Sharp SDW6757ES Dishwasher Review

The Sharp SDW6757ES has a pretty classic design with a blank stainless steel facade, a sturdy handle, and a tiny vent. It keeps its controls on the top of the door, hidden under your countertop; they're easy to use and intuitive.

Opening the door reveals its three racks, and savvy consumers will notice the bright red Power Wash zone located in the machine's lower right corner.

The SDW6757ES overflows when it comes to extras, including a third rack, adjustable middle rack, interior light, the Power Wash zone, a sanitize option, and some smooth-gliding rails that really add to the high-end experience.

About the Sharp SDW6757ES dishwasher

Dimensions: 33.88" x 23.88" x 26.47" (H x W x D) Capacity: 14 place settings Finishes: Stainless steel Cycles: Auto, Heavy Duty, Normal, Delicate, Express Wash, and Rinse Only Cycle options: Power Wash, Hi Temp Wash, Sanitize, Half-Load option, Heat Dry, and Air Refresh User manual: Sharp SDW6757ES dishwasher manual

What we like

It powers through most dirty dishes

While a high price point always piques our interest when it comes to a dishwasher’s cleaning performance test results, we’ve been disappointed in the past. So, it's a nice surprise that the SDW6757ES actually cleans well. On each cycle we tested, the it was able to keep up with its competition, with average stain removal and very little redeposit. Most dishes typically finished a cycle bone dry.

The Heavy Duty cycle was its best performing one by far, and it got our test dishes 99.6% spotless in 2 hours and 47 minutes, only slightly slower than average. The Normal and Express Wash cycles were more middling, getting their dishes 94% clean overall in about as much time as other dishwashers. Nothing to write home about, but no slip-ups either.

Smooth-glide rails make this dishwasher a joy to use

If you haven’t owned a dishwasher with really smooth gliding racks, you may not know just how much they can add to a user's overall experience. And if you have used them, you know just how cheap it can feel when the racks hitch or wobble as you slide them—nobody likes to fight with their appliance as they’re doing chores.

For dishwashing connoisseurs, the Sharp SDW6757ES doesn't disappoint. The smooth-glide rails feel sturdy and are easy to use, and this feature really helps drive home the fact that this is a higher-end product.

An interior light aids in loading or unloading

Most users aren’t going to be loading or unloading their dishwasher in a pitch-black room, but even in a well-lit kitchen it can sometimes be tough to see inside. The interior light is a small perk, but it's one we’ve found we have missed on units that don’t have it.

The Sharp SDW6757ES doesn't let us down with its white interior LEDs—you can take stock at a glance, without even needing to pull out the racks.

We would love it if the dishwasher's light had an option to toggle it on and off—in case you found it kept shining in your eyes as you loaded certain items (which happened to one of our testers)—but in general we prefer having a light to not having one.

The third rack with adjustable middle rack means more storage options

The combination of a third rack with an adjustable middle rack has been rare in the past, but it is quickly becoming a staple of high-end dishwashers. It's a convenient space for items like spatulas or ladles that are too big for the cutlery basket and too long to neatly fit in amongst the glasses and other items in the upper rack.

Having a third shelf can make the middle shelf a bit cramped on height at times, though, which is where the adjustable height comes in. With the SDW6757ES, you can raise or lower the middle rack to let you better accommodate taller items: Raising the middle rack allows taller items to be stored below, and lowering it can help you fit in taller glassware on the middle rack.

The Sharp SDW6757ES, has an additional point of articulation as well: The bottom of the third rack can slide to the side for even more vertical clearance on the middle rack.

A Power Wash zone cleans really dirty dishes

Located in the lower back right corner, the Power Wash zone is initiated by a triangular red sprayer. Turning on Power Wash engages this sprayer, which has additional power for especially difficult stains.

Based on our experience, the zone does have a little more cleaning oomph than other spots around the dishwasher, but your mileage may vary based on the type of stain you’re trying to wash away. Regardless, we do like having this option available.

What we don’t like

Cleaning power is a bit low for its price point

If you’re spending this much money on a dishwasher, it’s reasonable to expect your dishes to always come out spotless. While we aren't disappointed in the SDW6757ES’s cleaning ability—it had pretty average Normal and Quick Wash cycles and a decent Heavy Duty cycle—within the context of a premium price, “average” can feel like a letdown.

Some of the SDW6757ES’s cost may go towards its litany of extra features, which are all useful, but you can also find the majority of them on all the other high-end dishwashers in this price range—and most of those have much better cleaning capabilities. For example, the Bosch SHPM88Z75N has a third rack, and an adjustable upper rack, as well as better cleaning and drying. The Samsung DW80R9950UT has all those aspects and also features adjustable tines for even more storage customization.

While the Sharp SDW6757ES is a pretty good dishwasher, its price point puts it in competition with the best, and it just falls short in that context.

What owners are saying

The Sharp SDW6757ES is both new and comes at a premium price, two factors that make user reviews very scarce. In this case, there’s barely anything available online just yet. We’ll keep an eye out and update this section once enough testimonials are available to draw some conclusions.

Warranty

Sharp covers the SDW6757ES for one year for parts and labor. This is the bare minimum warranty for appliances, so we are disappointed here. Some manufacturers, like Bosch or Samsung offer longer warranties on select parts, to help you feel more secure in your investment.

Should you buy the Sharp SDW6757ES?

No. While there’s a lot to like about the Sharp SDW6757ES, it just doesn’t have the cleaning power consumers should expect from this price point. This is Sharp’s first dishwasher released in the U.S. and we think it’s a promising first attempt, but as is often the case with early offerings, it needs some refinement before it can really compete.

Of course, given that prices can change over time, it’s very likely the SDW6757ES may eventually become a great buy—consider it a really good mid-range dishwasher. So, if you can find it available somewhere in the $600–700 range, it might make sense to snap it up.

If you’re looking for a dishwasher in the $1,000 price range, there are a lot of great dishwashers to choose from. We’d recommend checking out the Bosch SHPM88Z75N, which is currently our top-rated dishwasher: It has most of the same features and abilities, but is better at drying plastics and scrubbing dishes spotless.