What does it take to get the dishes free of dirt and microbes?
If the voice in your head asks you this question, then let us help you answer it.
You actually need nothing but the steam dishwasher for yourself.
The hot water, created by the machine, is what turns into the steam. This works to clean your dishes as well as sanitize them.
In case you don’t have one at your home, then check out the 5 models we have listed here. They have got the quality and performance that you wouldn’t find in others.

Comparison Chart For Top 10 Steam Dishwashers
Best Steam Dishwashers Reviews
1. AIRMSEN AE-TDQR03
Transform all the messy, greasy and crusty dishes into squeaky clean with AE-TDQR03 by AIRMSEN. It delivers corner to corner coverage by using top and bottom rotating spray arms to give you deep-clean result.
The dishwasher uses only 5L of water which is low enough to prevent over-consumption and high enough for efficient cleaning.
There are 5 washing programs that use water ranging from 122°F to 167°F. It has cycles for baby stuffs, delicate items like glasses as well as for fruits. Plus, you can use 29-minute cycle for lightly soiled dishes by pressing ‘Speed’ cycle. No matter what kind of dirt and dishes you have, it would clean them up.
One confusing factor is that the ‘Baby Care’ cycle acts as heavy mode as well. It uses the highest temperature and generates steam to disinfect the dishes. Even if they got the toughest stain, just press that to work.
You can couple any of the cycles with extra-drying function to work more efficiently. It keeps the items clean, odor-free and dry for longer period by operating 1 hour of hot air drying and 72 hours of automatic ventilation.
The unit may look compact, however, it accommodates up to 4 place settings. There will be dish rack, fruit basket, cup shelf and cutlery basket so you can keep different items as long as they are up to 12 inches in diameter.
A small con is that the filter gets dirty pretty quickly. So, it’s important that you clean it after every 4 to 5 uses to keep it fresh.
Highlighted Features
- Extra-drying function keeps the dishes clean and odor-free for long period.
- 5 washing cycles for different types of dirt and dishes.
- Washes the items with water temp ranging from 122°F to 167°F.
- Comes with 4 place settings for holding different dishes.
2. Comfee WQP4-2601
This is one of the comfiest dishwashers by Comfee. Not only it’s easy to set up but easier to use as well. Its ultra-compact design makes it tight-space compatible while the inner capacity has 2 place settings to hold over 30 items. If you don’t have a lot of dishes to wash, this simple unit would suffice.
It has 5 wash cycles for different purposes. Be it fruits, glass, baby items, light soil or heavy stains, the dishwasher will clean them all. Its ‘Rapid’ mode, being the shortest, will work for 40 minutes with efficiency.
The unit can increase water temperature from 162°F to 192°F. As a result, it can deliver twice the hygiene protection than any other counterparts.
One thing that needs separate appreciation is the job of High-Temp ‘Steam’ cycle. Not only baby bottles but it also disinfects other items.
The tiny machine comes with 5L of reservoir that uses the water smartly. Although you can connect it to waterline, it’s better to use the tank as it works to save water and energy.
There is an Air Refresh function that makes the steam dishwasher more useful. It helps remove moisture and odor by circulating fresh air. As a result, it would keep your plates and the dishwasher cavity dry and fresh for prolonged period.
Highlighted Features
- Air Refresh keeps the unit and dishes dry and fresh for longer period.
- Washes the dishes with temperature ranging from 162°F to 192°F.
- 5 cycles help clean different types of dirt and dishes.
- Features 2 place settings to hold different items.
3. Kwasyo DW-01
Slightly bigger than the others, Kwasyo DW-01 comes with all extras. The unit accommodates up to 7 sets of tableware with ease. With the water temp as high as 162°F, it enables the dishes to be super spotless.
There are 6 wash programs that make it super versatile. With ‘Quick’ mode you get the light soil removed as quick as 25 minutes. Activating the ‘Heavy’ mode would take 45 minutes to wipe away the toughest dirt. It has standard as well as modes for fruits too.
One of the unique features is its ‘Self-Cleaning’ cycle. Just give the dishwasher 20 minutes, it will reduce half of your work by cleaning the interior.
Another independent function is the ‘Drain and Dry’ one. It will automatically do the work without much of your efforts.
If you want to disinfect baby dishes, you have ‘Baby Bottle’ cycle that uses high-temp steam. With the combination of dual heaters and 360° rotating spray arms, you can get the items squeaky clean.
