Countertop dishwashers in Japan, no plumbing: 5 picks from ¥37,620

Countertop dishwashers in Japan: five, from 6 to 40 dishes, from ¥37,620 to ¥98,000
Tank models need no plumbing; the TZ500 needs a branch faucet; the SS-LA451 takes either
Water per dish runs from about 0.19 to 0.42 litres

The five

Best for	Where to get it	Score	Street price, incl. tax
28 dishes with no plumbing, and the least water per dish — if you can’t decide	Thanko Raqua Family Wide tank dishwasher-dryer See price	90/100	¥41,800 (street price)
40 dishes with no plumbing — it draws water from a bucket	Siroca SS-LA451 dishwasher-dryer, for four to five See price	87/100	¥62,800 (street price)
40 dishes on the tap, dosing its own liquid detergent	Panasonic NP-TZ500 dishwasher-dryer See price	82/100	¥98,000 (street price)
The standard tank model for two or three, with hot-air drying	Thanko Raqua tank dishwasher-dryer, no tap needed See price	71/100	¥38,800 (street price)
One person’s dishes in 31 × 22.5 cm — about ¥8 a run	Panasonic SOLOTA personal dishwasher (NP-TML1) See price	68/100	¥37,620 (street price)

These are sold on Rakuten Ichiba, which generally ships within Japan only, and they run on Japanese mains power (100V, 50/60Hz). They suit a home in Japan rather than a suitcase.

28 dishes with no plumbing, and the least water per dish

Thanko Raqua Family Wide tank dishwasher-dryer

28 dishes: four each of large, medium and small plates, small bowls, rice bowls, soup bowls and cups
Drains into the sink or into a bucket
Has a timer

See today’s price on Rakuten→

Why it made the five

28 dishes, four to five people’s worth, washed on the 5.2 litres you pour into the tank
54.8 cm wide and 36 cm deep, with no plumbing and no branch faucet
Switches to warm-air drying by itself after washing, with delayed start
Right for: Renting with a tap you cannot alter, and wanting to wash a family’s dishes in one go.
Not for: Wanting to stop filling it by hand, or lacking a space 36 cm deep and nearly 55 cm wide.
Worth knowing: With the door open it is about 73 cm deep. It reaches its top 75°C only in the power-wash mode. It takes about 10 g of its own detergent, and gel dishwasher detergent is recommended over powder. The standard course time and electricity per run are not published.

Score breakdown — 90/100

Criterion	Stars	Why
Quality	★★★★★	28 standard dishes earns five stars; warm-air drying after washing, so no deduction
Value for money	★★★★☆	¥41,800 on Rakuten earns three; 5.2 litres for 28 dishes is about 0.19 litres a dish, under 0.25, for one more. About ¥1.4 of water a run (electricity per run not published; 950 W)
Easy to live with	★★★★★	Tank-fed with no plumbing or branch faucet, one point; 360 mm deep, one point. Has a timer, but no self-opening door or detergent dosing. No published course time, so no change
Trust	★★★☆☆	35 reviews averaging 4.57 across the top 30 Rakuten listings for TKDWWDHWH: ten or more, three stars
Only here	★★★★★	The only one of the ten to wash 28 dishes with neither plumbing nor a branch faucet (the Siroca SS-LA451 draws from a bucket), and its 0.19 litres a dish is the least of the ten (+2)

40 dishes with no plumbing — it draws water from a bucket

Siroca SS-LA451 dishwasher-dryer, for four to five

Fills automatically from the supplied bucket, or from the tap through a branch faucet
Two racks hold plates up to 27 cm across
The door opens itself at the end to let steam out

See today’s price on Rakuten→

Why it made the five

40 dishes, four to five people’s worth, drawn automatically from a filled bucket
Two-way: fit a branch faucet and it fills from the tap instead
The door opens itself at the end, letting steam out so things dry
Right for: Wanting to wash a family’s dishes in one load without plumbing work.
Not for: Wanting it to finish the drying itself (fan only), or wanting shorter cycles.
Worth knowing: At about 21 kg it is the heaviest of the ten. Drying is by fan only; for warm air you need the SS-LH451 above it. The standard course takes about 2 hours 18 minutes including fan drying.

