What makes a dishwasher silent?

We indicate the noise level in decibels. For dishwashers, this is somewhere between 39 and 49dB. You might think 43dB and 46dB doesn't differ much, but it actually makes a great difference. Every 3dB is a duplication of the noise. This means that a dishwasher with a noise level of 46dB is twice as loud as one of 43dB.

When you work from home a lot or like to watch exciting movies, a silent dishwasher is a good choice. A model like that has a noise level of 42dB or less. The dishwasher will still produce noise, but you'll barely hear it. Silent dishwashers have an insulated casing and an inverter motor, also called a brushless motor. These don't have extra parts that contribute to the propulsion, so there's less friction. This automatically means less noise.

A freestanding dishwasher produces about 2dB more sound than a built-in dishwasher. That's almost a duplication of the noise. A built-in dishwasher produces less noise, because the countertop is located above the appliance. The dishwasher cycle also makes a difference. For example, there are models with special night cycles that make less noise.