For a plastic vs stainless steel dishwasher tub, I'd pay for stainless if the budget stretches, since it's quieter, shrugs off stains and can dry without a heater. Plastic costs less: on Merit's listings, the cheapest stainless tub costs $220.00 more than the cheapest plastic one. Price, sound, stains and how the dishes dry are the four things that separate them.
A dishwasher tub is the inner box the racks slide into: the walls and floor that hold the water while the spray arms work. It is moulded plastic, stainless steel or a mix of the two.
At Merit Home Furniture on Vancouver Island, the dishwashers our stores carry are listed for Campbell River and Port Alberni, the two stores with a kitchen appliance floor. I write from Duncan, and appliances are no longer part of what our Duncan location does, so every model here comes from those two stores. They list 53 dishwashers, and 47 of those listings name the tub. Of the 47, 38 list a stainless steel tub, five a plastic one and four a mix of both.
Plastic vs stainless steel dishwasher tub: which is better for an Island kitchen?
A stainless steel dishwasher tub is the better tub when the budget allows, and a plastic tub is a fair buy when it doesn't. The makers say much the same. Whirlpool Canada calls plastic interiors a cost-effective alternative for buyers on a budget, and says plastic is typically the only option on entry-level machines. Frigidaire Canada is kinder to plastic. Its owner FAQ calls plastic interiors durable and quiet, and usually less expensive. It then credits stainless with "the quietest wash" and "the greatest resistance to stains".
Both companies build both kinds, and they agree on the order: stainless is quieter and harder to stain, and plastic is cheaper. Where the two tubs part ways most is drying, and that has to do with how steel handles heat.
Plastic tub
Built-in plastic models on our listings run $479.00 to $699.99 before applicable taxes. Their ratings run 55 to 59 dBA. Plastic can pick up tomato stains, and four of the five plastic listings name a heated dry option.
Stainless steel tub
Stainless models on our listings start at $699.00 and are rated 38 to 52 dBA. Steel resists stains, and LG says its own stainless tub resists rust. A stainless tub can dry dishes by condensation, with no heating element.
Stainless steel tub dishwasher vs plastic: the price gap on our listings
At Merit, the price gap between a plastic and a stainless steel tub dishwasher is widest at the low end. By the top of the plastic range, it's gone. The table sets eleven built-in 24-inch models side by side, cheapest first. I read each price off its listing on November 1, 2026, and all are before applicable taxes. Each sound rating is the listing's dBA figure, or Bosch's own for the Bosch.
| Model and store | Tub | Sound | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frigidaire FFCD2413US, Port Alberni | Plastic (polymer) | 55 dBA | $479.00 |
| Amana ADFS2524RS, Campbell River and Port Alberni | Plastic | 59 dBA | $499.99 to $529.99 |
| Frigidaire FDHP4336AS, Port Alberni | Hybrid | 49 dBA | $579.00 |
| Midea MDF24P2BST, Port Alberni | Stainless and plastic hybrid | 52 dBA | $629.99 to $649.99 |
| Frigidaire FDSH4502BF, Port Alberni | Stainless steel | 49 dBA | $699.00 |
| LG LDNFC33LS, Campbell River | Stainless steel (NeveRust) | 48 dBA | $699.99 |
| Maytag MDB4949SKW, Campbell River and Port Alberni | Stainless steel | 50 dBA | $849.99 |
| Whirlpool WDT750SAKZ, Campbell River and Port Alberni | Stainless steel | 47 dBA | $849.99 to $999.99 |
| KitchenAid KDPS324SPS, Campbell River | Stainless steel | 41 dBA | $1,099.99 |
| Samsung DW90F89T0USRAA, Campbell River | Stainless steel | 38 dBA | $1,249.99 to $1,299.99 |
| Bosch SHE3AEM5N, Campbell River | Stainless steel with Polinox base | 50 dBA | $1,349.00 |
The cheapest stainless model in that list, the Frigidaire FDSH4502BF at $699.00, costs 99 cents less than the dearest plastic built-in we list. That one is the Whirlpool WDP540HAMZ at $699.99, which pairs a plastic tub with a stainless steel door. Above $700, the extra money goes into racks and wash features as much as into the tub. The KitchenAid has a third level jet rack, and the Samsung adds a third rack and Wi-Fi control.
Two of the five plastic tubs are portables. The Whirlpool WDP370PAHB and its white twin roll on casters, hook up to the kitchen faucet and list at $1,099.99. Another 78 dishwashers on the site are special orders with no store attached, and their listings don't give a tub row yet. The full range sits in every dishwasher we list, whatever the tub, and the cabinet models have their own list of built-in dishwashers to compare by tub.
Reading a listing for the tub takes a minute:
- Find the Tub row. The Details table on most of our listings names the tub as plastic, polymer, hybrid or stainless steel.
- Ignore the front panel. A stainless door says nothing about the inside. The Frigidaire FFCD2413US has a stainless steel front and a polymer tub. A black stainless front is no different, and black stainless steel's coating brings trade-offs of its own.
