How Far Can A Dishwasher Be From The Sink?

If you want to boost the efficiency of your kitchen, installing a dishwasher can be an excellent way to do just that. Washing dishes manually takes time and effort, while a dishwasher can make light work of almost any soiled dishes. However, to make your dishwasher work as efficiently as possible, proper dishwasher placement is essential. Thinking about how far your dishwasher is from your sink and other plumbing lines is key to making it work to the best of its ability. Here's what you need to know about proper dishwasher placement.

Having your kitchen properly laid out is key to it working properly and being a pleasant space to use. This means making sure the most used spots are spread evenly around the space. According to Mudd & Co, the working triangle principle is still one of the best methods of kitchen layout — giving an equal distance between your fridge, stove and washing area. Based on this principle, your sink and dishwasher should be very close together to keep to the working triangle shape.

There's another reason many feel keeping the dishwasher close to the sink is a good idea. According to Ideal Home, dishwasher placement involves the same basic concerns as where to install your sink. You want it to be within fairly easy reach of your crockery and cutlery storage to make emptying the dishwasher as easy as possible. Having your dishwasher near the sink has another benefit, too. It will mean you can rinse off any excess food into your garbage disposal before putting dishes into the dishwasher. This will help ensure your dishes come out sparklingly clean but will also help protect your dishwasher over time and keep it working at its best, since the dishwasher won't have to deal with excessively dirty dishes on a regular basis. According to Laurysen Kitchen, it's also worth considering which side of the sink you'd best like your dishwasher at.

The final things you should think about in terms of dishwasher placement are concerns related to plumbing, according to Kitchens.com. Many are worried that by placing a dishwasher too far from the drain hose and water lines, the water supply and pressure can become worsened. However, if you have your dishwasher properly installed, this should not be the case.

Nonetheless, there are some limitations to your dishwasher placement in terms of water supply and drainage. Standard dishwashers come with a 6 1/2-foot supply line and drain hose, which will both need to be connected to your water mains supply, which is usually found under the sink. However, if you do wish for your dishwasher to be further from your sink, you can use a hose extension to give yourself more room. You can purchase longer dishwasher hoses from most hardware stores, including Home Depot.

To keep the water flow and pressure as effective as possible, you must make sure there are as few bends as possible in your extended dishwasher hose. The hose must be elevated off of the floor to prevent any wastewater potentially infiltrating the mechanism and should be kept behind cabinets to keep it safe and protected. According to Home Depot, you also want to ensure the front of your dishwasher is flush against your other cabinets. If you follow these basic principles, though, your dishwasher can be as far away from your sink as you see fit!