Dishwasher Dimensions: Standard and Compact Sizes Explained

These are typical figures for each class. The exact cutout varies by model, so treat this table as a planning guide and confirm the cutout for the model you pick before you order.

A unit sold as 24 inches is about 23½ to 23⅞ inches wide, which leaves a sliver of clearance on each side of a 24-inch opening. The legs adjust the machine across roughly 33⅜ to 35 inches, and the opening is usually quoted as 34 to 35 inches high, though some spec sheets accept as little as 33½ inches.

The body is about 22½ to 24 inches deep. Handles add roughly 1 to 2 inches, and the door swings out to about 45 to 51 inches from the wall when open. Capacity runs 12 to 16 place settings, and a third rack uses the top of the tub rather than adding height to the cabinet.

This is the default choice for a full kitchen with a standard 24-inch cabinet gap, and the size most replacement shoppers are matching.

An 18-inch machine measures about 17⅝ to 17¾ inches wide and needs an opening about 18 inches wide. Its height range is wider than a standard model's, roughly 32 to 35 inches depending on the model, so confirm the minimum height for the model you pick before you commit.

Depth is about 22¼ to 23 inches, and the door needs around 48 inches of clear space when open. Capacity is 8 to 10 place settings, which suits a small kitchen, a second unit, or a household that runs the machine often rather than filling it to the brim.

An 18-inch unit can go into a 24-inch opening with filler panels or shims. The reverse does not work: a 24-inch machine needs about 6 inches more cabinet width than an 18-inch opening gives.

Accessible-design guidance caps work-surface height at 34 inches, and a standard 34 to 35 inch machine will not slide under a counter that low. ADA-height models are about 32 to 32½ inches tall and come in both 24-inch and 18-inch widths.

They also work as a fallback in a standard kitchen: raise the legs and an ADA-height machine fits a normal-height opening, which helps when a standard model's minimum height is just too tall for the space.

The trade-off is a slightly shorter tub, so confirm the place-setting capacity for the model you pick if you load large platters and tall pots.

Drawer dishwashers

A double drawer drops into the standard 24-inch opening, at about 23 9/16 inches wide, 21¾ inches deep and 32¼ to 36⅜ inches high. A single drawer is much shorter, roughly 16 to 17 inches tall, and can suit an ADA-height install. Plan for about 41 inches of depth with a double drawer's drawers open.

Portable dishwashers on wheels

A portable unit typically measures about 24 inches wide, 27 inches deep and 37 inches high, with ranges across the class of roughly 20½ to 24¾ inches wide, 26 to 30 inches deep and 35 to 38½ inches high. The worktop on top adds height and doubles as counter space. Plan the path to the sink and where the machine parks when it is not in use.

Countertop dishwashers

This is the smallest class, roughly 16½ to 21½ inches wide, 17 to 22 inches deep and 17 to 20 inches high. Check the clearance under the upper cabinets and the depth with the door down, which on some units comes close to 30 inches.

1. Width. Measure from the inside face of one cabinet to the inside face of the other, at the top and at the bottom, and keep the smaller number.
2. Height. Measure from the finished floor to the underside of the counter at the front, middle and back, and keep the smallest. Watch for flooring laid around an old unit, underlayment, and a plywood deck under a stone counter.
3. Depth. Measure from the back wall to the cabinet face, then subtract anything that sticks out, such as a shutoff valve, an outlet or a drain stub.
4. Door swing. Allow about 27 inches of clear floor in front of the machine, and about 2 inches where the door meets a side wall or a corner cabinet.
5. Delivery path. Measure doorways, hallways and tight turns between the front door and the kitchen.
6. Compare to the cutout printed on the model's spec sheet, not to the marketing size on the box.

Dishwashers usually sit 1½ to 3 inches proud of the cabinet face unless the design is built flush. Gaps in width close with trim or shims, and height is handled by the legs.