Bosch SHE53C85N 300 Series Dishwasher Review

About the Bosch SHE53C85N dishwasher

• Dimensions: 33.88" x 23.56" x 23.75" (H x W x D)
• Finishes: Stainless steel
• Cycles: Heavy, Auto, Normal, Delicate, and Speed 60
• Cycle options: Eco mode, custom temperature
• Special features: Home Connect app support, foldable tines, RackMatic, 3rd rack, PrecisionWash, PureDry, InfoLight, stainless-steel tub
• Control panel: Front-control
• ADA compliant: No
• User manual: Bosch SHE53C85N dishwasher manual

The Bosch SHE53C85N has the signature look of Bosch's other dishwasher models but features a front-facing control panel instead of top-facing controls. The buttons are responsive and have an intuitive layout. Like other Bosch dishwashers, the SHE53C85N will beam an indicator light onto the ground when it's in a wash cycle.

Opening up the dishwasher reveals three racks. The bottom and middle rack have foldable tines. The middle rack can be raised and lowered and features stemware holders to keep your wine glasses safe. The third rack has a higher density of tines to help keep your silverware organized.

This is also the first time the lineup of Bosch 300 Series dishwashers offers Wi-Fi connectivity and Home Connect app support, enabling remote control, notifications, and more.

What we like

Its cleaning abilities and run times do not disappoint

If you pick one cycle to leave this dishwasher on, Auto is the best one to pick. It cleared away an average 99.35% of our test stains, with 17 out of the 19 dishes coming out virtually spotless. While the Auto cycle can vary in its length of run time, on average it takes about 118 minutes to finish, which is roughly 17 minutes faster than average.

The Heavy cycle is also no slouch, clearing away an impressive 98% of our test stains on average, with 18 out of the 22 test dishes coming out completely clean (or very close to it). Heavy cycles often take a long time to finish, but this Bosch completes in just 140 minutes—almost 30 minutes faster than average.

The Speed 60 cycle also performed well and lived up to its name: It scrubbed off 93% of our test stains in just an hour. Though not as powerful as the other modes, it's more than proficient at handling any lightly soiled dishes you may have in short order.

The cleaning power of the SHE53C85N model is on par with that of the 500 Series SHPM65Z55N, even scrubbing away 3% to 5% more stains than its sibling in some cycles. It does fall short of the 800 Series SHP78CM5N, which put up a much more consistent cleaning performance across the cycles we tested.

It dries dishes well

Despite not having the zeolite drying technology of the 800 Series, the SHE53C85N still manages to get most of its dishes 100% dry by using a hotter final rinse to promote evaporation. We found that 79% of the dishes came out bone dry, while the remaining 21% were mostly dry.

This is a significant improvement over most other dishwashers, which typically get about half of the load bone dry. If you want the whole load to be completely dry, even the plastics, we think you'll need a dishwasher with zeolite. However, this Bosch 300 Series still does a great job even without that technology.

Its racks give users more choice in loading dishes

The SHE53C85N has both a third rack and an adjustable middle rack, which give the user a lot of control over what's stowed where.

The third rack provides ample room for larger utensils that may prove too bulky for the cutlery basket but that could potentially be jostled off the middle rack. Now, your spatulas and ladles have all the support they need to stay put, plus the rack is deep enough to allow for small bowls or ramekins to fit.

The middle rack can be adjusted up and down to better accommodate taller items stored either on that rack or below it. While it doesn't quite have the range of motion of some other Bosch dishwashers, you can still create more than enough space for most deep pots to sit comfortably on the lower rack.

There are also wine glass holders in the middle rack, so you can wash your stemware without worrying about it getting banged around and broken.

The middle and lower racks also have a series of foldable tines. If you're washing several thin items, like plates, these tines can fold up to keep everything steady and organized. If you're washing something bulkier, like a large ceramic bowl, you can fold down those tines to provide more room for its thicker build.

