Which dishwashers are quietest during the loudest cycles?

last month

I have a Miele G7106 that's rated at 43dB. I had heard that anything under 44dB should not be noticeable.

However, it is very noticeable in an open concept floor plan even from 20 feet away. I can hear water sloshing around mid-cycle and it only gets louder when the drain pump kicks in. I generally run, Normal, Sanitize, or Pots and Pans cycles.

I feel like the manufacturers are cheating with their dB ratings. Maybe 43dB on this dishwasher is achieved with a special delicate crystalware cycle or they assume the dishwasher is installed into a solid concrete exterior wall as opposed to a bar island open to a living area.

I want to replace it with something that runs noticeably quieter during any cycle. Is a Bosch 800 series a better choice?

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Comments (8)

3katz4me
last month
last modified: last month
I have a Bosch 800 in both of my homes. I think the newer one is 42 dB. I can’t hear it. It’s installed in a peninsula. If you have an iphone there’s a dB meter app that I think works pretty well.
jaxo
Original Author
last month
I may try getting some heavy sound proofing glued to the inner walls of the dishwasher alcove opening to see if it makes a difference.

If not, my next dishwasher will likely be a Bosch Benchmark series. Even though the 800 series already has all the features I want and most of the extra features in the Benchmark series seem like gimmicks not worth hundreds of extra dollars, the Benchmark models are rated at 39dB. So, maybe that will finally be quiet enough to not be able to hear it running at all from outside of the kitchen.
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3katz4me
last month
Yeah, probably worth the extra $ for the lower dB as long as the extra bells and whistles aren't just something else to break down and need repair. I replaced an old set of dishwasher drawers that measured dB in the 70s when running. Now that was loud.
wdccruise
last month
last modified: last month
CR tested five Miele dishwashers and all achieved a 4/5 noise rating. The Bosch 800 dishwashers with the best washing performance and 5/5 noise rating were the SHP78CM5N and SHX78CM5N. The three Bosch Benchmarks tested weren't rated quieter and were much more expensive.
jaxo
Original Author
last month
I wonder how the Benchmarks were not rated as quieter in testing when they are supposed to be 3dB quieter?
Cavimum
last month
I have noticed that our Bosch 500 series DW is much noisier when running a partially full load, and fairly quiet when running a full load. The noise we hear with the half loads is the water hitting the walls.
wdccruise
last month
last modified: last month
jaxo: "I wonder how the Benchmarks were not rated as quieter in testing when they are supposed to be 3dB quieter?"

On a math test, one student answered 100% of the questions correctly while another student answered 95%. Both received an A grade.
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OJ Same Day Appliance Repair
21 days ago
Noise levels can definitely feel different depending on the kitchen layout, installation, flooring, and the cycle being used. A dishwasher's dB rating is usually measured under specific testing conditions, so real-world sound can vary, especially during draining or heavy wash cycles. Proper installation, leveling, and checking for vibration can also make a difference. If a dishwasher suddenly becomes louder than usual, it may be worth checking for issues with the pump, spray arms, or other components.