This dishwasher is very quiet. The wash zone feature is very handy when I don't have a lot of dishes needing to be washed, but I want to wash the dishes that need it. I can load them into either the top or the bottom and have the dishwasher wash that zone only. So far, I've only used the steam feature once, and it did an awesome job. I look forward to using it again in the future. Overall, it is a great dishwasher and I don't regret making this purchase.