Score breakdown — 87/100

Criterion	Stars	Why
Quality	★★★★☆	40 standard dishes earns five stars; fan drying only, so one off
Value for money	★★★☆☆	¥62,800 on Rakuten earns two; 9 litres from the bucket for 40 dishes is about 0.23 litres a dish, under 0.25, for one more. About ¥2.4 of water a run (8.5 litres, about ¥2.2, on a branch faucet; electricity per run not published)
Easy to live with	★★★★★	Bucket-fed with no plumbing or branch faucet, one point; 350 mm deep, one point; self-opening door, one point. The standard course is about 2 hours 18 minutes (about 1 hour 43 without the fan), over 100 minutes, so one off. Delayed start of 1–6 hours
Trust	★★★★★	254 reviews averaging 4.36 across the top 30 Rakuten listings for SS-LA451: five stars. The most-reviewed listing names it the successor to the SS-MA351, so some reviews may date from the earlier model
Only here	★★★★★	The only one of the ten to wash 40 dishes with neither plumbing nor a branch faucet, and you need not pour water in each time. About ¥35,000 cheaper on Rakuten than the Panasonic NP-TZ500, which also holds 40 (+2)

40 dishes on the tap, dosing its own liquid detergent

Panasonic NP-TZ500 dishwasher-dryer

An automatic course picks the cycle to suit the dirt
Also has a low-temperature soft course and nanoe X air
The door opens itself at the end

See today’s price on Rakuten→

Why it made the five

40 dishes, about five people’s worth, with liquid detergent dosed automatically from the reservoir
About 36 dB running (50Hz); the standard course takes about 88 minutes
About ¥2.6 of water and ¥23.9 of electricity a run, from the official figures
Right for: A family whose tap takes a branch faucet, wanting to stop even adding detergent.
Not for: Renting where a branch faucet cannot be fitted, or keeping the budget down.
Worth knowing: It needs a branch faucet that matches your tap’s model, sold separately, and fitting. With the door open it is 57.9 cm deep. It weighs about 20 kg.

Score breakdown — 82/100

Criterion	Stars	Why
Quality	★★★★★	40 standard dishes (Japan Electrical Manufacturers’ Association standard) earns five stars; it has a drying function, not fan only, so no deduction. 80°C rinse and a low-temperature soft course
Value for money	★★☆☆☆	¥98,000 on Rakuten earns one; about 9.9 litres for 40 dishes is about 0.25 litres a dish, for one more. About ¥2.6 of water and about ¥23.9 of electricity (770 Wh × ¥31/kWh) a run
Easy to live with	★★★★★	Needs a branch faucet, so no point there; 344 mm deep, one point; detergent dosing and a self-opening door, one point. About 88 minutes (50Hz), so no deduction: three plus two, five stars
Trust	★★★☆☆	26 reviews averaging 4.15 across the top 30 Rakuten listings for the unit itself: ten or more, three stars. Searching the model number alone mixes in 18 reviews of another maker’s dishwasher stand, so only listings for the machine were counted
Only here	★★★★★	The only one of the ten with liquid-detergent dosing, an automatic course that reads the dirt, and nanoe X air. Its 36 dB (50Hz) is also the quietest of the models that publish a noise figure (+2)

The standard tank model for two or three, with hot-air drying

Thanko Raqua tank dishwasher-dryer, no tap needed

Sprays water heated above 50°C from above and below
Hot-air drying after washing
Five wash modes; drains into the sink or a bucket

See today’s price on Rakuten→

Why it made the five

A tank model that washes 16 dishes, two to three people’s worth, on 5 litres and dries with hot air
Five wash modes to suit the dirt
Drains into the sink or a bucket
Right for: Washing and drying two or three people’s dishes without plumbing work.
Not for: Wanting large plates and pans done in one load, or lacking 42.5 cm of depth.
Worth knowing: It takes its own detergent (about 8 g); ordinary washing-up liquid and baking soda cannot be used. Thanko’s own shop showed it out of stock on 26 October 2026, but it could be bought from Thanko’s official store on Rakuten Ichiba. The standard course time and electricity per run are not published.

