Best Small Countertop Dishwasher: NOVETE Leads

The best small countertop dishwasher is the NOVETE TDQR01, an 18.1-inch tank-fed unit that fits four full place settings and weighs 28 lb, the lightest in this comparison. If you have room for a taller cabinet-height machine and want six place settings, the COMFEE' CDC22P1BBB is the better buy. Both run on 120V, both need no plumbing, and both handle a two-person kitchen without a shelf reshuffle.

Who this guide is not for

Skip this guide if you cook for more than three people every night, or if you run more than two full loads a day. A small countertop dishwasher is designed around one thing: fitting on a worktop under a standard wall cabinet, usually a gap of 18 to 20 inches. That constraint caps capacity at four to six place settings. If you have a full-height cabinet to spare, a slim 18-inch built-in gives you double the space for a similar spend.

Renters, RV owners, dorm residents, and anyone in a galley kitchen with no dishwasher hookup are the right audience. Every pick here runs off either a filled internal tank or a faucet adapter, so no permanent plumbing is needed. Two of the five weigh under 30 lb, which matters if you move them on and off the counter between uses.

One note on the keyword. "Small" is doing a lot of work. Two of these units are close to 22 inches tall, which is small for a dishwasher but tall enough to hit an average wall cabinet. Measure the gap between your worktop and the underside of your upper cabinets before you order any of them.

Best small countertop dishwasher at a glance

How I narrowed five countertop dishwashers down

I cut on three grounds. First, anything over 19 inches wide in any dimension it might sit against a cabinet was out, because the point of a small countertop dishwasher is that it clears standard 18-inch cabinet gaps. Second, anything requiring a permanent inlet or drain hookup was out, since that turns a countertop unit into a built-in. Third, anything without both a tank-fill option and a faucet-adapter option was demoted, because renters need the tank.

That left the five picks here. Three of them share a footprint within an inch of each other, at roughly 17 × 17 × 18 inches. One is deliberately shorter and squarer. One is meaningfully bigger in every dimension and pays that in weight and capacity.

Two disqualifications worth flagging:

• Height first. The COMFEE' CDC22P1BBB stands 21.7 inches tall, which is close to the maximum a standard 18-inch cabinet gap allows. If your gap is 22 inches or more, it fits; below that, it does not.
• Depth second. All five are between 16.5 and 19.7 inches deep. A standard kitchen counter is 24 or 25 inches, so every pick leaves usable margin at the back for the faucet or the drain hose.

What decides a small countertop dishwasher purchase

Most guides compare wash programs. Program count is the wrong lead. Every unit here has between five and ten programs, and the ones you will actually use, normal and rapid, are on all five. Program count is a spec-sheet tiebreaker, not a decision.

What decides the purchase is the intersection of three things: the height you can fit, the number of place settings you need per load, and whether you have a faucet with a removable aerator for the adapter. Get those three right and any of the five will clean dishes.

Place-setting count varies more than height does across this set. The NOVETE claims four full place settings. The Hermitlux claims five. The COMFEE' CDC22P1BBB claims six. That range is the real spread, and it maps directly to household size:

1. Solo or couple, one load a day: four settings is enough.
2. Couple with occasional guests, or a three-person household: five settings.
3. Three-person household running daily loads with pans: six settings, and accept the extra height.

Water source is the last cut. Four of the five accept both a tank fill and a faucet adapter. One, the COMFEE' CDC22P1BBB, is faucet-only according to the listing, so a renter with a fixed-spray tap should read that entry twice.

1. NOVETE TDQR01 — Best overall

A 28 lb tank-fed unit at 18.1 inches tall that clears more cabinet gaps than any other pick with real capacity.

Best for: renters who want a tank-fed unit that fits under a standard wall cabinet Skip it if: you regularly wash for more than two people

The NOVETE TDQR01 earns the top spot because it does the two things a small countertop dishwasher has to do, and does them at the lowest weight in the set. It stands 18.1 inches tall, which is the shortest of the four full-height picks here, and it weighs 28 lb, tied with the EUHOMY as the lightest. If you plan to lift the unit on and off the counter between uses, that is the number that matters. The dimensions of 18.1 × 16.8 × 16.9 in also make it the second-narrowest, which helps in a galley.

Capacity is four full place settings, with the listing claiming it fits plates up to 12 inches loaded at an angle. That is a bigger plate spec than the two COMFEE' units in this set, which cap at 10 and 9.5 inches respectively. NOVETE says the unit supports both a faucet mode and a built-in 5 L water tank, and offers five wash cycles including a Baby Care mode at a claimed 167°F.

