What are dishwasher place settings?

A place setting is a standard measure used by manufacturers to indicate how many items a dishwasher can wash at once. One place setting typically includes:

- One dinner plate

- One soup bowl

- One tea cup and saucer

- One drinking glass

- Cutlery: knife, fork, spoon and teaspoon.

A 14-15 place setting dishwasher is the most popular capacity in Australia. Whether you need a built under, integrated or freestanding dishwasher, it’s now the standard size in many households.

It’s an ideal size for large families or those who frequently host guests or tend to use their dishwasher for cleaning large items like cookware and serving trays.

Slightly smaller capacity full-size dishwashers fit 12-13 place settings. These models are often chosen as a middle ground for medium-sized households that don’t need the loading of a 14 or 15-place setting model.

If you like to put the dishwasher on every evening after dinner, but don’t like to do so if it’s only three-quarters full, a slightly lower capacity model could be a good choice.

Slimline dishwashers typically fit 9-11 place settings. With a narrower 45cm width than full-size dishwashers, these more compact models are a great size for smaller kitchens or studio apartments.

They can be ideal for individuals or couples, as they fill quickly enough to be put on a wash cycle before food scraps get too smelly or dried onto dishes.

If 45cm slimline dishwashers aren’t small enough for your needs, there are a few other compact models that accommodate 3-8 place settings.

For a premium and streamlined compact dishwasher, choose the Fisher & Paykel single DishDrawer, and for an even smaller (and lower price) option, a benchtop dishwasher could be the way to go.

While only one place setting higher than the most popular capacity of dishwasher, very few brands have dipped their toe in the waters of 16 place settings.

If you’re keen to squeeze in one extra person’s dirty dishes, though, you’ll find models from ASKO and Beko.

It’s important to note that the number of place settings doesn’t greatly affect the external dishwasher height or depth, because kitchens usually have standard-sized spaces to accommodate dishwashers.

Most regular-size dishwashers share the same standard footprint of around 600mm wide, 600mm deep, and 815-860mm high, whether they hold 12 or 15 place settings. Slimline models are 450mm wide, but have similar height and depth to regular models. Countertop models have smaller external dimensions, and that naturally limits capacity.

This means you can often upgrade to a larger-capacity dishwasher without it taking up more room - but always measure the available space and compare it with the dimensions of any dishwasher you’re looking at before you buy!