Noise Rating (dB)

The sound level an appliance produces, measured in decibels — lower = quieter.

Appliance noise is rated in decibels (dB), often measured 1 metre from the source under standardised lab conditions. The scale is logarithmic — a 10 dB increase is roughly twice as loud perceptually. For reference: a quiet library is ~30 dB, a normal conversation ~60 dB, a vacuum cleaner ~70 dB, a chainsaw ~110 dB. Many premium AU appliances now publish dB ratings (dishwashers, air conditioners, range hoods, washing machines).