This countertop dishwasher is a helpful alternative for small kitchens

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Doing dishes by hand may not be your favorite chore, but unfortunately not everyone has space for a full-size dishwasher. Did you know you can actually buy a countertop dishwasher that fits right on your counter?

This countertop dishwasher from Hava is priced at $399, but is currently on sale for $329 and includes free 3-5 day shipping. The dishwasher fits right on a kitchen counter and can be used anywhere, as long as it is near an outlet and sink (or bucket) so you can plug it in and drain the water.

Weighing less than 30 pounds and measuring 17 inches wide, the countertop dishwasher can hold four bowls, four cups, eight plates and seven sets of flatware at once. It also has a setting for baby care (like bottles) or pet care (like dog bowls) and can even be used to wash fruit.

It has a built-in water tank that’s designed to use about 75% less water than washing dishes by hand, and the dishwasher also has a drying feature so you don’t even need to dry the dishes by hand. You fill the unit with water by connecting it to a faucet or use the pitcher provided; no plumbing is required.

Hava sent me their R01 Compact Countertop Dishwasher to test out so I could see if it’s worth the cost.

Setting up the dishwasher was incredibly easy. I simply put it on my counter next to my sink, plugged it in, ran the hose to my sink and then filled the 5-liter tank with water. You can use any dishwashing liquid, powder, tablet or gel, and I chose to use a tablet. I loaded it with three large plates, a cocktail shaker, a mug and a few pieces of silverware, but it could have held a bit more.

It was quite nice not having to bend down to load it like I do with my full-size dishwasher. It’s also nice to have it right on my counter, near the cabinet with my dishes. Once loaded, I simply hit the power button and it got to work.

The dishwasher is so quiet, I was actually not sure if it was working until I saw the water begin to spray. I watched the dishwasher for quite a while; it was basically like taking your car through a car wash. If you’re someone who finds the inner workings of appliances interesting, you might enjoy this.

The wash cycle took about an hour but the drying cycle extended the time a bit. Once finished, the dishes were sparkly clean, completely dry and ready to put away.

Despite having a larger dishwasher, I have actually found myself using this multiple times in the week that I’ve had it. Since it holds fewer dishes, I’m more inclined to load it frequently, compared with my larger dishwasher. This means fewer dishes sitting in my sink.

Of course, there are a few downsides to having such a small dishwasher. While it works exactly as described, it’s simply too small for a home with more than two people. It also can’t hold large pots and pans like a regular-sized dishwasher, so you will still have to wash those by hand.

If you have a small kitchen, mobile home or camping trailer, the Hava countertop dishwasher is well worth $400. Even if you have room for a larger dishwasher, the Hava is cheaper, doesn’t take up much space and is great for a small household.

While there aren’t many other countertop dishwashers on the market, you will find a few on Amazon. This portable countertop dishwasher from Kapas offers six washing programs and is priced at $288. Like the Hava, it offers two options for providing it with water: a hose and a built-in tank. This countertop dishwasher has more than 1,300 5-star reviews and a 4.5 out of 5-star rating from almost 1,800 reviews.

Another option is this Comfee’ countertop dishwasher, priced at $349.99 on Amazon. The Comfee’ dishwasher can wash more than 30 items at once and features six programs, including ones suitable for cleaning glass and fruit. It doesn’t need to be plugged in, and you add water manually so proximity to a sink isn’t required, either. With more than 800 5-star reviews and an overall 4.3-star rating from over 1,100 people, customers say it’s easy to use, works great and is highly recommended.