Score breakdown — 71/100

Criterion	Stars	Why
Quality	★★★☆☆	16 standard dishes earns three stars; hot-air drying, so no deduction
Value for money	★★★★☆	¥38,800 on Rakuten earns four; 5 litres for 16 dishes is about 0.31 litres a dish, so no change. About ¥1.3 of water a run (electricity per run not published; rated 900 W)
Easy to live with	★★★★☆	Tank-fed with no plumbing or branch faucet, one point; 425 mm deep, no point. No self-opening door or detergent dosing. No published course time, so no change
Trust	★★★★☆	1,414 reviews averaging 4.15 on Rakuten listings for the unit: over 100 but under 4.3, four stars
Only here	★★★☆☆	The most Rakuten reviews of the four 16–18 dish tank models, but no figure or mechanism belongs to it alone, so no addition

One person’s dishes in 31 × 22.5 cm — about ¥8 a run

Panasonic SOLOTA personal dishwasher (NP-TML1)

Six standard dishes, for one person
Standard course (wash, rinse, fan drying) about 120 minutes; wash only about 60

See today’s price on Rakuten→

Why it made the five

31 cm wide, 22.5 cm deep and about 7.5 kg — it fits a small gap beside the sink
Fed from a detachable tank on about 2.5 litres a run, with no plumbing or branch faucet
About ¥0.7 of water and ¥7.1 of electricity a run, from the official figures
Right for: Living alone and washing up after every meal.
Not for: Washing for two or more, or doing pans in one go.
Worth knowing: Drying is by fan only. With the door open it is 48.5 cm deep. At six standard dishes it is not for saving up a day’s washing.

Score breakdown — 68/100

Criterion	Stars	Why
Quality	★☆☆☆☆	Six dishes, about one person’s worth, earns two stars; fan drying, so one off
Value for money	★★★☆☆	¥37,620 on Rakuten earns four; about 2.5 litres for six dishes is about 0.42 litres a dish, over 0.4, so one off. About ¥0.7 of water and about ¥7.1 of electricity (230 Wh × ¥31/kWh) a run
Easy to live with	★★★★☆	Detachable tank with no plumbing or branch faucet, one point; 225 mm deep, one point; about 120 minutes, over 100, so one off. No self-opening door or detergent dosing
Trust	★★★★★	111 reviews averaging 4.49 across the top 30 Rakuten listings for the NP-TML1: five stars
Only here	★★★★★	The only one-person model of the ten, with the smallest footprint (310 × 225 mm), and its combined water and electricity of about ¥7.8 a run is the lowest of those that can be worked out (+2)

Know before you buy

Two ways to get water in. A tank model is filled by hand each time, so nothing is fitted to the tap and it works in a rented flat with the space. A branch-faucet model fills itself from the tap, but needs a branch faucet that matches your tap, sold separately, and fitting. The Siroca SS-LA451 does either, and can draw from a bucket by itself.
Water per dish runs from about 0.19 litres (Thanko’s Family Wide, 28 dishes on 5.2 litres) to about 0.42 litres (Panasonic’s SOLOTA, 6 dishes on 2.5 litres).
A run costs about ¥0.7 to ¥2.6 in water. Electricity can only be worked out for Panasonic, the one maker that publishes watt-hours per run: about ¥7.1 for the SOLOTA and about ¥23.9 for the NP-TZ500.
Measure with the door open. The Thanko Family Wide is 36 cm deep closed and about 73 cm open; the Panasonic NP-TZ500 goes from 34.4 cm to 57.9 cm. Check that the drain hose reaches the sink or a bucket too.
Some dry with a fan only, with no heater or warm air — the Siroca SS-LA451 and the Panasonic SOLOTA among the five. We took a star off quality for it.
There is no Iris Ohyama here: we found no current countertop dishwasher from it on Rakuten Ichiba or on its own site.

How we chose: theme, conditions, scoring

How we chose

Candidates: 24
Met every condition below: 21
Kept: five, each the best at something different

Conditions (all of them, not most of them)

A household countertop model: either a tank or bucket-fed type that needs no plumbing work, or a freestanding type fed by a branch faucet on the tap (built-in models excluded)
The standard dish count, water per run, dimensions and power consumption published on the maker’s site
A new unit in stock on Rakuten Ichiba

Scoring

Five criteria, one to five stars each, weighted to one hundred points. Every star says where the number came from.

