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Published August 10, 2026. Updated October 10, 2026.
Is a countertop dishwasher worth it? Yes, if you’re short on plumbing or floor space. No, if you already have room for a full-size machine.
I have used small-kitchen appliances for years, and the capacity printed on the box has rarely matched what fits in the machine. That is why I look at real capacity before anything else.
The GE Profile PZF560HGWBB is the best all-around pick among currently sold models. It is the quietest at a published 52 dBA, and the only one of these three that can later move into an under-sink or built-in cabinet install. The BLACK+DECKER BCD6W is the cheapest way into a real faucet-hookup machine. The Farberware FDW05ASBWHA skips plumbing entirely with a fill-and-go water tank, at the cost of real capacity. None of these three replaces a full-size dishwasher for a family of four. They solve a narrower problem: a rental, a small kitchen, or an RV that has never had a dishwasher at all.
Which Countertop Dishwasher Fits Your Kitchen?
- Best overall: GE Profile PZF560HGWBB — quietest published spec, convertible to under-sink or built-in later. Downside: the most expensive of the three, and full built-in flexibility costs extra for the trim kit.
- Best budget faucet-hookup model: BLACK+DECKER BCD6W — real compressor-free faucet-hookup washing at the lower price of the two faucet models. Downside: louder, and it won’t fit an 11-inch dinner plate.
- Best for zero plumbing: Farberware FDW05ASBWHA — fill the tank, no faucet adapter needed. Downside: closer to a 2-place-setting machine in practice than its marketed capacity.
What Does a Countertop Dishwasher Do?
All three machines do the same basic job as a full-size dishwasher. They spray heated water through a wash arm, rinse, and dry. They are just shrunk to fit on a counter and plumbed either to your kitchen faucet or to a small internal tank. That’s the whole pitch: dishwasher-style cleaning in a kitchen too small, too rented, or too old to fit a built-in unit.
Where they diverge is water source and installation. The GE Profile and BLACK+DECKER both connect to a kitchen faucet with an included quick-connect adapter. They draw live water for each cycle, the same way a full-size dishwasher does. The Farberware FDW05ASBWHA instead uses a 5-liter tank you fill manually before each run. There’s no adapter and no faucet hookup. That matters if your faucet doesn’t accept the standard adapter thread. It also matters if you’re using the machine somewhere without easy sink access, like a finished basement bar or an RV.
Countertop Dishwasher Specs: GE Profile vs BLACK+DECKER vs Farberware
| Spec | GE Profile PZF560HGWBB | BLACK+DECKER BCD6W | Farberware FDW05ASBWHA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$539–$599 | ~$315 | ~$310 |
| Capacity | 6 place settings, or up to 24 bar glasses | 6 place settings | ~2 place settings in practice (tank-fill design) |
| Water source | Faucet quick-connect | Faucet quick-connect | 5-liter built-in tank, no plumbing |
| Cycles | Quick (30 min), Heavy, Normal, AutoSense, Rinse, Custom | 7 programs: Normal, Intensive, Eco, Glass, 90-Minute, Rapid, Soak | Multiple wash settings; no faucet needed for any of them |
| Published noise level | 52 dBA | ~60 dB | Not independently published |
| Install options | Counter, under-sink, or built-in with optional trim kit ($199–$399) | Countertop only | Countertop only |
| ENERGY STAR certified | Yes | Yes | Not certified; rated at 130 kWh/year |
Specs come from each manufacturer’s current published listings. They are cross-checked against independent test data from America’s Test Kitchen, which ran a formal comparison of countertop dishwashers. It included a Farberware-style tank-fill model against larger faucet-hookup units.
How Much Does a Countertop Dishwasher Save You?
The EPA’s ENERGY STAR program publishes the only independently verified numbers in this category. They make the case for any of these three over hand-washing. According to ENERGY STAR, a certified dishwasher uses less than half the energy of hand-washing the same load. It can save roughly 8,400 gallons of water a year compared to washing by hand. That cuts a household’s water and energy costs by up to $220 a year versus the sink. ENERGY STAR’s own messaging also notes that certified compact dishwashers, the category these three fall into, run “approximately 30% more energy efficient and 43% more water efficient than conventional models.” The estimated annual operating cost is around $30 a year.
What Does a Year of Running One Cost?
Here’s what none of these three brands print clearly on the box: the cost of a full year of ownership. The table below uses GE’s own published water-use figure of approximately 2 gallons per cycle and Farberware’s published annual energy rating. Those are applied against the EPA’s ~$30/year compact-dishwasher operating-cost estimate for context. It assumes five cycles a week, a realistic pace for a one- or two-person household using one of these as its primary dishwasher.
| GE Profile PZF560HGWBB | BLACK+DECKER BCD6W | Farberware FDW05ASBWHA | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machine price | ~$599 | ~$315 | ~$310 |
| Est. annual operating cost (energy + water) | ~$30 (ENERGY STAR compact estimate) | Not published | Not published |
| Effective capacity per cycle | 6 place settings | 6 place settings | ~2 place settings |
| Cycles needed for the same weekly load as GE | 1x | 1x | ~3x |
The takeaway: the Farberware’s low sticker price is misleading once you account for capacity. Its tank-fill design holds roughly a third of what the GE Profile or BLACK+DECKER can wash in one cycle. A household that would run the GE once a day needs to run the Farberware two to three times to clear the same dishes. That means more manual refills and more total cycle time.
