How long is a dishwasher cycle?

Dishwasher cycles run from around 20 minutes for a Rinse Only cycle to over 2 hours for a Heavy Wash cycle using the Sanitation mode.

After the dishwashing cycle ends, the drying cycle can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours depending on your model. If you select the No Heat Dry option, then dishes will be ready to unload after the wash cycle ends. It’s best to let the dishes cool down for a while after the cycle before unloading them.

How long is a dishwasher cycle supposed to last?

Check your owner’s manual for cycle times for your dishwasher. Many, but not all, owner’s manuals have charts that show cycle times. For sensing cycles, high-heat cycles and sanitation cycles, the exact time that your dishwasher takes can vary based on how dirty the loaded dishes are and initial hot water temperature supplied by your home’s water heater. Actual sensing cycle times may be shorter when you wash lightly soiled dishes and you can expect longer cycles if you have your water heater set to provide 110 degree water to the dishwasher rather than the 120 degree water expected for the data in the cycle time chart. It’s easy to tell how long a One Hour Wash cycle should last. Many dishwashers have a Quick Wash cycle that takes an hour or less but its cycle name doesn’t indicate the exact cycle time. If you’re in a hurry to get the dishes washed using your dishwasher, select a One Hour Wash or Quick Wash cycle that will end quickly.

Although cycle times are shorter for Quick Wash and One Hour Wash cycles, they typically use more water and energy to get dishes clean. Longer cycles that sense soil conditions save more energy and water than some shorter cycles.

How long should a dishwasher take?

If you’re wondering why your dishwasher is taking more than an hour and a half to complete a cycle, you’re not alone. Newer, energy-efficient dishwashers use less water and their cycles run much longer than older dishwasher’s cycles. Average run time for newer models are often twice as long as dishwasher cycles of pre-2000 dishwashers.

If you choose the high-heat or sanitation options on a newer dishwasher, cycles can almost triple the cycle times of older models if you have your water heater set at 110 degrees instead of 120 degrees. To shorten cycles when you choose high-heat and sanitation options, adjust your hot water heater’s temperature setting up slightly. Don’t over-adjust the hot water setting though. A hot water heater setting above 120 degrees can scald you.

To keep your dishwasher running smoothly and hitting the expected cycle times, have a service technician perform annual maintenance checks. Keeping your dishwasher in top shape won’t just keep it operating efficiently, it will also help your dishwasher last longer.