Basic, No Frills Stainless Steel Dishwasher

[SawaSun]

I plan to have my kitchen remodeled and will be replacing my mid 1990's white appliances with stainless steel and have spent the last two days researching dishwashers and am frankly saddened , frustrated and disappointed at the overall poor quality of modern stainless steel dishwashers. What has made them go from workhorses to pieces of junk judging from the reviews of them? Many people complain about them not getting dishes clean, wash cycles taking too long, control panels going out, sensors not working properly and water saving features a pain. Do basic, no frills, quiet, decent cycle length dishwashers in stainless steel exist and if so what are some good brands and models? The only dishwasher I have found from reviews that does a good job cleaning and has a relatively short for these days cycle is a white or black Amana AB1000AWW, so I might as well keep my mid 1990s Whirlpool DU920QW, with a yellowed from the years. Kitchen remodelers and interior decorators are shocked and dismayed when I tell them I plan to keep my old dishwasher because I can't find a stainless steel one that's any good. I think buying a used stainless steel dishwasher that's 10 years old before they became bad would be too much of a hassle for me. Here are two pictures of my Whirlpool that peforms well albeit loud. If I can't find a a good stainless steel dishwasher, where can I purchase an insulation blanket to put over it when I put it back in under my new countertop?

 

[SawaSun]

Here is picture #2 of my Whirlpool. Do you all know much it and what are your opinions of it?

 

[mtn1584]

Kitchen Aid

A basic KitchenAid stainless inside and out is a good choice, and I highly recommend the Basic unit, cleans well, and is very quiet.
Mike

 

[lebron]

IMO you won't find anything on the current market that would outperform this Whirlpool

 

[wayupnorth]

My Whirlpool dishwasher is very similar to this one and has yellowed in the exact same places. If you really like that dishwasher (mine cleans just fine) you could just get some stainless door and kickplate panels and insert them into yours and presto, a stainless steel dishwasher.

 

[SawaSun]

I've looked into stainless steel panels, but the top that's yellowed would still be there.

 

[petek]

That's a very simillar Whirlpool my mom got when she redid her kitchen around 1994. Hers was called Quiet Wash, but it was anything but. LOL Still working when we sold her house last year. It never broke down.

 

[washer111]

You're Right

You really can't get good dishwashers that perform anymore. We've been lucky with our model, although I really wonder where all the "its doesn't clean" claims come from...

 

If you have the money, Bosch, Miele and perhaps Electrolux (or Electrosux, depending on your past history with their stuff, if stuff they've made on behalf of another company). 

 

[jerrod6]

I don't think you CAN find a no frills Dw in stainless steel that will work as well as your current DW. Sad to say that, but I just can't see how.

Look how many problems are reported for mid to upper tier DW's. KitchenAid? With their control panels and boards exploding all over the place, catching on fire.. on their mid to upper range models and their terrible customer service? Forget it.

If you want a no frills DW I would stick with what you have. It cleans, It dries, It's not catching on fire and it uses enough water to get the job done.

Insulation. Check out the web or ask you kitchen designer to do so. There are a few companies that manufacture sound deadening insulation. You may be able to purchase this and have your installer wrap it around the tub, and If your door panel is removable you could place the this installation between the panel and the door and behind the lower kick plate to help with water spray and motor noise.

Also check boschappliances.com for Dishwashers. I went there and there are some in the 700-800 dollar range. Of course there are some complaints about these too, but they may be about things that won't matter to you.

 

[SawaSun]

Bosch seems to have bad reviews with poor rack organization/small inside space and lack of heating. What year did all this low water/energy efficiency stuff come on board? If I can find a gently used one stainless steel dishwasher made before all these changes came into effect that made dishwashers poor quality, that might be my last hope before I throw in the towel and keep my old dishwasher in a remodeled stainless steel kitchen?

 

[dustin92]

You are probably better off keeping your old dishwasher, we have a Kenmore that is basically the same machine, ours has manual controls though, and I haven't found a dishwasher that can clean better. Quiet? no. Clean dishes? absolutely. every time. I would keep your old one, and replace the white door panel and kick panel with stainless steel. Easy and cheap.

 

[mark_wpduet]

So sad

I remember in the 80s and 90s I would wonder to myself how coolappliances would be in the future.....they seemed to get better and better as the 80s progressed into the 90s.....Now it's "keep what you have" or you'll be sorry with the new stuff. It's so freaking sad

 

[whirlykenmore78]

DO NOT REPLACE!

That dishwasher! ANY new dishwasher will perform poorly and not last as long as this one. You already have one of the best ever made.
WK78