How loud is a Gaggenau dishwasher?
A current Gaggenau dishwasher prints 42 dB (re 1 pW) for noise, whichever of the six US models you choose. The highlights on each product page repeat the figure as "Very quiet: 42 dB".
- 400 series, tall tub: DF481701 and flexible hinge DF481701F, 34 1/8 inches high.
- 400 series, Euro tub: DF480701 and flexible hinge DF480701F, 32 3/16 inches, ADA compliant.
- 200 series, tall tub: DF211701, 34 1/8 inches.
- 200 series, Euro tub: DF210701, 32 3/16 inches, ADA compliant.
All six hold 13 place settings and list "ENERGY STAR certified." with 240 kWh a year. The spec sheets, revised July 2026, agree with the pages on the figure.
What does "42 dB (re 1 pW)" mean?
On a Gaggenau page, "42 dB (re 1 pW)" is a sound power level: the total sound the dishwasher radiates, referenced to one picowatt, rather than the pressure at one listening spot. It does not change with how far away you stand.
Gaggenau prints the unit as dB, without the (A) that Miele adds to its own re 1 pW figures, and names no cycle, load or standard. The manuals add only that "The noise level can vary, depending on what kind of dishes are loaded and where they are placed."
A re 1 pW number and a plain dBA cannot share one ranking, for reasons our explainer on the two quantities sets out.
Is the Gaggenau 400 series quieter than the 200 series?
No. Gaggenau prints 42 dB (re 1 pW) for both series, so the extra money buys features, not a lower figure.
The 400 series gets "Glass protection with zeolite.", eight programs, four options including Sanitize, smooth running rails and a motorized spray arm in the lower basket. The 200 series has six programs, three options and plain "Glass protection."
The 400 series also lists push-to-open, "for perfect integration into custom cabinet fronts". The 200 series pages list no such function, and the 200 spec sheet offers a stainless steel handle for the custom panel instead.
Which Gaggenau fits an ADA counter or a shallow toe kick?
For an ADA height counter, Gaggenau's Euro tub models fit at 32 3/16 inches: the DF210701, DF480701 and DF480701F. For a shallow toe kick or a raised installation, the flexible hinge F models are the ones built for it.
Their sheet describes a "Flexible hinge for reduced toe kick height as low as 1 15/16" (50 mm) or tall unit installation." Gaggenau's 400 series page says flexible hinges "allow for a more fitted, integrated installation, practically anywhere in the kitchen."
Panel weight matters as much as height. Gaggenau allows 18 lb on the Euro tub models without the flexible hinge, 22 lb on the tall tubs, and 24 lb on both F models.
Why did older Gaggenau pages say 44 dB?
The 200 series machines Gaggenau replaced were rated higher. The DF210700 and DF211700 pages print "Noise level 44 dB (re 1 pW).", and the older DF250761 and DF251761 pages say "Quiet: 44 dB". All four now read "Product is no longer available".
The 400 series did not move. The DF480700 and DF481700 pages, also marked no longer available, print the same 42 dB (re 1 pW) as the current 701 models.
So a dealer listing a 200 series at 44 dB is most likely quoting the older 700 or 761 model. Check the last three digits: the current pair ends in 701.
What is Gaggenau's temporary noise reduction?
Temporary noise reduction is a Gaggenau setting that lowers the noise for a while, and it is "only available with active Home Connect functionality", which means through the app. All six current models list it.
Gaggenau gives no figure for it. The 400 series page mentions "temporarily reducing the noise" among the adjustments its programs allow, and the overview page says the 200 series includes "time and noise reduction", but neither page nor the July 2026 sheets says how quiet or how long.
How can you tell a quiet Gaggenau is running?
A current Gaggenau shows it is running with a light: a floor countdown on the standard 400 series, a spot on the floor on the 200 series, and a side light on the flexible hinge models.
On the DF480701 and DF481701, the manual says status information "is projected onto the floor below the appliance door, e.g. the remaining run time". It cannot be seen "if the base panel is pulled forward", nor when the machine sits at eye level behind a flush front. The pages add that it needs a minimum toe kick protrusion to show.
On the 200 series, the manual says that while the cycle runs "a spot of light is projected onto the floor below the appliance door", with the same eye level caveat. The F models list a "Lateral Info-Light." instead, which suits a raised installation.
For sound, the manuals list "Tone volume" and "Button volume" settings, and in both, level 0 switches the tones off.
How does Gaggenau compare with Bosch and Thermador?
Gaggenau's US EnergyGuide label names BSH Home Appliances Corporation, the company named on Bosch and Thermador US spec sheets, but Gaggenau alone of the three labels its dishwasher figure re 1 pW. Bosch and Thermador print a "Silence Level" in dBA with no reference, distance or standard.
Gaggenau's 42 is a sound power number, and the Bosch and Thermador figures read like sound pressure, so we do not rank a Gaggenau against a Bosch dishwasher or a Thermador on this page. Among other fully integrated machines, our panel ready dishwasher guide keeps sound power and dBA figures in separate groups.
What does a Gaggenau dishwasher cost?
Gaggenau does not publish US dishwasher prices. Each product page shows "Find a showroom or a local dealer" where a price would be, so what you pay is set by the dealer.
That leaves no price gap to weigh against the noise figure, which is the same 42 dB (re 1 pW) on all six. Ask the dealer to quote the full model number, since the older 200 series 700 models printed 44.