DW-01 is a 2-in-1 steam dishwasher since it works as a storage cabinet. You can store your stuff inside while it auto-circulates air for 10 minutes every hour. With this, you won’t have any odor issues.
Although it may use more water than others with its 7L water reservoir, its still lesser than the amount wasted through hand-wash.
Highlighted Features
- 6 washing programs allow for cleaning dirt and dishes of varying types.
- Uses water of up to 162°F to clean the dishes.
- 10-minute auto-circulate air helps keep the stored items odor-free.
- Can fit 7 sets of tableware with ease.
4. Farberware FDW05ASWWHC
Add some detergents, press some buttons and let it do all the work, that’s how easy Farberware FDW05ASWWHC is. You can either use powdered or pods or liquids, the unit will accept any of them and use water of up to 162°F for efficient results.
The dishwasher comes with 5L water tank that is enough to clean the dishes thoroughly. Its top and bottom spray arms make sure the water reaches every corner of your items.
Although there are only 4 washing programs, you will love each of their performance. Apart from the basics, i.e. Rinse, Normal, and Heavy, the machine features ‘Baby Care’ cycle for killing the microbes. With the hot steam, it doesn’t only make the adult dishes safe but the baby items as well.
One great factor is that the dishwasher features ‘Delay Start’ function. You can make it start the cleaning work at night without your presence.
Holding up to 2 place settings, it has space for different types of items of up to 12-inch diameter. The unit is particularly ideal for people living alone or with spouse.
A tiny problem with the dishwasher is that it doesn’t dry the dishwasher well. If that happens, make sure to air dry them.
Highlighted Features
- 4 washing programs help clean different items.
- Delay start function helps auto-start the unit without your presence.
- Uses water of up to 162°F to remove the grime.
- Holds up to 2 place settings for different items.
5. Non Branded USZY DW03
A very lightweight steam dishwasher. USZY DW03 weighs around 25 pounds so you can take it to the camp too.
The unit comes with 5 wash cycles. Apart from Fruit and Standard, it has 29-minute Fast mode for lightly-soiled particles, Eco for saving water and Strong for the hard grimes.
Note that you will need to select Strong Cleaning mode to use the steam function. This will turn 167°F water to the steam for deep cleaning baby bottles and other items.
The unit comes with 14 water ports on the top and bottom spray arms to give 360° coverage. As it covers all the areas, you can expect your items to be super clean at the end.
There is a 5L tank that lets you fill the water directly for your convenience. You will get a hose too, in case you want to connect it to the waterline.
The dishwasher has an hour of hot air drying and 72 hours of auto-ventilation feature. Not only it helps keep the dishes clean and dry but odor-free as well.
About the capacity, it comes with 4 place settings that are enough to hold a variety of stuff.
The only downside is that the unit has been made of plastic. So it may consume more electricity. In case that bothers you, we would suggest you check hybrid options that use less electricity.
Highlighted Features
- 5 wash cycles for cleaning different types of items and grimes.
- Heats water of up to 167°F to wipe away the dirt.
- Comes with 4 place settings for different dishes.
- Weighs only 25lbs, so easy to carry.
Best Steam Dishwasher Buying Guide
Washing Cycles
Make sure your steam dishwasher has multiple washing cycles for different dish and dirt types. Let’s mention the common ones-
- Normal- This is a standard cycle ideal for daily needs.
- Heavy- It helps loosen and remove the hardest dirt from the dishes.
- Baby Care- This one generates highest-temperature steam to help disinfect both baby and adult items.
- Quick- A rapid cycle that is ideal for light soils.
- Self-Cleaning- This function helps reduce your work of cleaning the machine and does the job itself automatically.
High Temperature
As per the National Sanitation Foundation, a private organization, the minimum temperature required for killing the food bacteria is 150°F. So make sure you check the dishwasher’s water temp range before making a purchase.
The options we have listed here steam-clean the dishes with water temp ranging from 162°F to 167°F. Some models like Comfee WQP4-2601 can even go as high as 192°F to deliver double protection.
Other Functions
If you want more versatile options, then look for the functions that meet your requirements. Some of them include-
- Delay Start- It lets you decide when you exactly want the dishwasher to operate. This is a useful feature if you want to clean the dishes at night without your press-work.
- Child Lock- This is for those parents who want to keep the child as well as the machine safe.
