Indesit IN2ID10CS80 built-in dishwasher, 44.8 cm, 10 place settings, class D

A 44.8 cm machine is designed for the narrow cabinet module used in smaller kitchens where there is no room for a 60 cm dishwasher. Even so, it holds 10 place settings – each one being the plates, glass, cup and cutlery for one person. A day's dishes for a household of two or three fit into one load, so there is no need to run it every evening.

On the EU energy label scale from A to G the IN2ID10CS80 is rated class D, with an energy consumption of 67 kWh per 100 wash cycles. Class D sits one step above class E on the scale, so the same number of washes uses less electricity. If the dishwasher runs almost every day, that difference adds up over the years.

The machine has 5 programmes and electronic controls; this model has no display. You select and start a programme on the control panel without scrolling through menus. The quick wash is handy for lightly soiled dishes you need again soon. There is no delay start – the wash begins as soon as you start it, so for a night-time wash you switch it on before going to bed.

The machine measures 44.8 × 55.5 × 82 cm (width × depth × height) and weighs 29.6 kg. The adjustable feet let you set the height and level so that it sits neatly under the worktop. The current rating is 10 A, and the connection should be made by an electrician. The maximum noise level is 47 dB, noise class C, which is a typical level for everyday use in a dishwasher built into furniture.

A slimline machine has less room, so it pays to load it with some thought: plates and large bowls in the lower basket, glasses and cups in the upper one, and cutlery in the basket so that pieces do not nest together. The spray arms must be able to turn freely. The quick wash suits lightly soiled dishes; dried-on food is best scraped off the plates before loading.

The Indesit IN2ID10CS80 suits a smaller kitchen with a 45 cm space reserved for a dishwasher, and a household of two or three for whom 10 place settings is about right. It is especially suited to people who value lower energy use and simple controls and have no need for a display or a delay start.