Integrated dishwashers are designed to blend into your kitchen cabinetry and look like a cupboard
They perform exactly the same as other dishwashers, but cost more to install
Our dishwasher experts have reviewed 65+ models from brands including LG, Fisher & Paykel, Bosch, Miele and more
For many of us, a dishwasher is a welcome sight – especially if you’ve ever had to spend many evenings hunched over the kitchen sink, cleaning cutlery and crockery by hand.
But what if you wanted an appliance that not only took care of this menial task, but also blended into your kitchen aesthetic? Well, then you might be interested in an integrated dishwasher – the discreet version of the kitchen classic that not only takes cleaning out of mind, but also out of sight.
This article unpacks these machines – what they do, how they’re different from other varieties, the difference between fully and semi-integrated versions and whether one of these appliances could be a good choice for you.
Integrated dishwashers are designed to blend into your kitchen. Source: ikea.com.au
An integrated dishwasher is a dishwasher sold without any front, top or side panels and with the control panel hidden on the inside, often at the top of the door as you open it.
Before they’ve been installed, they look industrial and unfinished, but they’re designed that way so you can add your own panelling to match your kitchen cabinetry.
Once installed, an integrated dishwasher will blend in with the rest of your kitchen and look like a cupboard.
Denis Gallagher oversees CHOICE dishwasher testing and says integrated units are made for consumers who don’t want a dishwasher manufacturer messing up their carefully calibrated kitchen design.
“Intergrated units allow you to customise your dishwasher to your kitchen aesthetic,” he says.
The differences between integrated dishwashers and their more traditional built-in or freestanding cousins are largely visual. Inside, they’re the same appliance, serving the same purpose.
“As far as washing performance, these products deliver the same results as a dishwasher that comes with standard panelling already attached by the manufacturer,” Gallagher explains. “They also have the same components and programs”
Although because the control panel is hidden away (as we discuss later), you can’t use them in the same way as you would a dishwasher that has its buttons and display panel on the outside.
The controls on a fully integrated dishwasher are located on the inside of the door.
And just because an integrated dishwasher comes stripped of any exterior panelling doesn’t mean they’re any cheaper.
We only tested seven integrated models in our latest review of 68 dishwashers, but these cost on average $2170 each, compared to the average $1452 price tag on other models of a similar size.
And even after you’ve bought your integrated unit, you’ll still have to spend extra time and money sourcing the appropriate panels and handles to cover the front and top of your dishwasher to ensure it blends into your kitchen.
Some manufacturers advise getting a tradesperson to design the panelling for you, while others might offer pre-made cladding to go with integrated purchases, but in either case, it’s an extra cost on top of a relatively expensive appliance.
Fully and semi-integrated dishwashers: What’s the difference?
A fully integrated dishwasher can completely blend into a kitchen, due to the fact that nearly all the obvious elements of a dishwasher, such as buttons and screens, are hidden from view.
The controls on a semi-integrated dishwasher, however, are visible. They are located on the outside, at the top of the machine’s door, with space for kitchen-coordinated panelling below, giving them an appearance closer to that of more standard dishwasher models.
How do you use an integrated dishwasher?
The hidden controls and discreet design raise the question of how you actually use a fully integrated dishwasher or even know whether it’s running or not.
To prepare one of these models to run a cycle, you’ll have to open it a little to consult the small controls on the inside of the top of the door.
“While not exactly onerous, it’s still more fiddly than if the controls were on the outside,” Gallagher says.
Then you’ll have to keep an eye on the floor to know if you’re about to cause a splash by opening your machine mid-cycle.
“Instead of visual indications shown on the door when the cycle’s done, or how long it has to go, an integrated dishwasher may shine a coloured light on the floor (red for in use, green for ready to unload) for a visual indication of cycle completion. Some units may even project the amount of time left onto the kitchen floor.”
Some fully integrated dishwashers project a light onto the floor to show if they’re running.
How well do integrated dishwashers perform?
As Gallagher explains, the internal components of any given integrated dishwasher will be identical to a freestanding or built-in model.
So if you’re tossing up between the integrated or freestanding versions of the same dishwasher because you’re wondering which will wash your plates better, you’re wasting your time.
“But the placement of the controls inside the door and the subtle ways some models let you know if they’re running or not mean they can be a bit harder for some people to use,” Gallagher adds.
Because an exterior finish (or lack thereof) is the only thing that really sets them apart from their more conventional counterparts, integrated dishwashers will only appeal to people pursuing a specific kitchen vision.
“If you’re remodelling and you like a minimalist look, then a fully integrated dishwasher will help you achieve this,” Gallagher says, adding that the extra costs of bespoke cladding makes it a more appealing option for those with extra money to spend.
“The extra trim panel comes at a cost, so if you’re more budget-conscious, you’d probably want to opt for a conventional freestanding or built-in dishwasher to keep costs down,” he explains.
“Integrated units work just the same as any other dishwasher when it comes down to it, so it’s really a matter of personal preference.”
Can you replace an integrated dishwasher with another model?
Save for the disruption to your kitchen aesthetic, replacing an integrated machine with a different type of dishwasher should be pretty straightforward.
One thing to be aware of, though, is that your new model might be too tall to fit in the space left by your integrated unit, especially if you’re choosing a freestanding configuration.
“Check the height of the cavity and make sure your replacement dishwasher will fit,” Gallagher advises.
“A freestanding dishwasher might be a bit too tall to fit into a space left by an integrated model, but you might be able to remove the worktop on top of the unit to bring it down to size.”
Can any dishwasher be integrated?
Gallagher says while it’s possible to integrate a conventional dishwasher into your kitchen, you should do so carefully – removing or fiddling with the front panelling can wreak havoc with the door’s spring tension and make the appliance hard to open and close.
“If the door’s too light then, firstly, it won’t stay open when you’re loading or unloading the dishwasher and secondly, it could spring shut with too much speed and force,” he explains.
“Conversely, if there’s not enough spring tension, then the door could open too rapidly and could be difficult to close again.”
Pros and cons of integrated dishwashers
Pros:
can be customised to blend into your kitchen
performs identically to conventional dishwashers.
Cons:
more expensive than other types of dishwasher
requires sourcing and installing extra panels, handles and other materials to match your kitchen
can be more difficult to use: you have to open the door to use the buttons and look for lights projected onto the floor to know if it’s running
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Liam Kennedy is a Journalist with the Editorial and investigations team. He answers consumers' most burning questions, from which scams to be aware of and how to save money, to whether new services and products are worth using and how the latest developments in consumer news could affect them.
Prior to CHOICE, Liam worked in production in daily news radio and podcasting.
Liam has a Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the University of Technology Sydney. LinkedIn
Liam Kennedy is a Journalist with the Editorial and investigations team. He answers consumers' most burning questions, from which scams to be aware of and how to save money, to whether new services and products are worth using and how the latest developments in consumer news could affect them.
Prior to CHOICE, Liam worked in production in daily news radio and podcasting.
Liam has a Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the University of Technology Sydney. LinkedIn
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