Siemens Countertop Dishwasher Review After ~14 Years: My Long-Term Experience
I have used this Siemens countertop dishwasher one to two times a day for roughly 14 years. I bought it around 2012 for about 2,800 DKK (about US$483 using the 2012 average exchange rate), and every major part is still original. It has never needed a repair, never stopped halfway through a program, and never shown me an error code.
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains paid Amazon links. If you buy through them, Jon Tests may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I bought and used the Siemens dishwasher myself; I have not personally tested the current alternatives listed below. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
That longevity is the main reason I still rate it fairly well. The downside is that cleaning performance has declined, the machine now shows rust and wear, one side is starting to come loose, and it has developed a small leak. After this much use, it is clearly showing its age.
Model note: I have not been able to verify the exact E-Nr. on my own machine. Based on the control panel, dimensions, program layout and approximate purchase date, it appears to be from Siemens’ SK25E20xEU compact-dishwasher family and is most likely close to the SK25E201EU generation. I am deliberately not presenting the exact model number as certain.
Siemens compact countertop dishwasher — 3.5/5
Quick verdict: This has been an exceptionally durable little dishwasher. Mine has run for more than a decade with no repairs, but cleaning performance was never outstanding and has become noticeably worse with age. I would buy another countertop dishwasher for the right kitchen, but today I would prioritize stronger cleaning performance.
Best for: one- or two-person households that do not have room for a full-size dishwasher.
Skip if: you have space for a conventional built-in dishwasher and want maximum capacity and cleaning performance.
- Remarkable long-term durability
- No repairs or replacement parts in roughly 14 years
- Good drying when dishes are loaded so water can drain away
- Enough capacity for two people
- Can fit surprisingly large pots despite its compact size
- Comfortable loading height with no deep bending
- Noise has never bothered me
- The top doubles as useful kitchen storage
- Cleaning performance is only mediocre in my experience
- Stubborn Nutella, butter and coffee residue often need pre-cleaning
- Cleaning has become worse with age
- White residue sometimes appears on glasses now
- Limited capacity compared with a full-size dishwasher
- Rust, wear and a loosening side panel after long-term use
- My unit has now developed a small leak
- Professional installation in my kitchen required drilling through the countertop
My ownership history
- Purchased: around 2012, from memory
- Purchase price: approximately 2,800 DKK (about US$483 using the 2012 average exchange rate)
- Installation: approximately another 2,800 DKK (about US$483 using the 2012 average exchange rate) in my specific kitchen
- Household: two people
- Use: typically one to two cycles every day
- Main program: Normal 65°C
- Typical cycle time: roughly 2.5 hours from memory
- Repairs: none
- Replacement parts: none
- Current condition: still operating, but with rust, wear, declining cleaning performance and a small leak
If my estimate of one to two cycles per day is even roughly right, this dishwasher has probably completed several thousand wash cycles. That is why durability is the strongest part of my review.
How well does it actually clean?
This is the biggest weakness for me. Even when I use the 65°C program, I normally remove food that is firmly stuck to cutlery or cups before loading the machine.
Nutella and butter are good examples. If either is smeared onto a knife or spoon, I do not trust the dishwasher to remove it completely. Coffee cups can also need a rinse or quick wipe first.
I still prefer using the dishwasher because the dishes go through detergent, hot water and a complete wash cycle instead of getting only a quick manual rinse. But if you are expecting a small machine that lets you load heavily soiled dishes without thinking about them first, that has not been my experience.
The cleaning performance also seems to have declined over time. During the first three or four years, I remember it doing a better job with stubborn residue, and glasses generally came out looking cleaner.
White residue on glasses has become more common
I sometimes get a whitish residue or film on glasses now. I cannot say with certainty whether that comes from detergent, salt, water hardness, maintenance, or the dishwasher itself.
There is also an important limitation to my long-term comparison: I have used dishwasher salt and occasional machine cleaner, but I have not routinely cleaned the filter. Because of that, I cannot attribute the decline in cleaning performance entirely to age or the design of the machine.
Drying is better than the cleaning
Drying has generally been good. Most items are reasonably dry when the cycle is finished, provided I load them so that water can run off rather than collect in a flat surface or recess.