Prices are approximate, current as of publication, and change frequently — confirm the latest price with the retailer before buying.
GE Profile PZF560HGWBB: Best Overall
The GE Profile is the newest machine in this comparison. It reached the market in November 2025. It is built around a different pitch than the other two. Buy it as a countertop unit now, then convert it to an under-sink or fully built-in installation later with an optional trim kit. You don’t need a new machine for that. It also carries the lowest published noise rating here (52 dBA). It includes a WiFi-connected app and an NSF-certified “Baby Care” sanitizing cycle.
Pros: Quietest published noise level of the three. Only model with a real path to built-in installation later. WiFi app control and a certified sanitizing cycle. ENERGY STAR certified.
Cons: Highest sticker price. The built-in trim kits are a separate purchase. Some retailers list it as non-returnable once opened.
Best for: Anyone who wants to start on the counter but might renovate or install it permanently later. Also anyone sensitive to dishwasher noise in an open-plan kitchen.
BLACK+DECKER BCD6W: Best Budget
The BCD6W gets you real faucet-hookup dishwashing for close to half the price of the GE Profile. The mechanism is the same basic one. It runs seven distinct cycles, including a 90-minute option and a dedicated glass cycle. It also includes a child lock and a 24-hour delay start, where the GE’s delay tops out at 12 hours.
Pros: Lowest price of the two faucet-hookup models. Seven wash programs, including a glassware-specific setting. Child lock and delay start included. ENERGY STAR certified.
Cons: Loudest published spec (~60 dB) of the two faucet-hookup models. Black+Decker lists dinner plates up to 10 inches. Needs a hot-water faucet at full pressure to run properly.
Best for: Renters and budget-conscious buyers who have faucet access. They want a genuine dishwasher experience without the GE Profile’s price.
Farberware FDW05ASBWHA: Best for Zero Plumbing
The Farberware is the only one of the three that never touches your faucet. Fill its 5-liter internal tank, load your dishes, and run a cycle. That helps if your faucet’s threading won’t accept a quick-connect adapter. It also helps if the machine needs to live somewhere without sink access at all. Reviewed.com’s testing rated its cleaning performance at 99%+ stain removal. That is the strongest single data point we found across independent reviews of any model in this category.
Pros: No plumbing or faucet adapter required at all. Strong independently tested cleaning performance. Smallest footprint of the three.
Cons: Effective capacity is closer to 2 place settings than its “6-piece” marketing language suggests. Not ENERGY STAR certified. Short power cord that Home Depot’s own spec sheet notes may require an extension cord.
Best for: Studio apartments, RVs, or any spot where running a water line simply isn’t an option.
How We Compared These Three Dishwashers
This comparison is built from each manufacturer’s current published specifications. It is cross-checked against independent testing from America’s Test Kitchen and Reviewed.com. It also draws on owner feedback and long-term reliability patterns reported across major retail listings. For more on our process, see our editorial standards.
Countertop Dishwasher FAQ
Is a countertop dishwasher worth buying?
Yes, if you lack space or plumbing for a full-size dishwasher. ENERGY STAR data shows even a compact certified dishwasher uses less energy and far less water than hand-washing the same load. It’s not worth it if you already have room to install a full-size unit. A countertop machine’s per-cycle capacity is a fraction of a built-in dishwasher’s.
Do countertop dishwashers need to be hooked up to a faucet?
The GE Profile PZF560HGWBB and BLACK+DECKER BCD6W both connect to a kitchen faucet with an included quick-connect adapter. The Farberware FDW05ASBWHA is the exception. It uses a manually filled internal water tank and needs no faucet connection at all.
How many dishes fit in a countertop dishwasher?
The GE Profile and BLACK+DECKER are both rated for 6 place settings. The Farberware FDW05ASBWHA is marketed similarly. However, independent testing and its tank-fill design put its real per-cycle capacity closer to 2 place settings.
Can a countertop dishwasher later become a built-in dishwasher?
Only the GE Profile PZF560HGWBB in this comparison is designed for that. It can be converted to an under-sink or fully built-in installation with an optional trim kit sold separately. The BLACK+DECKER and Farberware models are countertop-only.
Which Dishwasher Should You Buy?
If budget allows and you might want to install it permanently down the road, the GE Profile PZF560HGWBB is the standout. It offers quiet operation and a built-in upgrade path. If you just need real faucet-hookup dishwashing at a lower price, the BLACK+DECKER BCD6W gets it done. If plumbing isn’t an option at all, the Farberware FDW05ASBWHA is the only one of the three built to skip it.
For more small-kitchen-appliance comparisons, browse our Small Appliances coverage. That includes how Ninja Foodi, Instant Vue, and Cosori Pro air fryers compare, and our breakdown of Vitamix, Ninja, and Blendtec blenders. Both help if you’re outfitting more of a small kitchen at once.
Prices are approximate, current as of publication, and change frequently — confirm the latest price with the retailer before buying.
