Pop the plates in and let this Smeg freestanding dishwasher take over the washing up. It holds 13 place settings, so it suits medium-sized households, and the 11 programmes cover everything from a quick programme when the cutlery is needed in a hurry to a longer soak for baked-on pans. The Planetarium wash system moves the base spray arm in a double rotation at 65 turns per minute, so water reaches the tumblers hiding at the back.

Loading is flexible too. The third FlexiDuo basket splits into two sections you can stack or lift out, and the upper basket sets to three heights with foldable racks, so there's no Jenga with your plates. The lower basket takes dishes up to 30cm across, which covers oversized dinner plates and serving platters. The AquaTest turbidity sensor reads how cloudy the water is and adjusts the cycle to match, while the FlexiZone half load option trims the water and heat used when you're washing only a few bits.