Verdict

Pros

• Flexible racking space
• Very low water consumption
• Nice design and finish

Cons

• Average wash performance
• Fingerprints on strainless steel version
• Noisier than stated

What is the Grundig GNF41810W?

The GNF41810W is currently the sole freestanding dishwasher in Grundig’s line-up. It’s available in white and a smart stainless steel version – the GNF41810X (£499) – and offers an ‘All-in-Wash’ mode. This allows you to wash delicate glasses and heavily soiled pots in the same wash to save time and money. The specification boasts energy efficiency, low noise and water consumption of just six litres in Eco mode.

The inside offers flexible racking and stacking with lift-up top basket, collapsible tines, a high cutlery tray and cutlery baskets that handily slide across the lower racking. It fits up to 30cm plates. It’s a solid rather than spectacular washer and drying, though, and there are better machines available at the same price.

Read More: Dishwasher Reviews

Grundig GNF41810W: What is it like to use?

The design is undoubtedly very elegant, particularly by dishwasher standards – they’re not the most elegant appliances around. The stainless steel is bright, although does suffer finger marks rather badly. This is also true of the stainless steel buttons, which looked rather oily even after only three uses.

If your mucky paws extend over the display area fascia, it too reveals finger-marks to a level that would make a CSI team envious. Regular buffing aside, the controls are well laid out with scrolling programme selection plus buttons for add-ons like Express wash and start delay. The display shows count-down time to finish.

On the inside the GNF41810 draws on several different strategies to maximise the useable space. The bottom basket has sections of folding tines that allow plates or pots and pans, or a mix of both, and a unique cutlery basket with cut-outs that allows it to slide left or right on either front or rear rows of tines.

Also Consider: Whirlpool 6th Sense PowerDry ADP900IX

At the very top there is a third tray specifically dedicated to cutlery as well, either of which can be removed to maximise other space if you don’t have that much cutlery to clean. The upper basket can be raised by around 4cm to achieve a maximum plate size in the basket below of a respectable 30cm. You can drop the baskets down for 26cm plates or smaller, giving you more room up top.

Both baskets also feature flip-down racks for small items or glass stems at the side. Rather handily, the third tray for cutlery is positioned in the centre part of the machine only, meaning there is ample space for taller glasses at the side of the upper basket.

The flip-down racks in the lower basket also have two-position height adjustment, which should ensure that, after some complex dishwasher reconfiguration, you can really max-out the space inside.

This is particularly relevant for this Grundig as it offers its ‘All-in-wash’ programme allowing you to stuff just about everything in the kitchen in there at the same time – which is what most people do anyway.

Annoying fingerprints aside, it’s a nicely designed and organised dishwasher. Opt for the white version if you have a serious aversion to fingerprints.

Related: Best Fridge Freezer Round-up

Grundig GNF41810W: What programmes does it have?

This Grundig is an eight programme machine that incorporates all of the regular dishwashing cycles. The main ‘Auto’ programme uses soiling (turbidity) sensors to establish how dirty the wash is and at what temperature and how much water to use for best results. This is complemented by an Eco programme that is set at 50 degrees for the most economical way of cleaning normally soiled dishes.

A Prewash programme is designed as a quick slosh clean to stop plates smelling if they are being left a couple of days before the machine is full and ready to be washed. If you want to then go onto wash these dishes the Mini 30 programme will give them a good clean in under 30 minutes, albeit without a drying cycle.

A dedicated glass care programme is complemented by a Quick wash 58’ that cleans in under an hour including drying, and an intensive 70-degree C wash for cooking pots, pans and trays.

Related: Best Steam Cleaners Reviewed

The Grundig’s All-in-wash is a 70-degree cycle suitable for a mixed load, ideally putting glass and delicate items on the top shelf (less intensive) and heavily soiled pots and pans on the lower for a more aggressive wash.

Additional programme features include half load, express wash to reduce washing time for very lightly soiled items and a timer delay so you can set the machine to wash while you are out or overnight to maximise cheaper rate electricity.

Related: The Best Dishwashers You Can Buy

Grundig GNF41810W: How noisy is it?

The Grundig’s headline claim of 43dB noise is very ambitious for a dishwasher without lots of (expensive) noise insulation and the GNF41810 proved a fair bit louder than claimed as an average on the EU energy label.

While the valve and water in-rush noises were no overly intrusive, with a full load this machine registered up to 52dB while running, with much of the noise being high pressure water hitting the inside of the cabinet.

While this is a long way away from the average figure stated on the energy label, this figure is not far from the average peak noise for most mid-market models we have tested. It’s certainly not the quietest machine on the market though.