Danby DDW631SDB Countertop Dishwasher, Stainless Steel

I researched many countertop dishwashers before purchasing and settled on this model. We are a household of 3 and have been very pleased and using it since Jan 5, 2021. It was very easy to set up. Everything I needed to set it up was included in the box. FYI I had ordered the pod type dishwasher detergent at the same time I ordered the the dishwasher but when I received the dishwasher the instructions recommend either the powder or the liquid as the smaller dishwashers require less cleansers than a full size dishwasher and a pod detergent may not dissolve completely. (I don't know why I didn't think of that.) So I had to return the pods and purchase powder dish detergent. We initially ran the first two loads on the regular wash which was great. Dishes were clean, cycle was quiet. We opted for the ECO cycle next to see if the time (1 hr 20 min) made a difference. Dishes were still clean! I then noticed in the manual a Party setting of a 20 min wash and wanted to try that. The load was the same - dishes just rinsed off, same as the regular load and ECO load and the dishes came out clean, just like the regular and ECO loads. So we've been using the Party setting ever since. Maybe 1 out of 5 loads we will get a dish or two with a little stuck on food but for a 20 minute wash cycle, I will take it. UPDATE: It has been over a year and the dishwasher has been great. We still use the Party setting on occasion, but have switched to the 45 min setting for most washes. We will use the ECO setting also and the normal setting as well. If we have a lot of dishes we will use the Pots and Pans setting. We haven’t had any mechanical issues. On a couple of occasions the hose has become loose in the back and has leaked water while running a cycle. We attribute this to winding and unwinding the hose, so now we check on that connection once in a while. For the rinse aid, I mix about a 1/2 t of white vinegar with 1/3 c water and add it to the rinse aid dispenser and it works great. This has been a really great purchase.

EDIT: 90 day update. Still going strong and zero issues aside from some detergent packs that just didn't dissolve properly. One of these was a dishwasher cleaner pack and the other was just a normal Finish pack. I'm not sure why there was a problem. Cascade Platinum packs doubled in price to 50 cents each so I have moved to using the much cheaper Cascade powder detergent most of the time and it always works fine. Original review below: This is the first dishwasher machine my family has ever had since I was a kid so I have nothing to compare it to. However, the results I'm getting are amazing. Incredible, even. Every single thing is coming out squeaky clean. Maybe all dishwashers are like this and I don't know any better, but I don't care. I absolutely love what this one is doing for me and wish I'd gotten it years ago. Pros: Gets stuff clean. Does what it claims to do. Very quiet. Uses only 570 watts at peak and that's quite reasonable for an appliance. Good build quality and materials. Mine had no dents from shipping. The Danby name is not exactly a household name in the US but it is a major brand in Canada and it's a real company, not just a brand conjured up out of nowhere. Cons: It's small but takes up a huge amount of the counterspace in my tiny apartment. To be fair, it's not a lot wider than my old dish rack and drip mat. But it's a solid cube. The machine does not have a top sprayer bar. My dishes are still getting clean just fine but it would be nice to have that feature. It also lacks a drying cycle. Damp dishes are going to air-dry slowly. The faucet hookup works but it's probably my only frustration point. Using this machine means I cannot use my faucet-mount water filter while dishes are running, and then everything has to be unscrewed and swapped out of the faucet end. There's apparently no way around this. Nobody seems to make a Y splitter to let a faucet have two devices hooked up at once. Or at least, I'm still trying to find one. Other thoughts: I'm using a one-two punch of Cascade powder for prewash and Cascade Platinum pods for the regular wash, along with rinse aid from Lidl. If you don't know why prewash is vital, please see Technology Connections on Youtube for his outstanding video on how dishwashers work and how they should be used. The combined cost of detergent and electricity to run one load, for me, is about 40 cents. The water use is so little, I can't even count that as a cost. It's only a couple gallons and much less than I'd use washing by hand. But with 100% less back pain from standing at the sink. Worth every penny!

