First of all, remember you are dealing with an electric device and we all know that water and electricity are eternal enemies. Therefore, you should never put an electric can opener in a dishwasher. Water can get to the internal wirings and you can never be sure that every drop of it has dried in there for you to plug the unit to an electric socket. So instead of risking short-circuiting the unit or an electric shock to yourself, avoid by all means putting the gadget in a dishwasher. You can always wipe it clean with a damp cloth and a toothbrush to remove debris from the blade.