Description
The Bosch SHPM78Z55N is a 24 inch fully integrated dishwasher from Bosch’s 800 Series, the step above the 300 Series machines. Bosch lists PrecisionWash sensor driven washing, patented CrystalDry drying, a flexible third rack, InfoLight, a pocket handle, a stainless steel tub and a 42 dB noise rating. The cabinet measures 23.56 inches wide, 23.75 inches deep and 33.88 inches high, weighing 95 pounds, and it is Energy Star certified.
Two features here are the reason to pay the 800 Series difference, and one of them addresses the single most common complaint about Bosch dishwashers.
CrystalDry and the Plastics Problem
Bosch dishwashers traditionally dry by condensation: a hot final rinse, then evaporation against a cool stainless tub, with no exposed heating element. It uses less energy and it is gentler on plastics. It also, reliably, leaves plastic containers damp, because plastic does not hold enough thermal mass to drive off water the way china and glass do.
CrystalDry is Bosch’s answer. Bosch states that the technology transforms moisture into heat at up to 176 degrees Fahrenheit, drying plastics as well as everything else. That is a specific published figure and it is the mechanism, not a vague claim: the system uses a mineral that releases heat when it absorbs water vapor, raising the tub temperature at the end of the cycle without an exposed element.
For a household that washes a lot of plastic storage containers, kids’ cups and lids, this is the difference between unloading dry and finishing the job with a towel. It is the reason to choose this over the condensation dried Bosch SHE53B75UC or the Bosch SHEM63W55N.
42 dB, InfoLight and the Fully Integrated Design
At 42 dB this is the quietest dishwasher in this catalog. For comparison, the countertop machines here run at 60 dB and the 18 inch Frigidaire at 52 dBA. Decibels are logarithmic, so 42 against 52 is a large real difference, and 42 dB is quiet enough that a running cycle is easy to miss entirely.
Which is exactly why InfoLight exists. A fully integrated dishwasher hides its controls on the top edge of the door, so there is no display visible when the door is shut, and at 42 dB there is no sound to give it away either. InfoLight projects a small light onto the floor while the cycle runs. It sounds like a gimmick and it is a direct solution to a problem the machine’s own design creates.
The pocket handle sits recessed into the door rather than protruding, which is what allows the fully integrated look in a run of cabinetry. The flexible third rack handles silverware and cooking utensils that lie badly in a conventional basket.
PrecisionWash and the Cycle List
PrecisionWash uses sensors to scan the load through the cycle and adjust spray and duration to the actual soil level rather than running a fixed program. That saves water and energy on light loads and lengthens the cycle where it is needed.
The listed cycle options are CrystalDry, Delicate, Half Load and Sanitize. Half Load runs a smaller load using less water and energy, and Sanitize raises the final rinse temperature. The listing gives the option count as 6 in one field and the settings count as 4 in another, so the full list is not fully published here.
Installation and Electrical Requirements
A built-in dishwasher needs a 24 inch opening, a hot water supply, a drain and electrical power, and it has to be levelled so the door seals and the tub drains.
The electrical detail on this listing is unusually clear and worth quoting precisely. Bosch specifies 120 volts, states that a three prong power cord is included, and states that a junction box for a hardwired application is sold separately as model SMZPCJB1UC. That answers the question that most dishwasher listings leave open. If the installation is a plug in one, everything needed is in the box. If local practice or the kitchen wiring calls for a hardwired connection, the junction box is an extra purchase and it has a part number.
What the listing does not state is the amperage requirement, whether a dedicated circuit is needed, or the water inlet fitting size. Those come from Bosch’s installation instructions, and at 95 pounds with water and mains electricity in the same cabinet, the work belongs with a qualified installer.
Highlights
- 24 inch fully integrated built-in dishwasher, Bosch 800 Series, pocket handle.
- 42 dB noise level, the lowest in this catalog.
- Patented CrystalDry drying, stated by Bosch to reach up to 176 degrees Fahrenheit.
- PrecisionWash sensor driven washing.
- Flexible third rack for silverware and cooking utensils.
- InfoLight floor projection to show the cycle is running.
- CrystalDry, Delicate, Half Load and Sanitize options.
- Stainless steel tub, Energy Star certified, 120 volts.
- Three prong power cord included, hardwire junction box SMZPCJB1UC sold separately.
- 23.56 by 23.75 by 33.88 inches, 95 pounds.
Things To Consider
The capacity fields conflict. The product title states 16 place settings, which would be exceptionally large for a 24 inch machine where 13 to 15 is the normal range, while the “Capacity” field in the specification table reads “1 Cubic Feet”, which is meaningless for a dishwasher. Neither field can be relied on. Take the capacity from Bosch’s specification sheet.
The rating average is 3.7 out of 5 from roughly 50 ratings, the lowest average among the built-in dishwashers here and on a small evidence base. That is aggregate owner opinion rather than a measured result, but it argues for reading current owner feedback before committing.
There is no Wi-Fi or app control on this model, and no water softener is listed, which the newer 300 Series SHE53B75UC does carry. In a hard water area that is a real omission on an otherwise more expensive machine, and it is a genuine reason to compare the two rather than assume the 800 Series is better in every respect.
A fully integrated design also means the controls cannot be read without opening the door, which some households find awkward regardless of InfoLight.
The listing has been live since 2019, so this is a mature model rather than a current one. That is good for parts availability and worth knowing when comparing against newer designs.
Who It Suits and Who Should Look Elsewhere
This suits a finished kitchen with an existing 24 inch opening where quiet running and dry plastics matter most, and where a run of cabinetry calls for a fully integrated front. CrystalDry solves a real and widely complained about problem, 42 dB is genuinely quiet, and the clearly documented power cord and junction box arrangement removes the usual installation guesswork.
It is the wrong choice for a hard water area without a softener, and the wrong choice for a kitchen with no plumbed opening, where a countertop dishwasher is the only option. An 18 inch opening needs a narrower machine such as the Frigidaire 18 inch built-in. The rest of the range sits in the built-in dishwasher category.