That matters especially with glasses, bowls and other items that can trap water. If I angle them sensibly, drying is one of the stronger parts of the dishwasher.
Capacity: enough for two people, but still a countertop machine
For two people, I think the capacity is acceptable. I can fit ordinary plates, glasses, cutlery and even fairly large pots. The photos above are a better representation of real capacity than a place-setting number.
There is obviously much less room than in a conventional full-size dishwasher. If I had enough kitchen space for a normal built-in model, I would prefer the extra capacity.
One ergonomic advantage I did not expect
Because the dishwasher sits on the countertop, loading and unloading it is easy on my back. I do not have to bend deeply toward floor level the way I do with many conventional dishwashers.
That has turned out to be a genuine everyday benefit rather than just a side effect of the compact design.
It also works as extra kitchen storage
The machine fits neatly into a corner of my kitchen, and I use the top for storage. In a small apartment kitchen, that partly offsets the counter space the dishwasher occupies.
Noise: clearly audible, but not annoying
I can hear the dishwasher when I am in the kitchen, but the sound has never bothered me. I can easily sleep while it is running.
At times I even find the sound of the water spraying inside surprisingly pleasant. I would not describe this as a silent machine, but I also would not consider noise a meaningful downside.
Installation was more involved than I expected
The dishwasher itself cost me around 2,800 DKK (about US$483 using the 2012 average exchange rate), but I remember paying roughly the same amount for professional installation.
That high installation cost was specific to my kitchen. The installer had to drill through the countertop and route the water and drain hoses through the worktop area toward the sink plumbing.
The actual work did not seem to take particularly long, but I had not realized before buying the dishwasher that the countertop would need to be drilled. Anyone considering a similar setup should look carefully at where the water and drain hoses will go before buying.
Long-term reliability is the standout feature
This is where the Siemens has impressed me most. In roughly 14 years of heavy use, I have never had the pump, hose, seal, basket or any other major component replaced.
It has never stopped in the middle of a program and has never displayed an error code that I can remember.
Even if the cleaning performance is only average, getting this much use from the original machine has made it very good value for me.
After more than a decade, the wear is now obvious
The dishwasher is still working, but it is no longer in great physical condition. There is visible wear and some rust, and one side of the casing or front assembly is beginning to come loose.
It also leaks a small amount of water now. The leak has been minor enough that I have simply wiped it up, but a leaking dishwasher is not something I would treat as normal operation. I would stop using it if the leak became more substantial or if water could reach electrical components.
Maintenance: what I did and what I did not do
I have used dishwasher salt and descaling or cleaning products, and I run a dedicated dishwasher cleaner occasionally — roughly every six months.
One thing I did not do consistently was clean the filter. That is worth stating because it could be one reason the dishwasher no longer cleans as well as it used to.
Current countertop dishwashers I would consider instead
My Siemens is long discontinued, so I would not tell someone to hunt down the exact same machine today. If I needed a replacement, I would start with current 6-place-setting countertop models that have a similar footprint and are designed for the same kind of small-kitchen use.
Important: I have not personally tested the three models below. They are not substitutes for my first-hand Siemens review; they are current products I would put on my research shortlist based on size, capacity and published specifications. Prices and availability can change.
| Model | Why it is relevant | Published size | Capacity / cycles | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMFEE’ CDC22P1BBB | The closest starting point for me. Its footprint is very similar to my old Siemens, and it keeps the same useful 6-place-setting format while offering eight wash cycles. | About 21.65 W × 19.7 D × 17.24 H in | 6 place settings / 8 cycles | View on Amazon (paid link) |
| Farberware FCD06ABBWHA | Another very similarly sized countertop option with a compact 6-place-setting layout and seven wash programs. | About 21.7 W × 19.7 D × 17.2 H in | 6 place settings / 7 cycles | View on Amazon (paid link) |
| Danby DDW631SDB | A more premium-priced alternative I would compare if I wanted a stainless-steel interior, eight cycles and a similar overall format. | 21.65 W × 20.65 D × 17.25 H in | 6 place settings / 8 cycles | View on Amazon (paid link) |
If I were shopping today, I would research the COMFEE’ first. It is the closest match to the type of dishwasher that has worked in my kitchen for years, and cleaning performance would be the first thing I would investigate because that is the biggest weakness of my aging Siemens.
