Sharp SDW6504MS Dishwasher Review
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Last updated October 31, 2026
The Sharp SDW6504MS is a sensible buy for a closed-off kitchen on a 24-inch cutout, where you want a stainless front, heated drying and a sanitize cycle without paying for silence or smart features. It suits a household replacing an old builder-grade machine and wanting a recognizable name on the door. It is not the pick for an open-plan home, for anyone who needs a third rack, or for anyone who wants a full stainless-steel tub. The heated dry, half-load option, sanitize cycle and Energy Star rating are what make it a complete everyday machine rather than a stripped-down one.
What the Sharp SDW6504MS does well
The heated dry option is the feature that separates this machine from a condensation-only dishwasher. Sharp describes it as giving better drying results than standard condensation drying, and the practical win shows up on plastics and lids, which come out drier. The trade-off is time, as the cycle times below show.
Loading that flexes with the load
The upper rack moves up or down by 2 inches, the lower rack has fold-down tines, and a silverware basket sits in the lower rack. Twelve place settings is a normal load for a 24-inch machine, and the metal racks hold up to daily use.
Options that earn their place
Half Load cuts water and energy on small loads. Sanitize reduces bacteria during the cycle, and the machine is NSF certified for that cycle. Delay runs from 1 to 24 hours, so you can set it for off-peak hours or a morning finish.
Everyday convenience and efficiency
A back-lit front control panel, an LED remaining-time display, an end-of-cycle signal and a child lock cover the basics. The machine is ENERGY STAR certified at 240 kWh/year, and the Normal cycle uses about 3.0 gallons of water.
Looks and finish
The fingerprint-resistant stainless steel front with a pocket handle sits flush with the cabinets and reads more expensive than the machine is. Beyond its looks, the machine also offers an Express Wash cycle that runs 60 minutes, the one cycle that makes a quick turnaround practical.
Installation, as buyers describe it
Buyers on Amazon most often praise how easy the dishwasher is to install, and installation is the topic with the most positive mentions in their feedback. That is a buyer impression, not something this page can confirm.
Where the Sharp SDW6504MS falls short
At 52 dB, the Sharp SDW6504MS is an average dishwasher for noise, not a quiet one. As a rough scale, 44 dB and below is ultra-quiet, 45 to 50 dB is still quiet, and 51 dB and up is ordinary appliance noise. In a closed kitchen that is fine. In an open-plan room you will hear it running.
Cleaning performance is the big caveat
Amazon's summary of its customer reviews reports mixed feedback on cleaning: some buyers say it does a fine job, others report it does a terrible job of cleaning and rinsing. Cleaning is also the topic buyers raise most often in their reviews. This is the single most-reported concern, and it is the reason to buy from a retailer with a generous return window.
A hybrid tub, not full stainless
The interior has stainless-steel walls with a heavy-duty plastic floor. That makes it cheaper and lighter than an all-stainless tub, but it is not as durable or heat-retaining.
A filter you rinse by hand
Filtration is dual-stage and manual-clean, with no self-cleaning filter. That means you rinse the filter by hand instead of relying on a self-cleaning cycle.
There is no third rack
There are two racks plus a silverware basket in the lower rack. There are no smart features either, so no Wi-Fi, no app and no voice control.
Installation hardware is not in the box
Only the dishwasher is included. You will need a power cord, a 3/4-inch FHT by 3/8-inch OD compression elbow, strain relief, wire nuts, and either an air gap or a 32-inch drain loop, plus a hand shut-off valve.
Warranty and reliability record
The warranty is 1 year limited, parts and labor. Consumer Reports states it has insufficient data to rank the brand's predicted reliability or owner satisfaction, so there is no independent long-term reliability record for the brand's dishwashers in the US. That is not a knock on this machine specifically, but it is a reason to weigh the return policy and the warranty rather than a brand reputation.
Buyer sentiment is split
The star ratings are polarized: the large majority are four or five stars, alongside a substantial cluster of one-star ratings. The machine divides its owners, and the split tracks the cleaning question above. Value for money and overall quality also draw mixed comments.
