This Countertop Dishwasher Could Revolutionize The Way We Wash Dishes

If you have ever lived in a cramped New York apartment (or any small space), you know that having a dishwasher in your home is a luxury. You become one with your wrinkled fingers from washing dishes by hand, and the thought of loading up a dishwasher is a distant dream of future “success.” However, we live in a world where dreams do come true—sometimes, even sooner than we’d expect. Water heater company, Heatworks, and a design firm by the name of Frog Design collaborated to create a compact countertop dishwashing machine called Tetra, that completes a cycle in 10 minutes with only half a gallon of water.

The base is divided into three compartments, which is where all the magic happens. You manually add the water and detergent into the first compartment, and the second compartment is where the heating and spray mechanics are located. The third compartment is where the dirty water gathers to be drained after the cycle. To top it off, like many other kitchen gadgets coming onto the market, the machine can be controlled with an accompanying app on your smartphone.

Heatworks tankless electric water heaters that allows the dishwasher to operate without being connected to a waterline. It takes up roughly the same amount of space as any medium-sized kitchen appliance and can easily be stored under the sink. That said, the dishwasher won’t be an eyesore if displayed on your counter given its sleek and modern design. The Tetra plugs into a standard electrical outlet and is portable to carry to other locations, such as a hotel room or an Airbnb rental.

Tetra, which debuted this week at CES, is ideal for people who live in tight quarters or small households of 3 people or less. Instead of waiting a few days to load the dishwasher to capacity, you can wash-and-go as often as needed. The Tetra is considered environmentally friendly because it uses far less water in comparison to one cycle with a full-sized dishwasher. It comes with multiple rubber pads that fit in the bottom of the washer to help organize your dishes, depending on the shapes and sizes. Generally, you can fit around 10 plates or 12 pint glasses in a single load, but the fun doesn’t stop there. Beyond washing dishes, the machine can be used to sanitize baby bottles and gently steam seafood. Yes, that’s right; you can steam lobster for dinner in your dishwasher.

The Tetra is expected to be on the market later this year, retailing for $299.