Description
The HAVA TDJR09 is the most feature complete countertop dishwasher in this catalog, and the feature that distinguishes it is one that no other machine here offers: an integrated water softener. HAVA lists eight wash programs, a touch screen interface, a child lock, an 18 hour delayed start, an optimized ECO mode, a redesigned adjustable tableware basket and a built-in 5 liter water tank. The machine measures 16.86 by 16.75 by 18.05 inches, weighs 28.6 pounds and draws 950 watts.
HAVA also publishes the interior dimensions, given as 13 by 13.77 by 10.83 inches with the tableware basket in place. That is more useful than a place setting count for deciding whether a specific dish fits, and very few manufacturers in this class publish it.
The Water Softener
Hard water is the quiet cause of most dishwasher disappointment. Dissolved calcium and magnesium leave white spots on glassware, build limescale on the heating element and interior, and reduce detergent effectiveness. Full size built-in machines from Bosch and others have included softeners for years. Countertop machines almost never do.
HAVA’s implementation allows the softener setting to be chosen based on local water hardness, which is how a proper softener works: it is not a single fixed treatment but a regeneration cycle tuned to the incoming water. HAVA states it prevents limescale buildup inside the machine and watermarks on dishware. What the listing does not state is whether the softener requires dishwasher salt to regenerate, how often, or where it is loaded. That is an important practical question, since a softener that needs salt is a consumable commitment, and it should be answered from the manual before buying.
Eight Programs, Child Lock and Delayed Start
Eight wash programs are listed, controlled from a touch screen. The child lock prevents the machine being started or interrupted by a child pressing the panel, which on a countertop appliance sitting at reachable height is more relevant than it would be on a built-in behind a door.
The 18 hour delayed start is the more practically valuable of the two. It allows a load to be set in the morning and finished for the evening, or run overnight during off peak electricity hours where a time of use tariff applies. HAVA points this out explicitly, and it is one of the few features on a small dishwasher that can pay for itself.
The ECO mode is described as optimized to save more water and energy than the previous generation. HAVA gives annual energy consumption as 150 kilowatt hours per year and the machine’s rated power as 950 watts, with a stated one year warranty.
Capacity, Rack Design and Placement
The adjustable tableware basket is described as restructured for larger capacity with 360 degree cleaning coverage. HAVA does not state a place setting figure for this model, unlike the four place settings quoted for its TDQR model, so the published interior dimensions are the better guide.
At 18.05 inches high, this machine will not fit under a standard wall cabinet on a counter once the lid clearance needed to load it is allowed for. That vertical measurement is the one that catches people out, and it should be checked before the width. At 28.6 pounds it is light enough for one person to reposition.
Installation, Power and the Voltage Question
No plumbing installation is required in tank mode: the 5 liter tank is filled by hand. A 61 inch inlet hose and a 61 inch outlet hose are listed, so faucet connection appears to be supported as well, though the listing emphasizes the tank.
The electrical specification in this listing needs verification. The “Voltage” field reads 220 volts while the operating frequency is given as 60 Hz. Those figures do not pair in the usual way, since 60 Hz is the North American standard and standard North American outlets supply 120 volts. HAVA’s own TDQR07, which shares this machine’s exact published dimensions, is listed at 120 volts. The correct figure has to be read from the rating plate on the appliance or taken from HAVA’s manual before it is plugged in. This is not something to infer from a listing, and it is not something to test by trying.
Highlights
- Integrated water softener with a selectable hardness setting.
- Eight wash programs on a touch screen interface.
- Child lock and an 18 hour delayed start.
- Optimized ECO mode for lower water and energy use.
- Built-in 5 liter water tank, no plumbing required.
- Adjustable tableware basket with a restructured design.
- Published interior dimensions of 13 by 13.77 by 10.83 inches.
- 16.86 by 16.75 by 18.05 inches, 28.6 pounds, 60 dB, 950 watts, 150 kilowatt hours per year, one year warranty.
Things To Consider
The voltage figure described above is the most important open question and it has to be resolved before use.
The cycle names in the specification table, given as Economy, Intensive, Heated Dry, Normal and Rapid, are five names on a machine described as having eight programs. The listing does not publish the full eight.
The softener’s salt requirement is not stated, which is a significant omission for the feature the machine is sold on.
The tub and interior are polypropylene rather than stainless steel, which is less durable over years of hot cycles and holds water more readily. The noise level is 60 dB, loud for an appliance sitting on a counter in an occupied room. The “Form Factor” field says “Freestanding” while the “Installation Type” says “Countertop”, which is a minor inconsistency.
The rating average is 4.5 out of 5 from around 200 ratings, which is good but on a short history: the model was first listed in late 2024. HAVA also notes that residual water in the unit on arrival is normal following factory testing.
The published machine and interior dimensions are identical to those of the TDQR07, which suggests the two share a chassis and differ in electronics and features rather than in size. Anyone weighing the two should treat the softener as the deciding factor and the rest as broadly equivalent.
Drying on a plastic tub machine will never match a stainless steel built-in. Households that want dishes dry rather than merely clean should compare a full size unit such as the Sharp SDW6757ES with its heated dry option, accepting that it needs plumbing and a cabinet opening.
Who It Suits and Who Should Look Elsewhere
This is the right countertop dishwasher for a hard water area, which covers a large share of the country and is where small dishwashers most often disappoint. The softener, the eight programs, the delayed start and the published interior dimensions make it the most fully documented and most capable machine in this class here. It suits an apartment, a dorm, an RV or any kitchen without a plumbed dishwasher opening.
It is the wrong machine for a large household, where the capacity will not keep up, and for anyone sensitive to noise. Households with the space and the plumbing will get more capacity, better drying and far lower noise from the built-in dishwasher range, and a faucet connected alternative with more capacity sits in the countertop dishwasher category.
