Beko DEN59420D AutoDose Dishwasher review: Smart, stylish and affordable

Reasonably priced and capacious, the full-sized, freestanding Beko DEN59420DX AutoDose is a good option for medium-sized families looking for low running costs and decent results. The AutoDose function means you can fill the Beko with detergent and rinse aid every few weeks rather than every single day, and Wi-Fi remote control and Alexa support are a nice bonus. It’s just a shame that it doesn’t tackle baked-on food and seriously dirty dishes with the aplomb of the best machines at the price.

Beko DEN59420DX AutoDose Dishwasher review: What you need to know

• It’s 598mm wide, 600mm deep and 850mm high
• Nine programmes (Auto, AquaFlex, Intensive, Eco, Glass care, Quick&Shine, Mini, Prewash, Download Cycle) and five different functions (AquaIntense, Fast+, SteamGloss, Super Rinse and Half Load)
• 14 place setting capacity
• A++ energy efficiency rating
• Wi-Fi control via dedicated mobile app
• Alexa support
• It comes in three finishes: Stainless steel (DEN59420DX), Graphite (DEN59420DG) and Anthracite (DEN59420DA)

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What do we love about the Beko DEN59420DX AutoDose Dishwasher?

Stylish looks: The Beko is an unusually dapper-looking dishwasher. The stainless steel finish of our review model is offset with a minimalist gloss back handle and external display, and a snazzy gloss black control panel runs the length of the door’s top edge. If stainless steel doesn’t match your kitchen, then you can also choose from Anthracite black or Graphite grey. Whichever you choose, it cuts quite the dash.

Wi-Fi remote control and Alexa support: This is by no means an essential feature for a dishwasher, but it might actually come in rather handy. The dedicated app allows you to set a wash going or monitor progress from your tablet or smartphone, check detergent and rinse aid levels, and automatically order top-ups online from wherever you are in the world. Meanwhile, Alexa support means you can be even more lazy and use voice control, but it’s nowhere near as useful nor fully-featured as the app.

Autodose feature: The Wi-Fi remote control would be useless if you had to remember to put a dishwasher tablet in every time. Thankfully, you don’t even have to get up off the sofa: the Beko’s AutoDose feature allows you to fill the Beko’s internal tanks with liquid detergent and rinse aid, and it dispenses the perfect amount for any given wash. Whether you set a wash going from the dishwasher’s control panel or your smartphone, the Beko handles the details for you.

Perfect for larger families: The Beko’s full-sized design allows it to pack in a generous 14 place settings, and the nine wash programmes provide plenty of scope for tackling the most filthy of washing up duties. The quiet operational volume of just 44dB means that it won’t draw attention to itself, either.

What don’t we like about the Beko DEN59420DX AutoDose Dishwasher?

Cleaning performance could be better: We’ve seen our fair share of marketing buzzwords in our time, but Beko’s AquaIntense Technology by and large delivers very decent cleaning results, it’s not up there with the best. The more energy-efficient programmes don’t clean as effectively as the best machines in the category, so tough stains will require you to make use of the Intensive programme.

App is a bit clunky: Although it’s great once it’s up and running, we had a few teething problems getting started and registered with the HomeWhiz app. The amount of control it offers is genuinely impressive, though, so it’s worth persevering with.

Daunting number of wash options: The nine programmes and five different functions mean that there’s quite a lot to take in, so it’s worth keeping the instruction book to hand for the first few weeks or so if you want to get the best cleaning performance from the Beko. Once you have a handle on which programmes and features suit different loads best, though, the clear control panel is simple to use.

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Beko DEN59420DX AutoDose Dishwasher review: Test report

KEY

• Excellent – class-leading, among the best
• Very Good – very good, well above average
• Good – on the positive side of average for model and price
• Average – pretty much average result for models of this size and price
• Poor – below par

Beko DEN59420DX AutoDose Dishwasher review: Ease of loading/unloading | Rating: Average

The Beko’s interior is capacious, but the layout isn’t particularly logical. There are folding plate supports for more flexible loading and a tangle of fold-down tines and tray supports, but the position of the height-adjustable upper rack can prohibit larger items, such as baking trays, to be placed in the bottom, which is a serious oversight. Throw in a separate cutlery basket and, once fully loaded, the Beko can feel cramped.

Beko DEN59420DX AutoDose Dishwasher review: Cleaning performance | Rating: Average

We started off by testing the Auto Cycle programme. This took a little less than three hours which is pretty standard for energy-efficient machines, while the dedicated Eco programme took quite a bit longer.

The more energy efficient programmes – Auto Cycle, Eco and AquaFlex (designed for mixed loads) – deliver decent everyday cleaning but struggle with tea rings in mugs, dried-on egg, solidified porridge and tougher stains. When it comes to the dirtiest dishes, the Beko’s Intensive setting is a much better choice, even if it too left some tell-tale traces of baked-on baked beans and overly persistent porridge.

When a more gentle touch is required, the Glass Care programme leaves glassware gleaming, while the Quick&Shine programme speeds the whole process up to just 30 minutes for crockery and cutlery that has seen only light use.

The addition of a Prewash setting is a particularly nice touch. If you accidentally let dirty dishes loiter in the washer for a few days before cleaning, or just have a particularly dirty load, it certainly helps tackle dried-on stains.

The Beko DEN59420DX AutoDose is a good all-rounder, but tougher stains and stickier foodstuffs may require additional manual cleaning or judicious application of the prewash function.