the other 100 Series models (and up). These dishwashers have a “3” in their model name, and the minor upgrades over the Ascenta include:
Racks: Two racks, fold-down tray on top for small items
Fast Cycle: 1-hour wash and dry
But other 100 Series models include some substantial upgrades. And we know for sure that they outperform the basic Ascenta line, particularly when it comes to drying plastic. These dishwashers have a “4” in their model numbers, and add the following features:
Racks: A third rack, for utensils and other relatively flat items; quick height-switching system on middle shelf
Noise: Quieter performance, rated at 48 decibels
Fast Cycle: 1-hour wash and dry on the bar-handle model
Controls: Hidden
Handle: Bar
Finishes: Stainless steel or a panel-ready front to match cabinetry
Bosch 100 Series SHXM4AY55N
Bosch 300 Series: Quieter, More Rack Space
The 300 Series has a long list of useful upgrades over the lower-end models, including:
Racks: Third rack for utensils and very short items; quick height-switcher on middle rack
Tines: Adjustable tines on lower rack, great for large pots and casserole dishes
Fast Cycle: 1-hour wash and dry
Noise: Barely audible from one room away, rated at 44 decibels
Tub: A roomier, fully stainless steel tub
Safety: Better protection against water leaks
Controls: Front or hidden
Handles: Recessed or bar
Finishes: Stainless steel or a panel-ready front to match cabinetry
Bosch 300 Series SHEM63W55N
Within the 300 Series, there’s also the DLX line, available through certain retailers. Models include a couple of small differences in the silverware baskets and cycle selections that, frankly, aren’t very meaningful. The 300 Series also includes several models in a compact, 18-inch width. There’s also one standard 24-inch model that’s compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), though this one doesn’t include a third rack. All of these "speciality" models (as Bosch calls them) include a tray that can hold water-softening salts.
Bosch 500 Series: Upgraded Looks and Feel
The short (but mighty) list of improvements in the 500 Series includes:
Racks: A third rack with expandable wings, to hold deeper items; ball bearings on middle rack, for smoother action
Drying: Optional automatic door-opening feature, to help dry plastic better
Controls: Hidden
Handle: Pocket
Finishes: Stainless steel or white
Bosch SHXM65Z55N
Bosch 800 Series: Refinements and Clever Tech
The 800 Series has more handle styles and finishes available than the 500 Series, and a few other upgraded features. They include:
Noise: Very quiet performance, rated at 42 decibels
Drying: Heat-releasing mineral tech gets plastic bone-dry
Controls: Hidden; touch-sensitive panel (rather than physical buttons)
Handles: Pocket or bar handle
Finishes: Stainless steel, black stainless, or panel-ready front to match cabinetry
WiFi: One model can connect to a companion app for easier troubleshooting
There’s also the 800 Series Premium, with a few extra noteworthy upgrades, including:
Racks: An extra-deep third rack, large enough for certain cereal bowls
Style: Metallic-finish handles on the racks
Noise: Even quieter at 40 decibels, though the improvement may be hard to notice
800 Series models are also available in a compact 18-inch width. Several ADA-compliant models are available as well, including one 24-inch-width option. Each of these specialty models includes a tray for water-softening salts.
Bosch 800 Series SHXM88Z75N
Bosch Benchmark: Luxury Level
In the Benchmark series, the upgrades are mainly about a premium look and feel. You really need to check out these dishwashers in person to appreciate how refined the fit and finish are. Here’s what’s different compared with the 800 Series, beyond aesthetics:
Racks: Telescoping rack arms, for super-smooth action
Controls: Front with LED screen, or top
Handles: Recessed or bar
Finishes: Stainless steel or a panel-ready front to match cabinetry
Safety: Even better protection against water leaks
Water-Softener Tray: Included
Bosch Benchmark SHX88PZ55N
Thermador Emerald: Like a Midrange Bosch but Better Looking
The most affordable option in the Thermador lineup is the Emerald series. The feature set is a bit of a mish-mash of perks you’d get from around the Bosch lineup. But like the Benchmark series, the style is the point of the upgrade here. Thermador models also earn a slightly lower owner satisfaction rating than Bosch models, based on responses to our member surveys. Here’s what you’ll get:
Noise: 48 decibel noise rating, like the Bosch 100 Series
Racks: Standard third rack and adjustable middle rack, like the Bosch 300 Series
Controls: Touch-sensitive controls, like the Bosch 800 Series
Handle: Rounded bar
Finishes: Stainless steel or a panel-ready front to match cabinetry
WiFi: Connectivity to a companion app
Thermador DWHD650WFM
Thermador Sapphire: Top of the Line
This is the top-of-the-line series from the Bosch and Thermador brands. (Their parent company BSH also manufactures Gaggenau dishwashers, but they’re substantially different and quite expensive, and CR has not tested them.) The Sapphire is stuffed with just about every feature that BSH has up its sleeve. It’s like a combination of the features in the standard Bosch 800 Series with the looks of the Emerald. Here are the important differences compared with the Emerald:
Noise: A very quiet 42-decibel noise rating
Racks: A third rack with adjustable wings
Drying: The souped-up, great-for-plastic, mineral-assisted drying system
Style: A blue-tinted interior light
Thermador DWHD770WFM
More from Consumer Reports:
Top pick tires for 2016
Best used cars for $25,000 and less
7 best mattresses for couples
Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2022, Consumer Reports, Inc.
