Chances are, you probably never think about the process of running the dishwasher while you’re doing it. Loading the dishes, filling the machine with dishwasher detergent and pressing ‘Start’ to begin the cycle all become pretty automatic. While that’s part of the beauty of it, it also might be the reason you’re missing out on a special setting.
After taking a closer look at tons of different dishwashers, our experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab are here to point out the convenient drying feature you may not have ever noticed on your machine.
The next time you’re ready to start the dishwasher, take a look at all the buttons. You’ll most likely find an “extra dry” setting, whether it’s labeled ‘Dry+,’ ‘Pro Dry,’ ‘Extended Dry’ or some other variation. When the cycle is over, your dishes will be clean and dry. The more you know, right?
So say goodbye to dripping plates and slippery cups — simply give your machine a bit of extra time to do the drying work for you and rid yourself of post-cycle dread!
And if you’ve been missing this setting the whole time, don’t worry. Although it might seem obvious, it’s pretty easy to mindlessly press ‘Start’ without even thinking about what else your machine can do.
Laura Millar (she/her) is the assistant lifestyle editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home design. Prior to joining Good Housekeeping in 2024, she wrote for NBC’s TODAY.com, where she covered everything from entertainment news to pop culture updates.