This little ("little") dishwasher is honestly one of the best purchases I have made this year. It's been such a great addition to the little apartment space. I honestly like it better than any standard-size dishwasher. TL;DR It's an amazing little dishwasher that builds you a good dishwashing habit; with a little bit of work on your end it seamlessly integrates into your nightly routine and you don't have to think about dishes anymore. Pictures are of 2 different loads, and the plumbing I did. So, my apartment space: a finished basement with essentially just a small bar-style sink, not nearly big enough for even just the singular insta-pot inner pot to fit. Washing dishes was always a pain, as they had to be hand washed and often the sink would overflow and splash you pretty good. There wasn't ever enough space for the drying rack, and definitely not enough drying rack to accommodate all the dishes. Lots of precious counter spaced was constantly being used up for still-drying dishes, even the morning after, which again was a major pain. This dishwasher is just the perfect size for two to three people. We run the washer about once a day, and that will cover all the dishes the two of us use with the exception of really big pots and pans (like the insta-pot, rice cooker pot, griddle etc). Typically it'll hold 2-3 10.5" plates (or 4-5 8" plates), 3-4 coffee mugs, 1 or 2 tupperware+lids, tongs, 2 full size kitchen knives, a couple of bowls, and a handful of silverware and misc stuff, all in a single wash. You'll have to play a bit more tetris and take care not to let the dishes stick too far below the rack, but it's very manageable and I'm very rarely finding that I can't fit things in. In terms of physical size, it can seem a bit hefty and boxy - I had to find some filler to get it level across the mini-fridge and the counter top (it half hangs off the counter top). Really though, this dishwasher makes up for the space it takes up with how much it can take and how well it washes. Plus, you can make use of the space on top of the washer itself, so it's not like you really lose the horizontal real estate. Being smaller than a normal dishwasher means you do more frequent and smaller load, which means what dishes you have left over (ie you can't load up) often only take a couple of minutes to hand wash. Because it sits at chest height at the countertop, it's stupendously easy to load, so you don't have to be bending down all the time. Finally, when it's done, there's simply just less to put away, so unloading never takes more than a minute or two. Make sure to use Finish Powerball Quantum for best washing results. I've tried dish pods from Cascade as well, and while they work, results vary and it's about 50/50 whether the pod fully dissolves and actually gets everything clean. The Quantum pods have worked every time and get 95% of everything off. Really hard stuck on stuff, mushed pasta on wet wooden stirring sticks and bad loading are the other 5%, so human error not the machine or the detergent's fault. 9 times out of 10 I just use the regular 1:50 cycle (which is a little misleading, takes maybe 2.5hrs including the dry time), and on lighter load the eco and glass wash cycle work a charm (I've only got the pods on hand, so even the lighter cycles get the full pod power lol) I would also recommend spending the time and money to get at least the inlet line plumbed into a hard line (make sure to plumb it to the cold line!). Without plumbing it hard, you have to use the weird little faucet adapter. It works, but it's awkward and the space it took up in my already tiny sink essentially rendered the sink unusable. The little faucet button is also sprung very hard, so it takes pretty hefty finger effort to open it and get normal sink water flowing. Instead, do the plumbing, and all you have to do is make sure the return line goes into the sink when you run the washer. It's so good! Overall 4/5 stars! The biggest complaint I have is in regards to plumbing it to a hard line; the sink adapter has some obtuse and hard-to-know fittings, so I just cut off the original plastic ones and put in a standard sink faucet barb (been a while since then, but I think it was 3/8"?). Both the inlet and return lines are very stiff, and the inlet is non-removable, so the dishwasher will need some room behind to allow the lines to slowly bend around where they need to go. I wish they both came out of the unit with a 90 degree elbow, but that's a minor gripe.

Works great! Perfect for 2 people in a small apartment. Super easy to use and hookup. Works just like a regular dishwasher, just more compact. We run it once a day and it has plenty of room for us

