What Does Decibels Mean When Talking About Dishwashers?

Since decibels measure sound intensity, a small increase in decibels can mean a large increase in sound. For instance, a one-decibel increase is equivalent to a 30 percent sound increase and a three-decibel increase doubles the sound level. Another way to measure noise levels of dishwashers that manufacturers sometimes use is a sone rating, with quieter dishwashers having lower ratings. The quietest dishwashers have a sone rating of four.