Auto Door Open (Dishwasher)
A drying feature that automatically pops the dishwasher door open at the end of the cycle to release steam.
Definition
Auto Door Open (also called AutoOpen Dry, Open Dry, or Auto Release) is a drying feature on premium dishwashers (notably Bosch 800-series, KitchenAid, and Miele) that uses a small motor to automatically pop the door open a few inches at the end of the dry cycle, allowing residual steam to escape and the dishes to air-dry naturally. The feature dramatically improves drying performance on plastic items (which conventional heated-dry struggles with) without the energy use of a heating element. The minor downside is the audible 'pop' at cycle completion and the need for a few inches of clearance above the door to allow it to swing open.
Where this term appears
Auto Door Open (Dishwasher) comes up in product spec sheets, service reports, and troubleshooting documentation across most major appliance brands. If you encountered it in a manual or a service description and want context for how it fits into the larger picture, the related articles in the sidebar drill into the practical details. The glossary as a whole is intended as a quick lookup reference; for a deep dive on any specific topic, jump to the related buying guide or troubleshooting article.