Quality25 pts
- Set by the maker’s standard dish count: under 10 two stars, 10–17 three, 18–27 four, 28 or more five. Drop one star if the maker says it dries by fan only, with no heater or warm air (minimum one).
Value for money20 pts
- The cheapest new in-stock price on Rakuten Ichiba: under ¥30,000 five stars, under ¥40,000 four, under ¥50,000 three, under ¥70,000 two, ¥70,000 or more one. Add one if water per dish (the official water per run divided by the dish count) is 0.25 litres or less, subtract one if it is over 0.4 (within one to five).
Easy to live with20 pts
- Starts at three stars. Add one if it needs neither plumbing work nor a branch faucet (tank or bucket-fed). Add one if the body is 36 cm deep or less. Add one for a door that opens itself at the end or automatic liquid-detergent dosing. Subtract one if the official standard course takes over 100 minutes (no change if no time is published; within one to five).
Trust15 pts
- Review counts across the top 30 Rakuten Ichiba listings for the model, colours combined: 100 or more averaging 4.3 or higher is five stars, 50 or more four, 10 or more three, 1–9 two, none yet one.
Only here20 pts
- Starts at three stars. Add one or two where a figure or mechanism belongs to this model alone among the ten compared, and where it bears directly on where it fits, the work of filling it, or how much it washes at once.

What we dropped

Candidate	Verdict	Why
Panasonic NP-TA5 dishwasher-dryer	Runner-up (73/100)	73 points. It shares the NP-TZ500’s body, dish count, water and electricity, so nothing belongs to it alone, and the five were chosen to differ in water supply and capacity — the NP-TZ500 already covers a 40-dish machine on the tap.
Toshiba DWS-33B countertop dishwasher-dryer	Runner-up (70/100)	70 points. Only 2 reviews on Rakuten, and at ¥49,376 it costs more than the 16-dish Thanko Raqua, which has 1,414.
Panasonic Petit NP-TCR5 dishwasher-dryer	Runner-up (69/100)	69 points. The smallest footprint of any model holding 18 or more, but it needs a branch faucet, and 9 litres for 18 dishes — 0.5 litres a dish — costs it a star on value.
Siroca SS-MA251 two-way dishwasher-dryer, auto-open type	Runner-up (69/100)	69 points. 123 reviews averaging 4.47, but it dries by fan only, costs ¥59,800 against the 16-dish Thanko Raqua’s ¥38,800, and is 44 cm deep.
Siroca SS-M171 dishwasher-dryer	Runner-up (66/100)	66 points. Fan drying only, and other 16-dish models share its body — the Siroca PDW-M151 and the Thanko Raqua — so nothing belongs to it alone.
Panasonic NP-TSP2	Held back	Two-way tank or branch faucet, 24 dishes, about 9 litres, about 670 Wh and 34.1 cm deep. It meets every condition, but had only 2 Rakuten reviews (26 October 2026).
Panasonic NP-TH5	Runner-up	The same 40 dishes, 9.9 litres, 770 Wh and dimensions as the NP-TZ500, without liquid-detergent dosing, and at ¥88,000 on Rakuten dearer than the NP-TA5.
Panasonic NP-TSK2	Runner-up	Branch faucet, 24 dishes, 8 litres, 670 Wh and 29 cm deep. At ¥68,780 on Rakuten it is close in price to the 40-dish NP-TA5.
Panasonic NP-TSP1	Runner-up	The NP-TSP2’s predecessor (24 dishes, tank-fed on 9 litres). Few Rakuten reviews for the unit, and little stock.
Siroca SS-LH451	Runner-up	The SS-LA451’s 40 dishes and 55 × 35 × 50 cm with warm-air drying added. ¥74,800 on Rakuten, with 20 reviews.
Siroca SS-MU251	Runner-up	The SS-MA251’s 16 dishes, 6 litres and 1 hour 5 minutes, with a UV light in place of the self-opening door. 9 Rakuten reviews.
Siroca PDW-M151	Runner-up	The SS-M171’s 16 dishes, 5 litres and dimensions, without delayed start, sold only through Siroca’s official store. ¥29,800 on Rakuten, with 13 reviews.
Thanko Raqua Family Slim	Runner-up	21 dishes, 4.5 litres, 37 cm wide and 51 cm deep. 23 Rakuten reviews averaging 3.65.
Thanko Raqua Plus (STDP26SWH)	Held back	15 dishes, 5 litres and delayed start of 1–18 hours. Released on 20 October 2026, with no Rakuten reviews yet.
Thanko Raqua mini color	Runner-up	11–12 dishes, 3.2 litres, 30.8 cm wide and 31.5 cm deep. For one person the Panasonic NP-TML1 is smaller and has more reviews.
Toshiba DWS-33A	Runner-up	The DWS-33B’s predecessor, shown on the official site as available while stocks last.
Thanko Raqua mini / Raqua mini Plus	Outside the theme	Taking pre-orders on Thanko’s own shop for November delivery; no new unit in stock on Rakuten Ichiba (condition 3).
AINX AX-S3W	Outside the theme	Its water use, power consumption and dimensions cannot be confirmed on the official site (condition 2).

