The short answer
A countertop dishwasher that will not empty is usually fighting its own drain hose: the end has slipped into standing sink water or fallen below the tub level. Reposition it before anything else. The sump filter is the next candidate and is an owner clean. Only a blocked or failed pump inside the machine is a service call, and it is the least common of the four.
What you observe
- Standing water above the filter at the end of a cycle — It never drained rather than drained slowly.
- The hose end is lying in the sink or below the counter — The pump has nothing to push against.
- The sink had water in it during the cycle — A full sink blocks the outlet completely.
- The pump runs but no water leaves the hose — Blockage in the filter, the hose or the pump.
- NEAR MISS — water on the counter rather than in the tub — That is a leak, not a drainage fault.
Causes, most likely first on this class
- Drain hose end misplaced or submerged — First on a countertop machine because the hose is repositioned every time the sink is used. An end sitting in standing water or hanging below the tub level stops the drain entirely, and nothing is broken.
- Sump filter clogged with food debris — Second: the tub is small and the filter is small with it, so a single heavy load can block it. It twists out by hand, which makes it the first thing to actually touch.
- Drain hose kinked along its run — Third. A short hose coiled behind the machine on a worktop kinks easily, and the kink is often hidden behind the unit.
- Pump blocked or failed — Last, and the only real repair. Its tell is a pump that runs audibly with a clear filter and a correctly placed hose, and still shifts nothing.
Check in this order, and why
- Look at where the hose end is sitting — Free, instant, and the commonest cause on this class.
- Empty the sink and run a drain again — A full sink blocks the outlet and looks like a fault.
- Twist out and rinse the sump filter — The likeliest in-machine cause and an owner job.
- Follow the hose behind the machine for a kink — Left until here because it needs the unit moved.
What an owner can safely check
- Clip the hose end over the sink edge, above the tub — It must be clear of any standing water in the sink.
About 5 min
- Empty the sink completely and run a drain — Confirms whether the outlet was the whole problem.
About 10 min
- Bail the tub, then twist out and rinse the filter — Clear the mesh and the coarse screen, refit and lock it.
Tools: jug, spongeAbout 20 min
- Unplug and pull the machine forward to straighten the hose — Look for a kink where the hose turns behind the unit.
About 15 min
- STOP HERE if the pump runs with everything clear — Pump work is inside the machine and is a service call.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the machine or switch off its breaker before reaching into the sump or moving it; a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. A countertop machine sits next to a sink and often near a socket, so dry every surface before plugging back in. Broken glass is common in a blocked sump — wear gloves and look first. Never run the machine with the filter removed.
When to call a technician
Call when the hose is correctly placed and unkinked, the sink is clear, the filter is clean and the machine still holds its water — the pump is then the answer and it is inside the cabinet. Call a plumber instead if the sink itself drains slowly. Call immediately if the machine trips the breaker when the drain step begins, and stop using it until it has been checked.
Nearest pages of this class
What this page does not cover
This page is written for the brand and the appliance class, not for one family or model line. Where a family- or model-specific page exists for your unit, that page is the more specific answer and you should start there. Deliberately absent: hose diameters and lengths, pump part identifiers, sump capacities and fault-code meanings, all of which differ between the tank-fill, plumbed and slimline families.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