The trade-off against the pricier COMFEE' CDC22P1BBB is capacity. Four settings versus six is a real gap if you run a household of three or more, and no amount of Baby Care mode makes up for having to run a second cycle.

Pros:

• Lightest full-height pick in the set at 28 lb
• Shortest full-height footprint at 18.1 inches
• Handles 12-inch plates according to the listing
• Both tank fill and faucet modes supported
• Five programs including a Baby Care claim at 167°F

Cons:

• Four place settings is the lowest capacity here
• Sells more slowly than the two COMFEE' models
• Only one seller lists it currently

2. EUHOMY DW001-5 — Best budget pick

The cheapest of the five, and the one buyers choose most often here, at a claimed 40 dB.

Best for: a one-person kitchen where quiet operation matters Skip it if: you want the widest program list in this set

The EUHOMY DW001-5 is the cheapest of the five and sells faster than every pick except the COMFEE' premium. Its footprint of 18 × 16.9 × 16.7 in is nearly identical to the NOVETE, and it weighs 28.6 lb, close enough that lifting is the same job. EUHOMY says the unit runs at 40 dB, which if accurate is quieter than a typical fridge. Program count is six, one more than the NOVETE, and includes both a tank mode using the built-in 5 L reservoir and a faucet connection.

The listing claims it fits 30+ items per load, sized around plates up to 10 inches. That is a smaller plate ceiling than the NOVETE's 12-inch claim, so anyone using large dinner plates should measure first. After the wash cycle, EUHOMY says the machine runs 60 minutes of hot air drying followed by up to 73 hours of automatic ventilation to keep dishes fresh, which is the longest post-wash freshness claim in this comparison.

Against the NOVETE, the EUHOMY costs less and sells faster. Against the two COMFEE' models, it gives up capacity and program depth. If your budget is the deciding constraint and your household is one or two people, this is the pick.

Pros:

• Cheapest option in the set
• Claimed 40 dB noise level
• Six programs, one more than the NOVETE
• Tank or faucet operation
• Claimed 73-hour ventilation cycle

Cons:

• Plate ceiling of about 10 inches per the listing
• Basic program list versus the Hermitlux
• No delayed-start feature listed

3. COMFEE' CDC22P1BBB — Best premium

Six place settings and eight programs in a taller, heavier body that needs a 22-inch cabinet gap.

Best for: a two- or three-person household with room for a taller machine Skip it if: your counter-to-cabinet gap is under 22 inches

The COMFEE' CDC22P1BBB is the most expensive pick here and the fastest seller of the five. At 17.2 × 19.7 × 21.7 in and 46 lb, it is meaningfully bigger than the others in every direction: taller by three inches, deeper by three inches, heavier by roughly eighteen pounds. What that buys is six place settings, which is fifty percent more than the NOVETE and enough to run one load a day for a three-person kitchen.

COMFEE' lists eight washing programs including Heavy, Normal, Baby-Care, ECO, Glass, and Speed, with the Speed program claimed at 45 minutes. The listing mentions twelve washing nozzles and a 360-degree spiral spray, which is the most detailed spray-arm description in this set. It carries an Energy Star badge in the title and was released in 2024, the newest model here.

The catch is faucet-only operation. The listing describes connecting the unit directly to a faucet with an adapter and does not describe a built-in tank. If you rent and your kitchen tap is fixed-spray or has an uncommon aerator thread, verify before you buy. The height also disqualifies it for many under-cabinet installations.

Pros:

• Six place settings, the largest capacity here
• Eight programs, the longest list among the COMFEE' units
• Newest model in the set, released 2024
• Energy Star listing
• Speed cycle claimed at 45 minutes

Cons:

• Tallest and heaviest pick at 21.7 in and 46 lb
• Faucet-only per the listing
• Highest price position in this set

4. COMFEE' CDC17P0ABB — Best compact

The shortest and shallowest pick in the set, built for tight galley counters.

Best for: tight galley kitchens where depth matters more than plate size Skip it if: you routinely wash 10-inch dinner plates

The COMFEE' CDC17P0ABB is the shortest full-height countertop dishwasher in this comparison at 17.2 in tall, and the shallowest at 16.5 in front-to-back. Those two figures together mean it fits counters where the deeper premium COMFEE' will not. It weighs 36.6 lb, which sits between the entry-tier pair and the six-setting premium. COMFEE' says the unit needs at least 19.6 inches between countertop and wall cupboard for the door to open comfortably.

