Do dishwasher brands publish decibel ratings?
Yes, every dishwasher maker we checked prints a noise figure in dBA, unlike the makers of fans, heaters or washing machines, which makes dishwashers the easy case.
GE calls it a "Quiet Package", Bosch a "Silence Level", LG "LoDecibel Quiet Operation", Frigidaire a "Sound Level" and Samsung a "Noise Level". Whirlpool and Maytag put the figure in the product name.
None says which wash cycle the figure describes, however, and none names a test standard. So a 47 from one brand and a 48 from another may not be measured the same way. Treat a decibel or two between one dishwasher brand and another as unknown, and trust comparisons within one brand most.
The makers do agree on what the scale means. Whirlpool says every increase of 10 decibels doubles the perceived noise of a dishwasher.
How many decibels is a quiet dishwasher?
A quiet dishwasher is 48 dBA or lower by Bosch's definition, and 44 dBA or lower by Whirlpool's. The two biggest brands draw the line in slightly different places.
- Bosch: any model at 48 dBA or lower is deemed quiet, and a buyer should look for models under 45 dBA.
- Whirlpool: 44 dBA or lower may be considered quiet, and 50 dBA or above tends to be thought of as average.
By either definition, the quiet models under $800 sit between 44 and 48 dBA.
What is the quietest dishwasher under $700 or $800 at list price?
At list price, the quietest dishwashers we checked reach 47 dBA both under $700 and under $800, from Whirlpool and Maytag. Grouped by the list price on each maker's own site, the pattern is clear:
- Under $700: 47 to 53 dBA. The Whirlpool models reach 47. The Frigidaire and Samsung models with plastic or hybrid tubs sit at 52 and 53.
- $700 to $800: 47 to 52 dBA. The Maytag reaches 47 and the Bosch entry model 48.
- $800 to $1,200: 44 to 50 dBA.
- Over $1,200: 42 to 44 dBA, from the Bosch 500 and 800 Series and LG's LDPH7972D at its $1,549 list price.
Within one brand the steps are even. Bosch runs from 48 dBA at $729 to 44 at $1,249 and 42 at $1,449. GE runs from 52 dBA at a $749 list price to 44 at $1,199.
Across all its current models GE's spread is wider still, and our GE dishwasher decibels page lists every GE and GE Profile figure from 39 to 60 dBA.
Along the way you gain a stainless tub where the cheapest models have plastic, a third rack, and on the top Bosch a different drying system. Those are the same features the makers credit for lower noise.
If your budget stretches past $800, our guide to the quietest dishwashers at every price goes down to the 38 dBA models from Samsung, Bosch and JennAir.
Can you get a 42 dBA dishwasher under $800 on sale?
Yes, LG's own site had its 42 dBA LDPH7972D at $799 against $1,549 when we checked, the biggest discount we saw. List prices are one thing; sale prices are another.
GE's own site had its quieter models heavily discounted too: the 44 dBA GE Profile PDT715SYVFS at $749 against $1,199, and the 45 dBA GDP670SYVFS at $629 against $1,049. LG had its 48 dBA LDFN4542S at $749 against $1,049.
Samsung discounts on its own site as well: when we checked for our Samsung dishwasher decibels page on October 4, 2026, the 46 dBA DW80CG5450SRAA was $599.
That is why our top three picks are sale buys. At list price, none is under $800. On sale, all three are quieter than anything that is.
Sale prices end without notice, and GE labels the PDT715SYVFS offer Sale Clearance. If the sales have ended when you look, the Maytag MDB8959SKZ is the quietest we found at full price under $800, if you can find one: Maytag had it out of stock as a closeout on October 24, 2026. Whirlpool's 47 dBA pair climbed from $679 to $949 between our checks.
What makes a dishwasher quiet?
A quiet dishwasher comes down to the same few features in the makers' own explanations: a stainless steel tub, insulation, a quieter motor and the filter type.
A stainless steel tub
Whirlpool says stainless tubs help dampen noise and are generally quieter than plastic. In our data, every model at 47 dBA or below has a stainless tub.
Whirlpool says the insulation blanket around the machine is designed to trap heat and muffle sound, and its installation instructions say not to remove it. GE's quieter models add a full-wrap blanket to the door insulation of its cheaper ones.
Bosch credits its EcoSilence motor, multi-layer insulation and a sound-absorbing base. GE lists a variable speed motor, a quiet water valve and a sealed toe kick.
Whirlpool says models with food disposals are noisier than models without, and that a food trap filter makes for quieter running. The published figures complicate that: GE's disposer models post 44 and 45 dBA. Check the figure behind the feature.
How do you make a dishwasher run quieter?
You can make a dishwasher run quieter by keeping the insulation blanket, loading it so nothing rattles and checking that the door clears the cabinets. Whirlpool's manual says the blanket reduces the sound level.
Load so nothing rattles
Bosch's manual lists the load as a cause of changing noise. Its remedies: arrange dishes so the spray arms do not strike them, rest items on the tines so they do not touch each other, secure light items, and avoid tiny loads where the water jets hit the tub directly.
Check the door and the cabinet. Bosch says the closed door should not knock against the cabinets or worktop.
Know what is normal. Whirlpool says the drain pump can sound loud on the first run because there is no water in the system yet. Bosch says a knocking fill valve is caused by the home's plumbing, not the machine.
If you rent and cannot install a built-in at all, our guide to countertop and portable dishwashers covers the machines that connect to the faucet instead, where most published figures cluster at 52 dB.
Does ENERGY STAR rate dishwasher noise?
No, ENERGY STAR does not rate dishwasher noise: a search of its dishwasher specification turned up no mention of noise, sound or decibels, because the label is about energy and water use.
Several of the quietest models here are not ENERGY STAR qualified, including the Whirlpool and Maytag at 47 dBA, while the Frigidaire at 52 dBA is.
Where do budget dishwasher shoppers give up the most quiet?
Budget dishwasher shoppers give up the most quiet by paying list price when a quieter model is on sale, trusting ENERGY STAR on noise, choosing a plastic tub, reading meaning into a 1 dBA gap and removing the insulation blanket.
Paying list price for a loud machine when a quieter one is on sale
Check GE and LG's own sites before you buy.
Assuming ENERGY STAR means quiet
It does not cover noise.
Choosing a plastic tub to save money
The plastic and hybrid tubs here are the loudest models we found.
Treating a 1 dBA gap as meaningful
No maker says how its figure was measured.
Removing the insulation blanket during installation
Whirlpool says it reduces the sound level.
