What Is a Quiet Decibel Level for a Dishwasher

The kitchen is the central gathering spot in the home. It's where the kids gather to do homework, where house guests strike up conversation and families unwind over a meal after a long day. There's nothing worse than a loud clunky dishwasher disturbing the mood. We'll detail how the quietest dishwasher is measured and our favorite brand.

What is a dBA?

A-weighted decibels, abbreviated dBA are how we measure the relative loudness of sounds in air as perceived by the human ear. All this means is how bothersome a noise is to us. dBA is the most common way we measure how quiet dishwashers are and helps us find the quietest dishwasher.

On the dBA scale, the lower the number the quieter the sound is. 0 dBA is the softest level that a person can hear. A whisper is around 20 dBA. A computer keyboard is about 50 dBA. A normal conversation is 60 dBA. A vacuum cleaner is around 80 dBA. A rock concert is 115 dBA and an ambulance is about 125 dBA.

Quiet Dishwashers Come to the Kitchen

As kitchens opened up and turned in to a gathering spot, the need for quiet dishwashers grew. Back in the early 2000's the average dishwasher dBA was 60. People had to talk over their noisy dishwashers.

The German appliance brand, Bosch, had a leg up on manufacturing quiet dishwashers. Many European brands were making quieter dishwashers since the 1980s and Bosch was one of the first to bring this noise-reducing technology to America. The popularity of the new machines shifted the dishwasher market and now most dishwashers fall between 40 and 50 dBA.

Bosch's Quietest Dishwasher Line

Although most manufactures have started making quieter dishwashers, Bosch is still the quietest dishwasher brand in the US. Their 38 dBA dishwasher, model SHX9PT75UC, is their quietest available unit. It's so quiet that it beams a red light on the floor to let you know it's running.

Miele is the only other brand with a standard dishwasher below 38 dBA. Their "Extra Quiet" mode achieves 37 dBA but it takes a very long time to complete a cycle. Additionally, a difference of 1 dBA is inaudible to the human ear. In fact, most people would have trouble noticing a difference between 37- 40 dBAs.

Most Bosch dishwashers are below 45 dBAs. This is below the threshold to wake up a human and well below the noise of a conversation meaning you won't ever have a noise complaint. Coupled with Bosch's great cleaning performance and reasonable price range, we'd recommend Bosch dishwashers for any home kitchen.

Before you Shop

You'd be hard pressed to find dishwashers as loud as models from the early 2000s. Most dishwasher brands try to limit noise so it doesn't disrupt your kitchen. Any dishwasher in the 40-45 dBA range will be noticeable but it'll never force someone to speak up. If you want the quietest dishwasher for your kitchen, look in the 37-39 range.

Ready to get a quote on a quiet dishwasher? We'll help you find the perfect dishwasher for your home!