A very compact 45cm dishwasher has been developed that houses a full eight place settings but uses only a meagre 8 litres of water to wash and rinse the entire load.

The Omega DW301X has been developed for couples and empty nesters who want the performance of a conventional family-sized dishwasher in a responsible, environmentally friendly way.

This stainless steel appliance features a variety of options to ensure each wash is tailor-made to the user’s needs. Options include intensive, normal and economy washes, a light wash for glasses, crystal and fine china and a rapid wash for lightly soiled loads.

Wash temperatures can be varied from 52 degree C to 60 degree C with optional hot and cold pre-washes. Rinse temperatures can be varied from 52 degree C to 70 degree C while drying takes place at the end of the cycle with residual hot air.

The machine, which is barely audible during operation, features a bottom rack that houses 29cm diameter plates, two collapsible dish racks and a top rack that is height adjustable with double-stack side racks to maximise utilisation of all available space.

For convenience the DW301X features a three-stage filter that breaks down all food residue into a fine paste which is then rinsed from the machine along with the water. This ensures the wash load is left spotless at the end of the cycle.

The DW301X, which features a star water conservation rating, is available nationally from appliance specialists and electrical retailers.