Difference Between Portable & Freestanding Dishwashers

Portable Dishwasher

• A portable dishwasher has four wheels on its legs, which allows you to move the dishwasher when needed. The portable dishwasher pulls the water from the sink faucet via a hose and deposits the dirty water into the sink basin. With a portable dishwasher, you must connect it to the water faucet whenever you want to run the appliance.

Freestanding Dishwasher

• Also called a built-in dishwasher, freestanding dishwashers are installed directly underneath the kitchen counter. This allows the countertop to run directly on top of the dishwasher to give your kitchen a more seamless look. A freestanding dishwasher is installed permanently in the location and cannot be easily removed unless you unhook the plumbing and electrical connections to the appliance.

Differences

• Because a freestanding dishwasher is installed under the countertop, it is generally hardwired into the electric and the plumbing. A portable dishwasher has a power cord that plugs into the nearest outlet and a connector hose to hook up to the faucet. When using a portable dishwasher, you cannot use the kitchen sink faucet because the dishwasher gets the hot water from the sink faucet via the connector hose. With a freestanding dishwasher, you can use the sink faucet while the dishwasher is running.

Considerations

• Most freestanding and portable dishwashers have the same washing features, such as rinse, and heavy load and light load options. However, a freestanding dishwasher is typically less noisy than portable dishwashers and generally costs more. When considering which dishwasher to purchase, take into consideration the amount of room in the kitchen as well as your budget.