The listing describes six programs: Normal, Rapid, Hygiene, Fruit, Glass, and an Air Refresh drying mode. Hygiene runs the water to a claimed 162°F, and the 1.32-gallon tank means no faucet hookup is needed. Capacity is described as 30+ items with a plate ceiling of 9.5 inches, the smallest plate spec in the set.

The trade-off is plate size. If your everyday dinner plates are the standard 10.5-inch American diameter, they will not fit. This is a mug, bowl, side-plate, and glassware machine, sold to buyers who wash a lot of items but not large ones.

Pros:

• Shortest full-height pick at 17.2 in
• Shallowest at 16.5 in front-to-back
• Tank-fed, no hookup needed
• Six programs including Hygiene at 162°F
• Released 2023, one of two newer models

Cons:

• 9.5-inch plate ceiling, smallest in this set
• Heavier than the entry pair despite being smaller
• Middle price position for the smallest capacity

5. Hermitlux HDW5CW01 — Best for families

Five place settings, seven programs, and an 18-hour delayed start in a footprint close to the entry pair.

Best for: a small family that wants the longest program list and a delayed start Skip it if: you want the lightest or the cheapest option here

The Hermitlux HDW5CW01 sits between the NOVETE and the premium COMFEE' on capacity, at five place settings, and it packs the most programs of any pick here. The listing describes seven wash programs plus three extras: Standard, Quick, Strong, ECO, Fruit, Self-clean, and Glass. It also carries an 18-hour delayed start on the updated model, the only pick in this set with that feature listed. Hermitlux says the spray arms use 14 water jets top and bottom for 360-degree coverage.

Dimensions of 18.2 × 16.7 × 16.9 in put it within the same footprint bracket as the NOVETE and EUHOMY, but at 30.9 lb it is a little heavier. Both tank and faucet modes are supported. The brand claims 5 L of water per cycle, which is used in a water-saving pitch against handwashing.

Against the two entry picks, the Hermitlux gives you one more place setting, one more program, and delayed start, at a higher price position. Against the premium COMFEE', it gives up one place setting and one program, but keeps the shorter body that fits standard cabinet gaps. That combination is why it wins the family label: enough capacity for daily loads, a fit that most kitchens can accept.

Pros:

• Seven wash programs plus three extras
• 18-hour delayed start listed
• Five place settings
• Fits standard 18-inch cabinet gaps at 18.2 in tall
• Both tank and faucet modes

Cons:

• Sells more slowly than the COMFEE' pair
• Premium price band for a mid-capacity machine
• Heavier than the entry-tier pair at 30.9 lb

How much counter space do you actually need?

Every pick here needs three separate measurements before you buy, not just the width. Get out a tape measure and check:

1. Countertop-to-cabinet height. The tallest pick, the premium COMFEE' at 21.7 in, needs a 22-inch clearance at minimum. The shortest, the compact COMFEE' at 17.2 in, fits under almost any wall cabinet.
2. Front-to-back depth. Standard counters are 24 to 25 inches deep. The deepest pick here is 19.7 in, leaving roughly 5 inches behind the machine for a drain hose and a faucet-adapter loop.
3. Door-swing clearance. The compact COMFEE' listing specifies at least 19.6 inches between countertop and wall cabinet, because the door hinges up and out. The others hinge similarly. If your cabinet gap is exactly the height of the machine, the door will not open.

Two situations trip buyers up. A tiled backsplash that adds half an inch of depth. And an over-the-counter microwave, which usually mounts lower than a standard wall cabinet and can eat two inches of clearance. Measure with both in mind.

Small footprint does not always mean light. The compact COMFEE' is 36.6 lb, heavier than the two 28-pound picks that are physically bigger. If you plan to store the machine and lift it onto the counter for each load, weight is a real factor.

Tank fill or faucet hookup: which suits your kitchen?

Four of the five picks accept both a filled internal tank and a faucet adapter. The exception is the premium COMFEE' CDC22P1BBB, whose listing describes faucet connection with a suitable adapter and does not describe an internal tank.

Tank fill suits:

• Renters with a fixed-spray faucet, a pull-out faucet, or an uncommon aerator thread
• Anyone who moves the machine on and off the counter between uses
• RV and boat use, where a hose hookup is impractical
• Small loads run a couple of times a week, where 5 L covers a cycle

Faucet mode suits:

• Daily use in a fixed spot on the counter
• Larger loads where refilling a tank twice becomes a chore
• Kitchens with a standard threaded aerator that accepts the included adapter

The listings quote a 5 L tank across the tank-capable picks. That is one cycle's worth. If you need two loads a day, faucet mode is less friction. If you need one load twice a week, tank mode is simpler.

