Dishwasher Duel: Top Control vs. Front Control

Front-control dishwashers have a classic look.
New models have touch screen controls instead of the hard-to-clean buttons of previous generations, but dishwashers have had front control designs since they hit the general market around 75 years ago. It’s a classic style, meaning your appliance won’t ever look terribly dated.

Front-control dishwashers can cost less.
You can get a good dishwasher with controls on the front door for as little as $300 to $400. Dishwashers with controls integrated into the top of the appliance generally have an entry-level price that’s a few hundred dollars higher.

You can easily see the controls.
No hunting around for integrated controls designed into the top of the door — or having to pull open the door to change a setting. You can see how much time is left on the wash cycle from across the room. If you like a sleek, minimal look, a control panel on the front of the dishwasher can look busy.

It’s easy to accidentally turn on the dishwasher.
If you have a small kitchen with narrow clearance between appliances or if you have little kids, they may love messing with those very visible controls. Sometimes the slightest bump of the front panel can start the appliance or change the cleaning cycle you’ve chosen. Lean against your dishwasher’s front controls and you may end up running a wash cycle on a clean load of dishes. Or you may interrupt a cycle and end up with a load of still dirty dishes.

A top-control dishwasher brings an elevated look to a kitchen.
A top-control dishwasher with no visible buttons or lights looks more luxe. It’s sleek and minimal. Some models allow you to buy a front panel that matches your cabinets, so you don’t even see the appliance. It’s total camouflage.

Kids aren’t as likely to press controls they cannot see.
When the buttons are hidden in the dishwasher door, the kids aren’t as likely to run the dishwasher when it’s empty or stop it mid-cycle when it’s full.

It can be hard to tell when the wash cycle is over.
When the control buttons are on the top of the door, you can’t tell if the dishwasher is running. Note: Some top-control dishwashers have indicator lights built into the front of the door. You can tell the machine is running, but you lose the elevated look of that sleek front panel.

The controls tend to be smaller.
Since the buttons are tucked into the top of the dishwasher door, there may not be room for easy-to-see buttons you can read without squinting or grabbing your glasses. The buttons face up, so at least you won’t have to bend your neck to see them.

Top-control models cost more.
There’s more engineering and manufacturing expense involved in integrating controls into the top of the door, so prices for top-control dishwashers tend to be higher than their front-control counterparts.