- Hot Air Drying- It uses heated mechanism to keep the dishes dry and odor-free.
Place Settings
Although steam-based dishwasher will come compact, they should have enough space to hold different kinds of items.
There can be 2 to 8 place settings inside the dishwasher depending on the model. If you are alone or have one more member in the house, then 2 place settings would be enough to fit all the dirty items. If there are more members, then you can check some units coming with 4 to 8 place settings.
Water Supply Options
Most of the steam dishwashers come with two different water inlet options. One includes a tank holding 5L to 7L water so that you can pour water directly and let the unit use it efficiently. Not only it’s convenient but also saves water more than what you use while handwashing the dishes.
Another option involves a water hose that lets you connect to the kitchen faucet so that it funnels water from there. One hassle with such method is that you have to set it up separately. Since the steps are simple, it shouldn’t be a big issue. There are many models that work with the second method only.
It all depends on what you prefer the most.
Weight
Steam dishwasher can weigh from 25 to 102 pounds depending on the material and construction. Try to get the lighter one if you want to carry it from home to any picnic spot or camp.
In case you’re planning to move with it frequently, then you can check USZY DW03 that weighs only 25.5 pounds.
Durability
The common materials for steam dishwashers are stainless steel and plastic. Most of them come with a hybrid of these materials to give you benefits of both.
No matter what unit you get, make sure it uses high-quality materials to last long. While stainless steel works to boost drying performance, plastic helps keep the cavity clean.
Steam Dishwasher Vs Standard Dishwasher
Water Temperature
Standard dishwasher increases water temperature of up to 160°F for the cleaning work while steam dishwashers can reach 192°F.
By adding the steam cycle, the unit will continue to heat the water more that makes it go up to 212°F. Thus, water changes into steam.
However, some steam dishwashers use both water and steam. The function varies in models.
Food Remains
Steam dishwashers can remove dried and stuck-on particles than standard dishwashers. The steam uses heat that helps melt the waxes and oils that makes dish cleaning a breeze.
Meanwhile, the latter one does better work when it comes to cleaning the toughest gunk such as burnt noodles or baked-on pasta sauce.
Wash Cycle Time
Wash cycles of standard dishwashers can last from 25 minutes to 4 hours depending on the program you have set. This is without the Steam Cycle. Meanwhile, this cycle adds 20 to 30 minutes more to the overall process.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Are Steam Dishwashers Better?
If you want to clean dried food particles, then Steam dishwashers are better than the regular ones. It helps soften the gunk so that cleaning the dishes becomes easier during the main washing operation.
Not just that, since the cycle uses the highest temperature, it helps sanitize the dishes too. You may find it more ideal for cleaning baby items particularly.
2. Which Dishwasher Gets Dishes The Cleanest?
Comfee WQP4-2601 tends to get the dishes the cleanest. Each of the 5 washing programs works effectively depending on the types it is cleaning.
Starting from light soils to heavy stains, this unit removes all the particles from the dishes.
It heats the water up to 192°F, which means it can disinfect both the baby and adult items.
The unit has an Air Refresh program that you can use to get the moisture and odor out of cavity and the dishes. So, not only it makes the stuff very clean but fresh as well.
3. Do Dishwashers Produce Steam?
Yes. Dishwashers increase the water temperature up to 212°F that turns the water into steam.
4. Is Dishwasher Steam Toxic?
Dishwasher steam is not toxic when it comes to the dishes. However, it can be a medium to create long-term health problems.
When you open the door right after the wash cycle ends, it releases a big number of pollutants from the tap water supply and travels throughout the home. This is what can cause the issue.
If you don’t want that to happen, then make sure the home has adequate ventilation. Keep the dishwasher close to window so that you can open it for 5 to 10 minutes after use and get the pollutants out of your home.
5. Do Steam Dishwashers Need Detergent?
No, steam cycle does not need any kind of detergent to work. The hot temperature of water particles is enough to soften the particles and disinfect the items.
However, you can use detergents for other wash programs.
Final Words
Steam dishwashers have been a popular choice among many users because of the facilities they give.
They don’t limit themselves to cleaning only. Instead, they go beyond the standard ones and help kill the microorganisms to sanitize your dishes thanks to the steam.
If you want to get rid of all those troubles, then bring the best steam dishwasher to your home. Hope the list helps you settle on one.
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