Our pick
This portable dishwasher rolls up to your sink, hooks up to the faucet, runs like any other dishwasher, and wheels back into storage when you’re done. This is a compact, 18-inch model.
This is a standard-width, 24-inch version of the GE portable dishwasher, with as much capacity as in a typical built-in model.
We recommend the 18-inch GE GPT145SSLSS and 24-inch GE GPT225SSLSS portable dishwashers. Get the big one if you have the space for it, but the slimmer one is also great if that’s what fits. These are all-around decent dishwashers that feel sturdier and should prove to be more convenient than any of the other models available at this writing.
The main reason that GE portable dishwashers are worth it is the retractable hose: When you’re not using the dishwasher, you can rewind the hose and faucet-clamp assembly into the dishwasher cabinet, out of sight and out of the way. Setting up the dishwasher for use is also easy because the faucet clamp sits waist-high, so you can grab the assembly and pull it toward the sink rather than reaching down to unravel a coil of hose. Retractable hoses used to be a standard feature on portable dishwashers and are so much more convenient (and likely more durable) than the chintzy clip-to-store hoses that cheaper models use now.
Otherwise, GE portable dishwashers are similar to all the other portable dishwashers available now (and way better than hand washing). We weren’t able to test the cleaning performance of the GE machines because we shut down our office due to the pandemic. But we know from experience that most dishwashers clean well if you load them properly and use decent detergent. And complaints about poor cleaning are rare among owner reviews for portable dishwashers. The drying performance of the GE models should be okay; there’s no added-heat drying option, but each model does have a stainless steel tub, which helps dry dishes passively from the residual heat in the machine as long as you use a rinse aid. Their noise level is low enough, with decibel ratings in the mid-50s. The cycle selections (auto, heavy, light, sanitize) and run times (about two to two and a half hours) are similar to those of affordable built-in dishwashers. And they’re efficient enough to qualify for Energy Star.
Other noteworthy features: The GE portables have “integrated” control panels—they’re hidden on the top of the door, rather than visible on the front. The style is considered an aesthetic upgrade, but not everybody is a fan since the hidden panel makes it hard to tell whether the dishwasher has finished running. GE also says that its portable dishwashers have a food grinder in addition to the regular filter. (Grinders are mostly a harmless gimmick.)
Flaws but not dealbreakers
The most common complaint about GE portable dishwashers is that the faucet clamp doesn’t work with a lot of faucets by default. We had this problem when we tried to test it. You might have to buy an adapter set to make it work with your existing faucet. (We don’t know enough about which types of faucets it can or can’t work with to offer good guidance here.)
Some owners have noted in reviews that the racks on the 18-inch models are laid out in such a way that they don’t hold many dishes, particularly big ones like pots. Many of these complaints seem to come from owners who are comparing the GE model’s racks with the racks on 18-inch dishwashers that they had previously owned. It could be true that the layout in the GE portable dishwasher is less conducive to holding certain types of dishes in that the dimensions are the same but the contours are different from those of other 18-inch models. Or it could be that the owners haven’t figured out how to adjust their dish-loading strategy to make the best use of the space.
For what it’s worth, reviews for Danby and SPT models do have fewer complaints about the rack capacity, so if the layout seems like a dealbreaker, you could opt for one of those models. Or, you could consider a full-width, 24-inch portable instead.
One other notable change from older portable dishwashers: The GE models don’t have a tray for water-softening salts; none of the current-generation models do, unfortunately. If you previously relied on salts for decent performance in hard water, you’ll need to explore alternatives.