When I bought this product, I was shipped a used product. It was clearly used as the hoses were old/slimy, the interior lacked any documentation, and it was wet - and not just new-from-factory wet, it was REAL wet. I complained, they sent me a replacement relatively quickly. I shipped the old one back and marked "USED" all over the packaging. Someone got hoodwinked but hopefully that made it so it wouldn't happen again. Unboxed the new one and was impressed. It looked sleek, the packaging was all in place, I could tell this was actually NEW. Used it for a few months and immediately had some concerns. Water began spilling out underneath of it infrequently. After some online research I found the issue was a styrofoam piece under the dishwasher - I had to remove some screws to get to it - but I was able to fix it myself. It hasn't leaked since then, but any new dishwasher shouldn't have this kind of trouble. For the better part of a year, we were OK - no issues with the unit, seemed everything worked itself out. Then, the hinge on the door started SCREAMING when opening/closing the door. I found it to be awful for a couple days, then it seemed to work itself out, then it was awful again. I don't know what brought this on but it was still within the warranty period. I scoped out some somewhat-local repair shops to anticipate how far I may need to ship (or bring) the unit for repairs and once I had a good idea, I contacted Danby to report the issue and see what we could do to remedy it. To my surprise, Danby decided to replace the unit. This baffles me - surely it would be cheaper to replace a simple door hinge, whether I bring it somewhere or they send a repair man out? Danby did not want to entertain that idea, and although I offered to bring it somewhere, I didn't argue with them. If they wanted to replace rather than repair, I would agree to that. This is where the trouble began. According to Danby warranty policy, in order to get a replacement unit, you have to send them a photo of the Serial # and model (easy to do), then you have to REMOVE THAT STICKER (what?) AND CUT THE POWER CORD (WHAT??) before throwing it away. So not only do they NOT want the defective unit so they can repair and resell/replace, they wanted ME to destroy its usage and throw it away. I was incredibly frustrated by this process. I ultimately worked with Danby to find an amicable solution - the sticker is gone, the cord will be cut WHEN I get my replacement - but the hoops I had to jump through for their "warranty policy" is a bit ridiculous. Does it do its job? Yes. Are there strings attached if ANYTHING goes wrong? Also yes. Because Danby was willing to work with me, I'm not tanking this review, but I can't give them a 5 star review at all. If the warranty process went smoother I'd have given a 4 star, despite the initial troubles, but the average person buying this product isn't going to be equipped with the know-how or ability to handle the challenges that came with this. I wouldn't rank this dead last in my priority list, but I will be cautious about buying any Danby product moving forward. I'm not scared away as a customer but now I have some serious trust issues. Buyer beware. EDIT: I am updating my review and changing from 3 stars to 1 star. The replaced Danby unit has, within a few months, utterly failed. It leaked everywhere and then the unit refused to turn on. I've been troubleshooting with Danby for a week - they keep asking the SAME QUESTIONS - and we are going nowhere. I'm convinced I'm either talking to an AI robot or someone who isn't actually checking the notes of my case in between their replies. Why else would I be asked the same questions over and over again? Of course, it's always possible that they don't want to actually service their customers. My real advice to you: The price has dropped on these units by almost $100 since I purchased mine, Danby customer service is awful, and a local appliance store *that actually sells this product* refused to work with me on servicing it (even if I paid them for it!) because, and I quote, "It's not worth the time, money, and energy". They didn't even suggest I work with Danby for a warranty repair/replacement. IMAGINE THAT? A store that SELLS the product, literally saying "Don't buy this, it's not worth the effort". I'm seeing what they are talking about now. The first Danby unit was used. The second Danby unit had a bad door hinge but at least I could still USE it until it was replaced. This third Danby unit, having it for only a couple months, has totally fried AND Danby wants me to try to find someone who might repair it. HELLO? The last one just had a door hinge problem, and Danby wanted to replace it? This one has a fried electrical problem, and Danby wants to repair it? None of this adds up. This is an awful product by an awful company with awful customer service and an awful reputation. DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT. RUN AWAY. RUN VERY FAR AWAY.

Buyer beware if you have a one of those pull down gooseneck faucets with the sprung steel coiling around the hose, the adaptor will not fit your sprayer threads as they are neither standard threaded nor the same thread length as the intended application to get a good tight seal between the fitting and the hose. I had to purchase a similar style faucet with a secondary filler faucet that had the right threaded aerator to hook up the supply line quick disconnect to. Also, One thing that caught me off guard was the height of the overall unite. I guess I didn't measure properly but its much taller than I expected. Once you figure out your own adaptor situation the dishwasher works great. Nice and quiet and the party setting is super quick to wash with (20 minutes) and is all you need for 99% of your loads. Overall very happy to not wash dishes by hand any more. Do be aware though some larger dishes only fit in the back of the rack so keep that in mind if you have larger than normal place settings.

The washer itself works fine, does a great job. My complaint is with the design of the water delivery and drain system. This unit is like every other portable unit on the market, with a combination water feed / drain hose that attaches to a fitting that goes on the faucet of your sink. This is fine IF you have a faucet made in the 1960's. We, like others have updated our faucet to a "gooseneck" faucet with a pull out spray head. THIS FITTING WILL NOT ATTACH TO THE NEW FAUCETS. When I sent a message to the customer service department asking how to bypass this system and permanently install the unit, I was told that "these washers are not intended to be premanently installed"... Add to this problem that all of the fittings on the hoses except for the 3/4 inch inlet fitting are proprietary sized fittings, and do not fit any standard plumbing fittings. I was finally able to "cobble" together a workable cure using water line hoses and 3/8 inch fittings. All done thanks to a smart employee at ACE. The total cost for the needed hardware was about $100. Be advised, if you can fit a 24" x 18" x 19" appliance on your counter, these are fine. Try to install it in the counter, and you're on your own...

Don't let the size of this machine fool you! It's a great little dishwasher!! I rent a small house and the kitchen is not very cook-friendly, it has about 4 linear feet of counter space and a medium-sizes single bowl sink. Keeping up with dishes was bad enough when it was just me, but now I have a live-in fiancee who has a bad habit of just chucking stuff in the sink when he's done eating... I've put some of the science projects I found in this dishwasher and they come out absolutely spotless!! And it does not melt plastic ware so far. I was shopping around for a full size portable dishwasher, but the average price of one brand new is about twice what a built-in costs (again, not enough space to build in here), not to mention trying to navigate a clunky machine around the kitchen, the man and the 4 nosy cats!! When I discovered/realized that countertop dishwashers existed and the price of them, I researched performance and cost thoroughly before I settled on this one... Even though it doesn't have a heated dry cycle (not a major factor for me personally), this was the best value and best working machine I found! If you're concerned about drying without spots, etc., use a rinsing/drying agent. Works wonders.