dBA stands for "A-weighted decibels" and is used to measure how loud a noise will sound to most people. It is a unit of measurement for the noise produced by most appliances, including dishwashers. The higher the dBA level of a dishwasher, the noisier the appliance will be. Every increase of 10 decibels doubles the perceived noise level of a dishwasher. A dishwasher with a decibel level of 44 dBA or lower is typically considered to be quiet, while a rating of 40 dBA and below is considered by many to be practically silent while washing a load. If you are living in a small space or an open concept home, the noise level (or dBA) of your dishwasher becomes more important. When shopping for a new dishwasher, its useful to know that a rating of 50 dBA is considered to be quiet, but ultimately, its up to you to determine if this sound level might potentially interfere with your everyday life.