Its filter is great at catching tiny particles

One of our most difficult test stains is pureed spinach. Because it's made up of tiny fibrous particles, pureed spinach is great for stress-testing both the spray arm coverage and the filter. If the spinach isn't directly hit by spray it's not going anywhere, and if the filter isn't fine enough, that spinach is going to wind up washed back onto clean dishes as redeposit.

Despite this stain's difficulty, the SHE53C85N's filter held up remarkably well. It kept most of the spinach specs contained, so they didn't re-enter the wash water and get sprayed onto the newly cleaned dishes.

Fibrous purees aren't the most common element of most diets, but if you do tend to use hemp powder in shakes or vegetable powders as a supplement, you're likely all too familiar with how easy it is for otherwise clean dishes to finish a wash cycle still speckled with the stuff. If that's been your experience, we recommend the SHE53C85N.

Home Connect offers cycle customizations

Previously only available on higher-end Bosch dishwashers, the Home Connect app connection now spans the entire lineup. We love the customizable functions that the app offers. In addition to helpful features such as remote start and cycle notifications, the app allows access to selecting smart-cycle settings.

This lets you select items you're loading from a set list, the soil level (light, medium, heavy), and your priorities (i.e. cleanliness, dryness, efficiency, sanitization, silence, speed). Based on your priorities, a suitable cycle is suggested.

What we don’t like

Some features are only accessible via the app—and Android users may have additional difficulties

Connecting to the Home Connect app has become a standard task in evaluating Bosch dishwashers. We initially tried to connect to this Bosch with a Pixel 6 Android phone and we were unable to get it to work. We kept running into some iteration of the above screenshots. We were able to connect with a Pixel 3 without issue, and then during our testing, Android received an update that fixed our connection problems with the Pixel 6.

While we were (eventually) able to get two Android devices working with the dishwasher, the instruction manual does mention issues connecting "certain Android phones," so users of those devices should be aware of similar potential problems.

We're happy the issue we ran into has since been fixed, because not having access to the app is a bigger deal on modern Bosch dishwashers than it has been with older models. Newer Bosch models have some features that can only be accessed via the app. The Delicates cycle, Eco mode, the ability to tweak the heat and soil levels, and the child lock are all only found through the app.

The upside of accessing features on the app is a clearer, more intuitive control panel on the device itself. On the downside, if you're not planning to use the app, or you have trouble connecting, you simply can't use those features.

What owners are saying

The Bosch SHE53C85N is brand new on the market, and as such there aren’t currently many user reviews. While the few that are out there so far are predominantly positive, we'll update this section with greater detail once more user reviews have been posted.

Warranty

Bosch's warranty for built-in dishwashers covers parts and labor for one year, circuitry parts and parts for the racks for up to five years, and the inner wash tub for the lifetime of the product.

The industry standard warranty only covers parts and labor for a single year, so Bosch offers significantly more consumer protection than the majority of other manufacturers.

Should you buy the Bosch SHE53C85N dishwasher?

Yes, this offers an incredible value—excellent cleaning at an affordable price point

If you're not interested in all the bells and whistles of the higher-numbered Bosch models, the SHE53C85N is an excellent entry point.

The dishwasher is intuitive, easy to use, and features Bosch's signature design aesthetic. Most of this dishwasher's cycles excel at scrubbing out stains, but the Auto mode is both thorough and fast, and should be everyone's go-to cycle. While its performance didn't top our charts, it was better than average and has barely any downsides.

The one issue we ran into was getting Home Connect to work with a newer Android device, but that's already been fixed by an update. While some of the machine's functionality can only be accessed via the app, which some consumers may dislike, it does make the controls that are on the machine much more focused and usable.

If you have the budget to spend an additional $350, the 800 Series SHP78CM5N represents a step up in cleaning performance and exceptional drying. If you're already sold on buying a Bosch, we think the 800 Series is worth the additional investment—it's currently one of the highest-rated dishwashers we've tested.