- Read the sound line. The dBA figure is the maker's rating, and a lower number is a quieter machine.
- Check the drying line. Heated dry, door-open dry and condensation dry work differently, and condensation drying depends on a stainless tub.
How a dishwasher tub affects drying: condensation, heated dry and door-open dry
Drying is where the tub material changes the way a dishwasher works inside. A stainless steel tub can dry dishes by condensation, with no heating element at all. Bosch explains its PureDry system on its Canadian site. An extra hot wash heats the dishes. The steel walls then cool first, because "stainless steel cools faster than glass and porcelain." Moist air meets the cooler steel, turns to droplets and drains away.
LG makes the comparison with plastic directly: its NeveRust stainless tub "helps to improve drying performance", measured against plastic tubs. Whirlpool Canada adds that stainless tubs are often better equipped to handle higher drying temperatures than plastic or hybrid ones.
Plastic-tub dishwashers on Merit's listings lean on heat. The Amana ADFS2524RS lists a heated dry option, and so do the Whirlpool WDP540HAMZ and both Whirlpool portables. The Frigidaire FFCD2413US lists no drying feature at all. Plenty of stainless models carry a heater too, for a harder dry. The KitchenAid KDPS624SPS listing describes its Advanced ProDry as a heating element, a fan and door-open drying. The LG LDNFC33LS uses AutoVent Dry instead, which LG says opens the door slightly at the end of the cycle to let fresh air in.
Heated drying costs power. BC Hydro suggests turning off the heat-dry setting and air-drying instead. By its figures, that cuts a dishwasher's energy use by about 15%, and it keeps the house cooler in summer.
Can plastic tubs and containers go in the dishwasher?
Plastic containers marked dishwasher-safe can go in either kind of tub. Where the tub matters is the heater. Bosch says that because its dishwashers have no exposed heating element, plastics are safe on the lower rack. On a machine with an exposed element, the owner's manual says which rack plastics belong on. Bosch also names a particular rinse aid for extra drying help with plastics.
Does a stainless steel dishwasher tub make the machine quieter?
A stainless steel dishwasher tub usually goes with a quieter machine, and the makers say so. Whirlpool Canada says "Plastic tubs are generally loudest", with stainless steel the quietest and hybrids in the middle. The same page notes that sound is measured in decibels, written dBA, and that makers list a figure for each model.
Merit's listings follow that order. The plastic tubs with a rating run 55 to 59 dBA. The hybrids sit at 49 to 52 dBA, using Bosch's own figure for the Bosch. The stainless models run 38 to 52 dBA, with the Samsung DW90F89T0USRAA at the quiet end.
The tub is one part of the sound, though. The 18-inch Frigidaire FFBD1831US has a stainless tub and a 52 dBA rating, louder than the 49 dBA hybrid Frigidaire. So I'd compare the printed dBA first and the tub second.
Tomato stains, odours and rust in a plastic or stainless dishwasher tub
A plastic dishwasher tub takes stains that steel doesn't. KitchenAid's help page on tub stains says washing large amounts of dishes with tomato-based soil can leave a pink or orange tint. It adds that yellowing shows most near the heating element, because "heat accelerates the staining." Amana's help page gives the chemistry. Carotenoids, the red and orange pigments in tomatoes and turmeric, dissolve in oil and soak into many plastics, mainly when heat is applied. Because the stain sits inside the plastic, water-based bleach can't lift it.
The stain is cosmetic. KitchenAid says it won't affect how the dishwasher performs and fades over time, and that pre-rinsing or a Rinse Hold cycle makes it less likely. Frigidaire offers a Granite Grey plastic interior on many models, which it says adds stain protection. The Amana that Merit lists has a dark Midnight interior over its plastic tub.
The same chemistry answers whether stainless steel containers are better than plastic for leftovers like chili or curry. Amana's explanation is about plastic soaking up the pigment, so glass or steel won't carry the orange ring into the next meal.
Rust and food stains are less of an issue on stainless, Whirlpool Canada says, because steel is less porous than plastic. LG says its NeveRust tub "resists rust for years to come". A plastic tub can't rust, so on plastic the worry is staining. Either tub needs cleaning, and Bosch suggests a cleaning every 4 to 6 months to clear residue from the interior. If the dishwasher still smells after that, the filter and drain hose are next to check. The stainless front is a separate job, and each maker's advice for stainless fronts splits by finish.
Does stainless steel give off microplastics?
Stainless steel is a metal, so a stainless tub has no plastic to shed. Environment and Climate Change Canada and Health Canada, in their 2020 science assessment of plastic pollution, define microplastics as plastic particles 5 mm or smaller. A plastic tub is made of plastic. I haven't found a maker or federal source that measures what a dishwasher tub sheds, so I won't guess at it.
How long each dishwasher tub lasts, and what the warranty covers
None of the maker pages I checked gives a lifespan in years for either tub, so the warranty is the firmest number to go on. Maytag's printed Canadian warranty for its MDB4949 dishwasher covers parts and labour for the first year. I read the 2016 edition, written for an earlier version of the MDB4949SKW that Merit lists. From the second through the tenth year, it pays for parts only on a short list: the racks, the chopper blade, and the stainless steel tub and inner door liner. Labour isn't included after year one.
