Neff S175EAX16E (dishwasher With Open Dry): our review

Someone has settled down with a book, the kitchen light is still on, and the supper plates need somewhere to go. The Neff S175EAX16E has a declared eco noise level of 42 decibels, among the quietest declared figures. That makes it a convincing candidate for a kitchen that shares its space with the sitting room. Quiet matters here.

Would you want to start the washing up just as the evening film begins? This specification gives you a good reason to consider it, without promising that the appliance will disappear from the soundtrack. The figure belongs to the eco programme; it should not be carried across to other settings.

We like the emphasis on evening comfort. For a household that clears the table late, reducing the dishwasher's contribution to the room is a useful quality, particularly when moving the washing up behind a closed kitchen door is not an option.

The capacity of 13 place settings is the usual capacity of a full size dishwasher. Place settings are a standardised measure of plates, glasses and cutlery, rather than a promise about how many people you can feed before loading it. Add the bowls from a family Sunday lunch and the available space soon has a different job to do.

A height-adjustable upper basket gives you scope to organise the load around taller items. Cutlery goes in a basket, so forks and teaspoons have a dedicated home within the loading space. That arrangement is straightforward, though the basket itself also needs room. The serving dishes have not read the capacity label.

The intensive wash zone is another useful provision when part of the load needs more attention. We would treat it as loading flexibility, without assuming that a stubborn roasting tin will emerge spotless. For ordinary meals, the combination looks practical; bulky cookware still calls for some judgement.

Class A and declared eco electricity consumption of 54 kWh/100 cycles give this appliance a strong efficiency argument. That electricity figure sits among the lowest declared figures, making it particularly relevant to a household that regularly fills the machine. Its eco water consumption of 9 L/cycle is average: electricity is the more distinctive part of this picture.

The compromise is time. At 270 min, the eco programme is very long when you need dishes back quickly. Put it on in the evening and unload in the morning, and the duration becomes much easier to accommodate. Taking longer is part of how eco saves resources, rather than evidence that the programme is doing its job badly.

The 6 programs provide a typical selection, including eco. Automatic door opening lets steam escape at the end, giving drying a helping hand; plastic containers may still need a wipe. In our overall judgement, the S175EAX16E is well placed, especially when its routine can follow yours.

This is a fully integrated dishwasher: a matching kitchen door panel covers its front, and that panel comes from your kitchen provider rather than with the appliance. The door panel fixing is sliding. Those details belong in the conversation with your kitchen fitter before the delivery date goes into the diary.

The dimensions are 59.8 cm wide, 81.5 cm high and 55 cm deep. Use the complete set when checking the intended opening and installation requirements; the width alone cannot settle the question. In a kitchen where every cupboard has already earned its place, a concealed front can keep the run of cabinetry visually consistent.

Allow for the door opening automatically at the end of the cycle when discussing the installation with your fitter. The repairability index is 0.1 out of 10, a poor result that tempers the appliance's appeal for anyone hoping to keep it for a long time. Before ordering, ask the retailer about the warranty, delivery, old appliance removal and returns arrangements.

For a couple who wait until the dishwasher is full, or a household with a fairly predictable supper routine, the S175EAX16E brings useful priorities together: low declared eco electricity consumption, restrained declared noise and baskets that offer some adjustment. Its strongest argument is the everyday rhythm of loading after dinner and leaving the unloading until breakfast.

The Hisense HS693A90XAD is better suited to large loads of washing up, with a higher place-setting capacity of 16 place settings. School holidays with cousins staying are exactly the sort of occasion when that extra capacity could matter. The Hisense HS693A90XAD also has a lower declared eco noise level of 40 decibels.

The Hisense HS693A90XAD has similar eco electricity consumption at 55 kWh/100 cycles. The Hisense HS693A90XAD is better rated overall. Our preference would depend on the washing up you actually generate: a familiar daily load makes a different demand from repeated meals with a crowded table.