Check your aerator thread before you commit to any pick. Most kitchen faucets use one of two standard sizes, but pull-out sprayers and touchless models often have no thread at all. The adapter cannot help you there.

What the listings do not tell you

Listings do not tell you three things a countertop dishwasher owner learns in the first week. First, drain hose reach. Every pick here dumps used water back into the sink through a supplied hose, and that hose is usually short. If your unit sits more than three feet from the sink edge, verify hose length before buying.

Second, detergent type. Countertop units use standard dishwasher detergent, but pods can be oversized for a small tub. Most owners of small units switch to powder or gel for better dosing. The listings do not mention this because they sell the machines, not the detergent.

Third, softened water. In hard-water regions, small units scale quickly because the heater and spray arms have less mass to buffer mineral deposits. A monthly self-clean cycle using citric acid extends life. Only the Hermitlux listing explicitly names a Self-clean program in this set, though most machines can run a hot empty cycle for the same purpose.

None of this is a reason to skip a countertop dishwasher. It is a reason to plan for the maintenance any small appliance needs.

The verdict

The NOVETE TDQR01 is the best small countertop dishwasher for most buyers because it combines the shortest full-height footprint here at 18.1 inches, the lightest weight in the set at 28 lb, and both tank and faucet modes. Four place settings is enough for one or two people, and the claimed 12-inch plate ceiling is the most generous in this comparison. It fits the widest range of cabinet gaps and moves easily on and off the counter.

If your household is closer to three people and your cabinet gap is 22 inches or more, the COMFEE' CDC22P1BBB is the right pick instead. Six place settings, eight programs, and the 45-minute Speed cycle earn the premium price position, and it is the fastest seller of the five. The cutoff between the two is height: if you have less than 22 inches of clearance, the NOVETE wins by default because the premium COMFEE' will not fit.

Two other conditions flip the recommendation. If price is the deciding constraint, take the EUHOMY DW001-5. If you want the longest program list and a delayed start, take the Hermitlux HDW5CW01.

FAQ

Is a small countertop dishwasher worth it in a rental?

A small countertop dishwasher is worth it in a rental where no dishwasher exists and no plumbing changes are permitted. Every pick here runs on 120V, needs no drain connection beyond a hose into the sink, and offers a tank mode for kitchens without a threaded faucet. The trade-off is capacity: four to six place settings versus twelve or more in a built-in. Run one load daily and it pays back in time.

How much counter space do these actually need?

Counter space needs vary by pick, but plan for a footprint of roughly 17 × 17 inches minimum plus a few inches behind for hoses. Height is the trickier measurement. The shortest pick here stands 17.2 in tall, the tallest 21.7 in. Measure your countertop-to-cabinet gap first, add an inch for door-swing clearance, and rule out any pick that exceeds it.

Which is quieter, the EUHOMY or the COMFEE' premium?

Which is quieter comes down to what the listings claim. EUHOMY says the DW001-5 runs at 40 dB, which is the only decibel figure explicitly published across these five picks. COMFEE' does not publish a decibel figure for the CDC22P1BBB in the listing supplied here. On the basis of published numbers alone, the EUHOMY is the quieter claim, though the premium COMFEE' may perform similarly in practice.

NOVETE TDQR01 or COMFEE' CDC22P1BBB, which should I pick?

NOVETE TDQR01 or the COMFEE' CDC22P1BBB depends on two things: cabinet clearance and household size. Choose the NOVETE if your counter-to-cabinet gap is under 22 inches or you cook for one or two people. Choose the premium COMFEE' if you have 22 inches of clearance and cook for three, because six place settings versus four means one load a day instead of two.

What is the biggest mistake buyers make with countertop dishwashers?

The biggest mistake buyers make is overfilling. Small countertop units clean well only when the spray arms can reach every surface, and cramming a 30-item claim to its limit blocks spray coverage. Load fewer items than the listing suggests, angle plates toward the centre, and keep bowls facing the arm. A half-full run that leaves everything clean beats a full run that needs a rewash.

Countertop dishwashers are a compromise, and the point of a good pick is to make the compromise as small as possible. For most buyers reading this, the NOVETE TDQR01 is the least compromised option in the set: short enough for standard cabinets, light enough to move, and equipped with both water-source modes. Measure your cabinet gap tonight, check your faucet thread while you are at it, and if the numbers line up, the decision is straightforward. If they do not, the premium COMFEE' or the compact COMFEE' will fit where the NOVETE cannot, and the ranking above tells you which trade-offs each one asks for.

Last updated: September 18, 2026. Product availability re-checked.

This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.