These Amazon listings are for the U.S. market and use North American electrical specifications. They are useful alternatives for U.S. readers, not direct 230 V replacements for my European Siemens.
Would I buy Siemens again?
I would consider Siemens again, but I would not buy purely on brand loyalty. If this machine failed tomorrow, I would research current countertop dishwashers and focus heavily on real-world cleaning performance.
I would also be willing to spend more than I did on this machine if the extra money bought meaningfully better cleaning.
If I had space for a conventional built-in or freestanding dishwasher, I would probably choose that format instead. In my experience from using larger dishwashers in other homes, they offer more capacity and can clean better.
Why I rate it 3.5/5
My overall rating is 3.5/5, equivalent to the 7/10 summary I originally gave it. Cleaning is the core job of a dishwasher, so it carries the largest weight. The extraordinary durability keeps the score respectable, while mediocre cleaning and the machine’s current age-related problems hold it back.
This score follows the public Jon Tests rating method: category-relevant criteria total 100%, each criterion is scored from 1.0 to 5.0 from the documented first-hand evidence, and the weighted result is rounded to one decimal place.
| Criterion | Weight | Score | Evidence from my use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleaning performance | 45% | 2.4/5 | Stubborn Nutella, butter and coffee residue often need pre-cleaning, and performance has become noticeably worse with age. |
| Durability & reliability | 20% | 5.0/5 | Roughly 14 years of heavy use with no repairs, replacement parts, mid-cycle stops or remembered error codes. |
| Drying | 10% | 4.2/5 | Generally good when dishes are positioned so water can drain instead of pooling. |
| Capacity | 10% | 3.4/5 | Good enough for two people and can fit large pots, but still limited compared with a full-size dishwasher. |
| Ease of use & noise | 10% | 4.4/5 | Easy loading height, straightforward controls and noise that has never bothered me. |
| Value | 5% | 4.6/5 | The exceptionally long lifespan gave me very strong value despite the original purchase and installation cost. |
| Weighted rating | 3.5/5 | 3.510 before rounding. | |
Structured-data note: I cannot verify the exact E-Nr. on my dishwasher, so I am deliberately not marking this page up as an exact-model Product review. I would rather lose potential review-star eligibility than attach exact-product schema to an uncertain model.
Who is this type of dishwasher for?
- Good fit: one- or two-person households with very limited kitchen space.
- Good fit: apartments where a full-size dishwasher simply will not fit.
- Good fit: anyone who values countertop-height loading and unloading.
- Think twice if: you regularly cook with many large pots and pans.
- Think twice if: maximum cleaning performance is your top priority.
- Choose a full-size dishwasher instead if: you have the space and want more capacity.
Frequently asked questions
What exact Siemens model is this?
I cannot verify the exact E-Nr. from my machine. Based on its control panel, program layout, size and approximate purchase date, it appears to be from the Siemens SK25E20xEU family and is likely close to the SK25E201EU generation. I prefer to be transparent about that uncertainty rather than claim an exact model number I cannot prove.
How long have I owned it?
I bought it around 2012, so approximately 14 years as of 2026. The year is from memory rather than a surviving receipt.
How often do I use it?
Typically one or two times per day in a two-person household.
Has it needed repairs?
No. I have never had it professionally repaired and no parts have been replaced.
Does it clean well?
Only moderately well in my experience. I normally remove stubborn Nutella, butter and coffee residue first, and cleaning performance has become worse as the machine has aged.
Does it dry dishes well?
Generally yes, as long as dishes are loaded so water can drain off rather than pool in them.
Is a countertop dishwasher worth it?
For me, yes. I dislike hand-washing dishes and did not have a kitchen that suited a normal full-size dishwasher. A countertop machine gave me most of the convenience in a much smaller footprint.
Sources and review method
- My own long-term ownership experience, original photos and recollection of purchase price, installation and use.
- Siemens product archive for SK25E201EU, used only to cross-check the likely product family.
- Siemens product archive for SK25E202EU, used to compare the later closely related model.
For more about how Jon Tests handles first-hand product reviews, see How I Test.
