Dishwasher Performance Tests

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Some of you asked for pictures of an actual lab dealig with clothes washers or dishwashers. Here goes. One of the last labs of the sememster is the dishwahsr performance lab. The students conduct a modified version of an AHAM (Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers) performance procedure for assessing the dishwashers. It is an old test written when dishwashers used lots of water and water pressure. It is very similar to what Consumers Union uses for their tests published in Consumers Report

 

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fat, sugar and starch

One of the samples to be cleaned is a salad plate that has a small portion of a PBJ smeared around on it. Similar to what a small child might do with their sandwich

 

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pigment stains

The test calls for a strong brew of tea to be left in cups and some spilt on the saucer. We used coffee as there were no tea bags to be found in the lab that day.

 

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starch

Farina (Cream o Wheat) is left in a bowl with a spoon. We use a somewhat deep saucer. What we have is readily available in the lab is a boulion bowl which is too deep for the dishwasher to clean. Most people eat this type of hot cereal in a soup style bowl which would probably clean similarly to our deep plates.

 

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pigment anc bulk

juice glasses are soiled with tomato juice

 

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close up

close up of the soiled juice glass

 

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milk

Milk allowed to dry is somwehat difficult to clean.

 

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large plate

The large plate is divided into thirds. One third is a one minute egg (protein), Dinty Moore beef stew (protein, starch, and bulk) and spinach (bulk and fiber). A tablespoon of each is placed in each third and smeared around.

 

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Bosch loaded

We use eight place settings in the Bosch Here it is loaded

 

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Loaded Fisher and Paykel

The FP only gets four place settings

 

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Prepping the FP

The diswashers are all cleaned beforehand. The FP had greasy gunk built up inside. Apparently my lab techician had placed exhaust vent filters in to wash and had not used a high heat settings and the greas just clung to everything. They are also checked for rinse aid. The students are also challanged to find the most similar cyle on all three dishwashers. They are shooting for a five water change cycle and a 150 or so degree main wash

 

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loaded Miele

The soiled dishes are allowed to set for 24 hours and then loaded to manufacturers recommendations. Most of the cyles used are close to a normal heavy cycle.

 

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Amy says Clean

One student evaluates each item from all three machines. i.e. one student looks at all milk glasses and determines if they are clean or not.

 

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clean silverware

The silverware is inspected by the designated students. Notice the fryer from the Miele combi set collection. I love these. I have them in my house as well.

 

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dissappointment

The FP did not do so well. I do think that the machines is not performing to its normal level due to the excess grease. I have since ran it through a couple of heavy high temp cyles and it seems to be alright.

 

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silverware

Edward and Gil count and inspect silverware

 

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unloading the Bosch

Edward unloads the Bosch

 

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recording results

Students creadte a grid to determine the percentage of clean dishes. They can then calculate the percentage clean for the total load to determine the winner.

 

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glasses

glasses only pass if they are spotless which actually is almost impossible. These glases are not used for any other pupose so they do not have day to day marks on them.

 

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spotless

another inspector. Actually she is not doing the inspection correctly. The inspectors areonly supposed to hold the stemmed glassses by the stem so not to interfere with the results.