November 05, 2019
Semi-Integrated vs Fully Integrated vs Freestanding Dishwashers
In the process of buying a new dishwasher? There are a lot of things to consider before making your purchase. A key consideration is deciding whether you want a semi-integrated, fully integrated or freestanding dishwasher. This page explores the differences between each dishwasher type, helping you to make the right choice for your kitchen. Without further ado, let’s start comparing!
There are five factors you consider when buying a dishwasher...
- Performance
- Size
- Noise Levels
- Features
- Design
Performance
When it comes to each dishwasher’s performance, it is hard to categorise which does better based on whether your model is freestanding, integrated or fully integrated. Instead, we monitor performance based on your dishwasher’s brand. A freestanding dishwasher won’t wash your dishes any better than a fully integrated unit, but one brand may perform better than the other.
If you are looking for a high-performance dishwasher brand, we only stock products from the most reliable manufacturers. Here are our favourite dishwasher brands:
- AEG
- Bosch
- NEFF
- Hisense
- Miele
- Siemens
These brands offer a wide selection of dishwashers with different door fitments and energy levels. They even offer the option to choose a cutlery basket or tray and provide a range of useful features.
Size
Regardless of which type of dishwasher you choose, each type offers a range of sizes and capacities. Generally speaking, all dishwashers come in two widths: 60cm and 45cm.
The standard kitchen niche is designed to house appliances with a 60cm width, making 60cm wide dishwashers an excellent fit. The majority of all dishwashers are 60cm wide, so you certainly won’t struggle to find one.
If your kitchen has a little less space, or you live in a smaller household, you could opt for a 45cm wide, ‘slimline’ dishwasher. Whatever size you go for truly depends on your kitchen, rather than the type of dishwasher.
You can get a good idea of how much a dishwasher will fit based on how many place settings it has. A place setting consists of a glass, a bowl, teacup and saucer, dinner plate, dessert plate and an assortment of cutlery. The more place settings there are in a dishwasher, the more room there is inside.
Noise Levels
An important thing to consider when buying any type of dishwasher is its noise level, particularly if you keep your dishwasher in the kitchen (you most likely will!). As the kitchen is the social hub of the home, you will want a dishwasher that you can comfortably have a conversation over while it is in use.
As they are concealed by cabinetry, fully integrated dishwashers are the quietest to buy. If your kitchen requires you have a freestanding or semi-integrated dishwasher, you will want a model with a lower noise level as they have less sound insulation.
If you are worried about your freestanding or semi-integrated dishwasher being too noisy, you can shop our selection of Quiet Mark Certified models. These dishwashers have been tested as the quietest dishwashers available on the market.
If you are looking for assured quiet operation, we recommend you purchase a Quiet Mark Certified fully integrated dishwasher.
Features
Once again, the features each dishwasher has depends on what brand it is, rather than if the model is semi-integrated, fully integrated or freestanding. Obviously, each dishwasher has one main aim: to wash your dishes. But every brand has a unique set of innovative features to try and make washing dishes a more efficient task. These features can be anything from Hisense’s Hygiene Guard for enhanced bacteria removal to LG’s 4-armed, QuadWash cleaning system.
As each model has its own collection of useful features, you should always check if the model you are after will suit your needs. You can do this by checking each item’s description and product specification on our website.
Design
It is difficult for us to tell you which type of dishwasher has the best design. This is because style is subjective! However, we can say that semi and fully integrated dishwashers tend to be more popular than freestanding models as you can hide them behind your own kitchen’s cabinetry.
On its own, a freestanding dishwasher can disrupt the design of your kitchen, breaking up the uniformity and symmetry of your cabinets. By employing a semi-integrated or fully integrated design, the aesthetic of your kitchen remains intact.
In terms of maintaining your preferred kitchen style, a semi-integrated or fully integrated dishwasher will be your best bet.
To Conclude...
We hope this piece has been useful in helping you choose between a freestanding, fully integrated or semi integrated dishwasher. With models available from a wide range of top-quality and market-leading manufacturers, you are sure to find a dishwasher that caters to your wants & needs.