That 10 years of tub cover isn't on every machine. The five Midea listings give a 2-year limited warranty, parts and labour, and the Danby listings give 12 months. The card that comes in the box is the one that applies, so it's worth reading before choosing between two close models.
Stainless steel is dishwasher-safe, since a tub spends its life in hot water. On the coast, though, Maytag's card excludes discoloration, rust or oxidation from caustic or corrosive environments, naming high salt and high humidity. A kitchen a block from the water in Port Alberni or Campbell River is the sort of place I'd keep that line in mind.
Maytag's card also says all warranty service goes through its own authorized service providers. On the Island, that makes the distance to a servicer worth asking about, as Danby's service area for Silhouette wine coolers shows for the West Coast and the North Island. What a local store does once the sale is done is laid out in our Vancouver Island shop-local guide.
Hybrid dishwasher tubs: stainless and plastic in one machine
A hybrid dishwasher tub uses stainless steel for part of the interior and plastic for the rest. Whirlpool Canada places hybrids between the other two on price and calls them generally quieter than plastic. The mix varies by maker, so the listing's own wording is worth reading.
On Merit's listings, the Midea MDF24P2BST is described as a "stainless steel / plastic hybrid" at 52 dBA. The Frigidaire FDHP4336AS is a hybrid tall tub at 49 dBA, the quietest of the four. Bosch's 100 Series SHE3AEM5N has a stainless steel tub on what Bosch calls a Polinox base. Bosch rates it at 50 dBA and dries it with PureDry, the condensation system it uses on all its dishwashers. The Whirlpool WDP540HAMZ mixes the other way round, with a plastic tub behind a stainless steel door.
Is a tall tub dishwasher different from a standard one?
"Tall tub" describes the height of the tub, not what it is made of. On our listings the words sit beside plastic, hybrid and stainless tubs alike. The Amana is a plastic tall tub, the Frigidaire FDHP4336AS a hybrid one and the FDSH4502BF a stainless one. For fitting a kitchen, the cut-out matters more than the name. Bosch asks for an opening 33 7/8 inches high, 24 inches wide and 24 inches deep for the SHE3AEM5N, so I'd measure the old opening before comparing tubs.
When a stainless steel dishwasher tub isn't worth the extra money
- The dishwasher is for a suite or a cabin that runs it a few times a month. A quieter tub and longer tub cover matter less on a machine that sits idle.
- The budget is fixed and the choice is a plastic tub with the features you want, or a stainless tub without them. A third rack or a sensor cycle can matter more day to day.
- You expect the tub alone to make it quiet. A 52 dBA stainless model is louder than a 49 dBA hybrid, so the rating decides.
- The other way round: a kitchen that cooks tomato sauce, curry or chili most weeks risks a stained plastic tub, cosmetic or not.
Where these dishwasher tub facts come from
- Whirlpool Canada, Dishwasher Tubs: Plastic vs Stainless Steel, checked November 2026.
- Frigidaire Canada, What is the difference between a stainless steel interior and a plastic interior?, checked November 2026.
- Bosch Canada, Dishwasher FAQs: How does condensation drying work?, checked November 2026.
- Bosch Canada, Tips to maximize drying with your dishwasher, checked November 2026.
- Bosch, SHE3AEM5N 100 Series dishwasher specifications, checked November 2026.
- LG Canada, LDNFC33LS FlushFit dishwasher, checked November 2026.
- KitchenAid, Stains on Tub or Dishes in my Dishwasher, checked November 2026.
- Amana, Pink/Orange Discoloration on Plastics, checked November 2026.
- Maytag, Dishwasher Limited Warranty, W10833014A (2016), Canadian copy for the MDB4949SDZ, checked November 2026.
- BC Hydro, Dishwashers: energy-saving tips, checked November 2026.
- Environment and Climate Change Canada and Health Canada, Science assessment of plastic pollution (October 2020), checked November 2026.
- Merit's live dishwasher listings for Campbell River and Port Alberni, with tub rows, sound ratings and prices read November 1, 2026.
Asking Campbell River or Port Alberni about a dishwasher's tub
Every dishwasher in the table is listed at Merit's Campbell River store, our Port Alberni store or both, and each listing names its store. I'm in Duncan, so I'd point you to them. Call the store your model lists, ask which tub it has and whether one is set up to look at. Delivery and installation terms are theirs to give, so ask on the same call. There's no rush to decide on that first call.
Call Campbell River, (250) 286-0868
Call Port Alberni, (250) 724-6644
For one of the special-order dishwashers, the line on its listing is (250) 746-5527, and it's the place to ask for the tub material before ordering. If a beverage fridge is going in beside the new dishwasher, how wine coolers and beverage centres differ has its own guide. If the dishwasher is part of a bigger kitchen refit, advice on the other kitchen appliances sits on one page.