When to buy a dishwasher for less: a month-by-month guide

The best time to buy a dishwasher is usually the January sales, Black Friday in late November and end-of-line clearance, when brands refresh their ranges. Unlike an air conditioner or a tumble dryer, a dishwasher isn't very seasonal: the real trap is the rushed purchase after a breakdown. Pick your model early and follow its price for a few weeks, and you'll know a genuine deal when you see one.

Best month to buy a dishwasher: the calendar

This table applies the usual large-appliance patterns to dishwashers, based on the French and wider European retail calendar. Treat it as qualitative guidance, not a promise: a specific model can drop in price at any time.

Month	Rating	Why
January	Good	Winter sales: end-of-line, display models and less popular finishes marked down.
February	Average	Final markdowns, but stock is often thin on the most popular models.
March – April	Average	Quiet period; ranges get refreshed and outgoing models may be cleared.
May	Average	Occasional retailer events, such as the spring French Days in France.
June – July	Average	Summer sales from late June, usually more focused on fashion than large appliances.
August	Average	Moving season: handy if you're settling in, but delivery and installation can take longer.
September	Average	Back-to-school period, autumn French Days in some years.
October	Good to prepare	The month to shortlist your model and note its price before year end.
November	Good	Black Friday and Cyber Monday: plenty of offers, to be checked one by one.
December	Average	Holiday deals lean towards small appliances; some offers get extended.

For the bigger picture across every home appliance, see when to buy home appliances.

Black Friday or the January sales: when should you buy?

Both are often comparable for large appliances, and they're only about six weeks apart:

• Black Friday 2026: Friday 27 November 2026, followed by Cyber Monday on 30 November. Our Black Friday 2026 guide covers the event.
• French winter sales 2027: Wednesday 6 January to Tuesday 2 February 2027, except in a few départements with their own dates. See our winter sales 2027 guide. Other European countries usually hold sales in January too.

If your current dishwasher still works, there's no rush: note your model's price in November, and if Black Friday doesn't really move it, the January sales give you a second chance. If it has broken down, compare the cost of a repair with the price of a new machine before rushing.

How to spot a fake dishwasher discount

Large appliances are a classic playground for inflated "was" prices. In France, since 28 May 2022, a price reduction must be based on the lowest price the seller charged in the previous 30 days (article L112-1-1 of the Consumer Code, from the EU Omnibus directive). Our article on the 30-day rule explains how it works.

That rule doesn't guarantee a good deal:

• a price can be raised more than 30 days before a sale, then "cut";
• some listings show a manufacturer's "recommended price" that nobody actually charges;
• near-identical references (same model, different suffix, stainless or white finish) make cross-retailer comparison harder;
• a discount on the machine can be offset by pricier delivery or installation.

For a quick set of checks, see how to spot a fake discount.

Freestanding, integrated or compact: which dishwasher do you need?

Format

• Freestanding: has its own casing and can be moved easily. Often the cheapest format.
• Fully integrated: hides behind a cabinet door that matches your kitchen. Choose it if your kitchen was designed for one.
• Semi-integrated: slides under the worktop with the control panel visible.
• Slimline (45 cm wide): for small kitchens, with a smaller capacity.
• Compact or countertop: for a studio with no space under the worktop; some models don't need a fixed water connection.

Capacity

Capacity is given in place settings on the energy label. A standard 60 cm model suits most families; a 45 cm one is often enough for one or two people. Think about how you cook: large pans, baking dishes, wine glasses. A third rack for cutlery and height-adjustable baskets make a big everyday difference.

Features that actually matter

• Noise level: essential in an open-plan kitchen.
• Leak protection (such as "Aquastop"): useful in a flat.
• Delay start: handy if your electricity tariff has off-peak hours.
• Drying: systems that open the door slightly at the end of the cycle often dry better.

Connected features are rarely decisive, so don't pay much more for them.

How to read the EU dishwasher energy label

Since 1 March 2021, the EU energy label for dishwashers uses an A to G scale. The old A+, A++ and A+++ classes are gone and models were reclassified: an old A+++ machine now sits in a lower class without having got any worse.

The label shows:

• energy consumption per 100 cycles (kWh);
• water consumption per cycle (litres);
• the eco programme duration;
• capacity in place settings;
• noise emissions and their class.

All these values are measured on the eco programme. Its duration often looks long: that's normal, as it heats the water less and makes up for it with a longer wash. To compare two models, look at kWh and litres rather than the letter alone.

The true cost of a dishwasher beyond the sticker price

A dishwasher runs several times a week for years. To compare, work it out: kWh per 100 cycles ÷ 100 × cycles per year × your price per kWh × years of use. Then add water and consumables (tablets, salt, rinse aid).

Purely hypothetical example: if two models are 60 € apart but the pricier one uses noticeably less energy, run this calculation with your own figures before picking the cheaper one.

Then come the extras: delivery, installation (water supply and drain connection), and a cabinet door for a fully integrated model. In France and across the EU, a two-year legal guarantee of conformity applies anyway, and online purchases generally come with a 14-day right of withdrawal.

Taking back your old machine

In France, when you buy an equivalent new appliance, the seller must take back the old one for free (the "one-for-one" rule for waste electrical equipment), including for online orders delivered to your home. Make sure the option is selected before you pay. Other EU countries have similar schemes, so check the local rules.

Dishwasher buying checklist

1. Measure the space: height under the worktop, width (45 or 60 cm), depth.
2. Check where the water supply, drain and power socket are.
3. Pick the format (freestanding, semi- or fully integrated) and capacity.
4. Compare kWh per 100 cycles, litres per cycle and noise level.
5. Note the exact model reference and track its price over several weeks.
6. Aim for Black Friday, the January sales or an end-of-line model.
7. Compare the delivered, installed price including take-back of your old machine.
8. Be wary of crossed-out prices and check the price history before you pay.

Why checking prices by hand falls short

Watching a dishwasher's price by hand means opening several product pages every few days, writing prices down somewhere and hoping you land on the right day. In practice, you forget, you miss a short-lived drop, or you end up trusting the crossed-out price because you have nothing to compare it with.

UniverTrack does that job for you: paste the product link (Amazon, Cdiscount and other retailer sites on a best-effort basis), and the price is checked automatically, a dated history builds up and a "good time to buy" indicator tells you when to act. On Amazon, past price history can even be shown from day one.

Put it into practice: buy your dishwasher at the right price

1. Paste the link of the dishwasher you want into UniverTrack: you get a free preview with its current price.
2. Set a target price, for example just below the lowest price you've seen in recent weeks.
3. Get an email alert when that price is reached, then buy with confidence. Our price drop alert guide shows how to set it up.

For a single big purchase like this, the Découverte plan is plenty (up to 10 products, price history and alerts). If the same model is sold by several retailers and you want them grouped on one product page showing the best offer, the Pro plan is a better fit. Compare them on the pricing page, then start the 14-day free trial, with no commitment.

Kitting out the laundry room too? See when to buy a washing machine.