Dishwashers can be divided into available options and luxury washing mashines, whose purpose is not only to wash dishes, but also to decorate the interior. Of course, not everyone can afford a luxury dishwasher, but that is why premium dishwashers are an indicator of luxury coupled with high performance.
Comparing premium dishwashers with ordinary ones in the mid-price segment, we came to very interesting conclusions, outlined below.
Price plays a role
Indeed, machines that are in the upper price segment often perform their direct functions much better than their budget counterparts. This is primarily due to the use of higher quality parts and the absence of compromises and price deterrents in production. Thus, due to the use of more expensive heating elements for water, dishwashers from the upper price segment heat water faster and work more actively to remove dirt. Where plastic is usually used, manufacturers of luxury equipment use metal - the equipment lasts longer.
Water consumption
Among premium segment machines there is no talk of saving water resources. Of course, compared to manual washing, the difference is obvious, but even the highest quality dishwashers consume about 10-15 liters of water per wash cycle. Moreover, consumption can reach up to 18 liters. This is not due to waste, but rather to quality. Due to the fact that water is used sparingly, but its quantity is quite large, the dishes come out perfectly clean, leaving no chance for dried food and fat residues to remain on the plates and frying pan.
Electricity consumption
Premium class dishwashers also cannot boast of energy savings. This is understandable; fast heating of water, complex electronics and other bells and whistles require electricity, and quite a bit. However, we should not forget that this was not done intentionally, but was due to objective factors. Thus, premium dishwashers maintain a constantly high water temperature and its huge pressure, use a bunch of programs to ensure that the quality of washing dishes is impeccable.
If the problem of energy saving is quite acute, or is a fundamental issue, almost all models are equipped with the so-called “Ecological mode”. When selecting this program, the dishwasher consumes a minimal amount of electricity and water, however, the washing cycle time increases and the quality of washing is slightly reduced.
Noise
For dishwashers in the premium segment of the market, this indicator is one of the key ones. It is impossible to imagine a dishwasher for 200,000 rubles that will make noise like a washing machine during the spin cycle. Therefore, almost all dishwashers in the premium segment rating have not only a reduced noise level, about 40 dB, but also the washing program - night mode, which helps reduce the sound of the machine to almost zero.
Bells and whistles
A premium dishwasher simply must be stuffed with bells and whistles. Below we will look at the most common functions in luxury washing mashines:
- drying by active condensation. For example, Miele machines use Turbothermic recirculation drying, but the surface of the heat exchanger is cooled by cold air supplied from the outside by a special fan. This means that active condensation provides higher drying quality with less energy consumption;
- soak. The dishes remain damp in the dishwasher for a long time, for better cleaning in the future. If the machine has such a function, the probability of finding unwashed dishes is almost zero, even if it is a pan with dried buckwheat;
- projection. All information about the washing progress will be projected on the floor in front of the machine. However, it is worth noting that such functions are rare in classic washing mashines;
- half load. The dishwasher compartment is divided into several, and you can not use the entire dishwasher, but by selecting the appropriate program, use only one. The result is saving water and electricity;
- touch control. Looks beautiful, easy to clean, convenient to use.Taking into account modern technologies, the quality of such control is not inferior to conventional push-button control. Phantom clicks and false positives are practically eliminated;
- liquid crystal display. All information about the selected programs, washing stages, water temperature, etc. will be displayed on the color display. This is not just a tribute to fashion, but really convenient. There is no need to study which symbol means which washing stage;
- Ozonation. Rare feature. Because Ozone is a toxic gas; it additionally treats dishes and kills all possible bacteria;
- Remote control. Allows you to control the machine using a smartphone via the Internet. A special application is used for this.
Needless to say, each manufacturer of luxury dishwashers will additionally have its own list of branded “bells and whistles”. At the same time, it doesn’t matter at all whether you use them, they just have to be there.
Design
Oddly enough, premium dishwashers usually have a discreet design. The material from which they are made can be quite varied, but as a general rule, such machines will be made of stainless steel and painted white, black or silver. Apparently this choice is due to the need to fit into any interior.
Do not forget that machines are divided into free-standing and built-in premium dishwashers. If the dishwasher is built-in, you don’t need to worry about the design at all, because... it is almost guaranteed to be hidden from prying eyes. Moreover, even on the front side, built-in appliances usually have a mount under the facade of the kitchen cabinet.
Brand
Among the manufacturers of luxury dishwashers, the following leaders can be distinguished:
- Miele & Cie. KG – This is a company originally from Germany. Specializes in the production of premium household appliances. Production is located in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. The history goes back to 1899.
- ASKO – A Swedish company that began its existence in 1950 in the small town of Vara. It specializes in the production of premium segment equipment, and its products are distinguished by their strict design, functionality and fundamental reliability.
- AEG – German company founded by Emil Rathenau in 1883. The main direction is environmentally friendly and high-tech household appliances, incl. and premium class, electric power, mechanical engineering. The headquarters is located in Frankfurt am Main.
- SMEG – An Italian company specializing exclusively in the production of luxury household appliances in the highest price segment. The founder of the company is Vittoria Bertazzoni. The corporation was founded in 1948 in northern Italy in the city of Guastalla. The company is also represented in the USA, Great Britain, Russia, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and 11 other countries.
Number of programs
As a rule, premium segment dishwashers do not have a crazy number of programs. This can be explained very simply: you need to load the machine, turn it on, and then take out the dishes. No one has the desire to choose from a bunch of programs or understand the intricacies of washing congealed fat from plates. Therefore, the number of programs usually ranges from 8 to 12.
Instead of a conclusion
When choosing an elite dishwasher, you can only rely on your own sense of style, as well as ease of use for you personally. However, you will have to pay dearly for such a choice, from 1,500 to 5,000 thousand dollars, depending on the specific model of the above manufacturers.