Questions visitors ask

Which should I choose if I can’t decide?

The Thanko Raqua Family Wide. It scored 90 across the five criteria, the highest of the five: 28 dishes on 5.2 litres, with no plumbing and no branch faucet.

Which is the cheapest?

The Panasonic SOLOTA personal dishwasher, at about ¥37,620. The Thanko Raqua is next at about ¥38,800. Prices are typical selling prices including tax, checked on Rakuten Ichiba in October 2026; they move with campaigns and stock, so check the link before you buy.

What is the difference between a tank model and a branch-faucet model?

How the water gets in. A tank model is filled each time with a cup or jug, so nothing is fitted to the tap and it works in a rented flat if you have the space. A branch-faucet model fills itself from the tap, so there is no pouring, but you need a branch faucet that matches your tap and you need to fit it. The Siroca SS-LA451 can do either, drawing by itself from the bucket that comes with it.

How much does a run cost in water and electricity?

Water, at the official volume × ¥0.262 a litre for water and sewerage: about ¥1.4 for the Thanko Raqua Family Wide (5.2 litres), about ¥2.4 for the Siroca SS-LA451 (9 litres from the bucket) and about ¥2.6 for the Panasonic NP-TZ500 (9.9 litres). Electricity can only be worked out for Panasonic, which publishes watt-hours per run: about ¥23.9 for the NP-TZ500 (about 770 Wh) and about ¥7.1 for the NP-TML1 (about 230 Wh), at ¥31/kWh. Siroca, Thanko and Toshiba do not publish electricity per run.

How much counter space do I need?

Width by depth: the Panasonic NP-TML1 is the smallest at 31 × 22.5 cm (48.5 cm deep with the door open), the Thanko Raqua 42.5 × 42.5 cm, the Raqua Family Wide 54.8 × 36 cm (73 cm open), the Siroca SS-LA451 55 × 35 cm and the Panasonic NP-TZ500 55 × 34.4 cm (57.9 cm open). Check the depth with the door open, and that the drain hose reaches the sink or a bucket.

Which uses the least water per dish?

Of the ten compared, the Thanko Raqua Family Wide: 28 dishes on 5.2 litres, about 0.19 litres a dish. Next come the Siroca SS-LA451 (40 dishes on 9 litres from the bucket, about 0.23) and the Panasonic NP-TZ500 and NP-TA5 (40 dishes on 9.9 litres, about 0.25). The one-person Panasonic NP-TML1 uses 2.5 litres for six, about 0.42.

Why is Panasonic’s NP-TSP2 tank model not here?

The NP-TSP2 works as a tank model or on a branch faucet and meets every condition: 24 dishes, about 9 litres as a tank model and about 670 Wh. But it had only 2 reviews on Rakuten Ichiba (26 October 2026), too few to compare what owners think, so we held it back.

Where can I buy one?

All five are sold by Rakuten Ichiba stores, and the links above go straight to them. Rakuten Ichiba generally ships within Japan only, and these run on Japanese mains power, so they suit a home in Japan.

Changes

2026-10-25　First published. Scored from 24 candidates.