I don't think that anyone will commit to telling you what the future might hold dishwasher size wise especially when it involves a hypothetical countertop and floor. If you end up with a space that is too short, you will end up having to do without a DW or finding some strange offbeat brand that does fit or, maybe, you'll just end up installing a dishwasher drawer and putting some kind of a cabinet in the space below it.

Knowing what I know now about kitchens and cabinets I would want the most standard size of everything that I could find-it just isn't worth the aggravation dealing with the custom stuff. Unless you can afford the ultimate luxury custom stuff, which I cannot justify in a room that I will use every day

Practigal -- meaning just go with the standard 36" counter height? Appreciate your thoughts...I know you have a lot of experience!!

There are always ADA dishwashers from most manufacturers including Miele and Bosch. I believe these are shorter than the standard dishwashers. I would do what works for me now. You don't know what the future holds. In the future, we may not be replacing appliances but robots. I for one, am looking forward to my robotic dishwasher:-)

I'd stick with standard too.

No, no, my experience is limited to an old well maintained site built kitchen, where nothing was standard so trying to introduce even one of today's standard size elements required changing absolutely everything which I could not justify the $$ and so for years lived with a lot of research and dreams and a smaller sink, 19" deep countertops and a portable dishwasher...I am all for standard....

Sophie has experience.

Thanks for your responses everyone!!

Sophie (or anyone else who knows) -- if the standard is 34.5" for cabinets, then wouldn't the countertops be 35.75 when you add the 1.25" countertops? I was thinking standard is 34.75? Or is cabinet production not so exacting that 1/4" differences don't matter? Pls excuse my ignorance...

Consideration: is floor same height under cabinet as kitchen walking area? look for a drop because the tile or wood floor may not continue under cabinet. Could make for bigger vertical gap that you measured for. The reverse is, if you add tile or flooring overlayment after dishwasher is installed, will there be enough vertical gap to jump the bump up and pull dishwasher out? The best, if tiu change out countertop and new countertop had an edge that drops down to give it a fake thick slab look, the dishwasher could be trapped in there.