The product in this review
Sharp SDW6504MS dishwasher
See on AmazonWhat the SDW6504MS specs mean for you
The figures below show whether the machine fits your kitchen. Measure the cabinet opening before ordering, because the cutout is slightly wider than the machine's own width.
| Specification | Figure |
|---|---|
| Type | 24-inch built-in, slide-in, front controls, pocket handle |
| Dimensions | 23.63 in wide, 22.75 in deep, 34.5 in high |
| Cutout | 23-13/16 in wide, 34 to 35 in high, 22-3/4 in deep |
| Capacity | 12 place settings |
| Noise | 52 dB |
| Tub | Hybrid: stainless-steel interior with heavy-duty plastic floor |
| Cycles | Heavy Duty, Normal, Delicate, Express Wash, Rinse Only |
| Options | Half Load, Sanitize, Heated Dry, Delay (1 to 24 hr) |
| Water use | About 3.0 gal on Normal (up to 7.0 gal depending on soil level), 7.1 gal Heavy, 7.0 gal Delicate, 4.1 gal Express, 2.0 gal Rinse Only |
| Energy | ENERGY STAR certified, 240 kWh/year |
| Racks | Upper rack adjustable 2 inches, fold-down tines in lower rack, lower silverware basket, metal racks, plastic basket |
| Filtration | Dual-stage, manual-clean |
| Controls | Back-lit front panel, LED remaining-time display, child lock, soil sensor, end-of-cycle signal |
| Electrical and plumbing | 120 V, 60 Hz; hot water 120 to 150°F; 20 to 120 psi; drain hose up to 10 ft |
| Certification | NSF certified sanitize cycle |
| Warranty | 1 year limited, parts and labor |
| Weight | About 70.5 lb |
Cycle times change the daily routine
Heavy Duty runs 151 minutes, or 180 with Heated Dry and 187 with Sanitize. Normal runs 108 to 146 minutes, or 137 to 175 with Heated Dry. Delicate runs 118 minutes, Express Wash 60 minutes, and Rinse Only 20 minutes. Adding Heated Dry roughly doubles the Express cycle, to 115 minutes, so the fast option and the dry option work against each other.
What the figures mean in the kitchen
The 22.75-inch depth and the 34- to 35-inch cutout height are the dimensions the machine is built to fit. The 120 to 150°F hot water requirement and the 20 to 120 psi range are the water supply conditions the machine is rated for.
The Sharp SDW6504MS is a well-equipped, good-looking 24-inch built-in for a closed kitchen, with heated drying, an NSF certified sanitize cycle and Energy Star efficiency as its real strengths. At 52 dB it is average rather than quiet, and buyer reports on cleaning are mixed, so the return window matters as much as the spec sheet. If you want a third rack, a full stainless tub, a self-cleaning filter or a machine quiet enough for an open-plan room, this is not it. If you want a complete everyday dishwasher with a stainless front and heated drying, it is a reasonable choice.
Frequently asked questions
Most of the questions that decide a dishwasher purchase come down to fit, drying and what the box leaves out.
What do I need to buy separately to hook up the Sharp SDW6504MS?
Only the dishwasher comes in the box, so you will need to buy a power cord, a 3/4-inch FHT by 3/8-inch OD compression elbow, strain relief, wire nuts, and either an air gap or a 32-inch drain loop, plus a hand shut-off valve.
Is the inside of the Sharp SDW6504MS stainless steel all the way through?
Only partly. The tub walls are stainless steel, but the tub floor is a heavy-duty plastic, a hybrid build that trims cost and weight while giving up some durability and heat retention next to an all-metal interior.
How much longer does heated dry make a cycle on the Sharp SDW6504MS?
Heated dry adds real time, and the quickest cycle loses the most: Express Wash grows from 60 minutes to roughly 115 with drying switched on. Heavy Duty goes from 151 minutes to 180, and Normal goes from 108 to 137 minutes up to 146 to 175 minutes with heated dry, so speed and drying work against each other.
Where do tall items and cutlery go in the Sharp SDW6504MS?
Tall items go in the upper rack, which you can move up or down by 2 inches. Cutlery sits in a silverware basket in the lower rack, since this machine has no third rack at the top.
What does the sanitize setting do on the Sharp SDW6504MS?
Sanitize cuts bacteria during the wash, and the machine holds NSF certification for that cycle, which matters in homes washing bottles or heavily soiled dishes. It costs time as well, stretching a Heavy Duty run with heated dry from 180 to 187 minutes.