Can Kitchenaid Hobart compete with modern Dishwashers (Bosch, etc)?

[777funk]

I can see the build quality vs say a whirlpool, but as to the actual dishwashing ability, I've heard that with a new Bosch, you can put filthy baked on dishes in; never rinse a thing and out come spotless dishes.

I expected the same with Hobart based on how loud it is and of course the commercial reputation they have. I have noticed that the corners and sides of the rack get missed. I've also noticed that baked on food in pans is not budging in this machine. I've tried Cascade Complete and Finish Tabs for detergents. I may try something more industrial next. I haven't owned a Bosch to A-B. Does anyone have experience with the two or even another middle of the road residential dishwasher to compare?

 

[tomturbomatic]

Are you asking about a KA dw that you have in comparison to a modern machine? The shorter cycles on older dishwashers are not meant to remove heavy soils like you mention. Pot & Pan cycles such as WP and some D&M machines offered worked by holding the timer advancement until the circulating wash water temperature was raised to a certain temperature around 145F. Vintage KitchenAid dishwashers do not have a way to guarantee main wash temperatures by holding the timer until the circulating water temperature reaches a certain level because unlike the WP or D&M, the KitchenAid machines did not have a heating element in the tub that can heat the water. The reason that modern dishwashers can claim such heavy soil removal is that they can wash until the water temperatures reach a preset level and while the water is circulating, the enzymes in the detergent can work on the soil on the items in the load. One sad side effect of the extreme water stinginess of the modern machines is the poor rinsing in that detergent residue is left behind. Your vintage KA machine rinses far better. Soak those pans and dislodge the crusty areas before loading them in the dishwasher and you will achieve better dishwashing results.

 

[777funk]

I ended up with a newer Bosch DW and I don't feel the build quality is anything like what Kitchenaid Hobart built. I don't see them as better than Whirlpool really. I haven't done enough loads to evaluate clean quality, but I can hear the pressure is much lower than the KA. Th KDS 19 really is a nice old machine.

 

[launderess]

On average older/vintage dishwashers weren't always that great with pots and pans. Especially those heavily encrusted with baked/cooked on muck.

Then again it depends upon how far back "vintage" you are going. By the 1980's or so when GE came out with their "Potscrubber" dishwashers manufacturers were realizing what it took to get pots/pans clean. Even so results often varied.



Many older dishwashers at best even with a "pots and pans" cycle merely removed a good part of crusted on muck, leaving Madame to rinse, wipe, or whatever the rest what remained.

My vintage GE Mobilemaid uses huge amounts of water *and* has a W-R-W-R-R-D for normal cycle. Pots and pans only eliminates the drying cycle so not as to bake on any remaining crud.

As noted in previous comment cycles on many vintage dishwashers were rather short compared to modern machines. Those short wash cycles, even when there two or three just aren't long enough to scrub away hardened on muck.

Mind you most housewives grew familiar with what their dishwashers could and couldn't cope with; so many would have pre-rinsed/washed pots/pans or at least let them soak before putting in DW. In fact IIRC many owners manuals for dishwashers recommended soaking or whatever for badly soiled dishes/pots/pans.

Finally as also noted in above comment, without very hot water results aren't going to be that great when dealing with really crusty dishes/pots/pans.

 

[delturner]

hobart kitchenaid vs new dishwashers

Anything build from the 50's and/or 60's is heavier built for the most part. However, the cleaning ability with the cycles provided are a totally different story. New dishwashers, with few exceptions, clean things up quite well and far surpass the old dishwashers from the 50's, 60's, 70's and even 80's and 90's. They are made to run much longer and most heat the water as they clean to get off any baked on food. As far as a comparison of cleaning, new dishwashers win hands down.

 

[norgeway]

New dishwashers

Are not even in the running for cleaning ability, I can take a pyrex dish with baked beans burned around the edges, place it face down on the bottom rack of my Kitchen Aid and in less than a hour it comes out sparkling, And mine is a newer KA a 21 One of the pre 17 models with one wash arm clean even better,,,50 gallons of water per minute beats the anemic pitiful dribbling the new machines do anyday!

 

[delturner]

Opinions certainly seem to vary don't they. However, I have had more than one Kitchen aid dishwasher and most of the new dishwashers put the old ones to shame, anemic spraying or not. Of course they take about 4 times as long as the old machines too.

 

[qsd-dan]

Older dishwashers can be modified for longer washes by tapping into the timer motor and installing an inline switch.

I installed one on my KDS-18 6 years ago. It allows the user to manipulate water fills and wash times. For heavily baked/burned loads, I delay the first water fill an additional 30 seconds for an extra gallon of water (first and second fill use 2 gallons instead of 3 on pre and main wash cycles) and then delay the timer again depending on the soil level, usually nor more than 20 minutes. Purge the line and let it commence it's regularly scheduled program.

CAUTION: When manipulating cycles during pre and main wash, wait one full minute AFTER the detergent cup has opened to prevent burning out the bi-metal switches.

 

[gregingotham]

Bosch vs KA

I have a newer Bosch (well I've had it 15 years) and i have to say the cleaning ability is very impressive. Heavy loads all come out sparking and so hot from the final rinse you can barely touch the dishes. Very quiet too. I think this machine was made before the draconian water guidelines came out so the cycle finishes in about an hour, unlike the 2-3 hours my mom's new LG takes. Growing up we had a KA Superba (KDS19) i believe and it was built to last and cleaned very well. Hard to say which is better between that and the Bosch i have. Each are excellent cleaners. The Bosch is much quieter though.

 

[777funk]

Well it's not fair to the Bosch because although upper spray arm pressure is good, it's not rotating, but dishes that went in with coffee stains or thick peanut butter still have remnants after a wash. I may try another Bosch eventually, but the
KDS 19 is back in its rightful place for now.

 

[joeypete]

They certainly are good performers, but I agree on the pots and pans. I have a KDM-21 and mine does heat the water first before it starts washing. I used the Soak/Scrub-Pots/Pans cycle quite often and it did a decent job honestly. However I have to say my new Kenmore Elite does even better. I'm amazed at how well it cleans. I put a stainless steel saute pan in there and it had some burn on bits and it came out completely clean. I was seriously shocked. In the Hobart it probably wouldn't have cleaned it all, I would have had to soak it some. The extra water they use does help a lot on normal loads but the short cycles do make it difficult for it to clean as thoroughly as new machines. The pots/pans cycle in my Kenmore is 3 hours + but like I said, everything is spotless.

 

[777funk]

I wonder what the ultimate cycle would be. It seems like this thing dumps the hot water with detergent awfully quick. I would think salvaging that power and skipping some of the drain cycles would be a good idea.