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Many nice features on this Maytag! I hope CR tests it soon to assess its cleaning ability. I'm so glad they kept the terraced upper rack; it really enhances loading flexibility.

My only quibble is the noise level. 47 decibels is nothing to brag about. This machine will definitely make its presence known during operation.
 
The manual

I think the cycle times and water consumption are actually pretty reasonable for a modern dishwasher. Little disappointed in the PowerBlast cycle: it uses a lot of water <span style="text-decoration: underline;">and</span> time - I though it would be either the one or the other. Also notice how it says that hi temp raises the water temp from 105F to 129F - even on PowerBlast. I think that's a little cool for a heavy cycle.

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Thank you. "Interesting" I looked about 14 hours ago and no manual. Well, one way to solve the low wash temperature is to always select Sanitize option. You could unselect6 that option after the main wash if you don't want the extra hot rinse. I'm glad it uses that much water on power blast. The previous models used 12 gallons on Pots/Pans. Again, modern enzyme-based detergents are supposed to be more effective at lower temperatures.
 
I was just wondering because even our super-beyond-uber-efficient Euro dishwashers will heat to 122F on the Eco cycle. So 105F seemed a little low - almost like a cycle designed to wash glasses. I think it's the same for Whirlpool and KitchenAid dishwashers, with only Kenmore being the exception (High Temp raises the temperature from 120 to 140F).

 

I got the manual from Maytag's official site. Two manuals seem to be available so far: the MDB6949SD and the MDB8969SD. The instructions for both models have the same size, so I guess it's the same manual for both models.

 

http://www.maytag.com/digitalassets/MLPDF/User Instructions - W10599489.pdf
 

 

 

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The machine itself is gorgeous, and maybe this will be a compromise to have something that uses less water but doesn't require a filter be cleaned. I'm not thrilled about the temperatures either though. 105 is barely warm, and regardless of enzymes and what-not, bacteria is best killed at high temps, not to mention that lukewarm water in machines nowadays always means eventual mold, especially for those who are not as attentive to their appliances as we are. I want steam billowing out when I open the door after the cycle is done.
 
If you would consider what you are reading very closely, the default final rinse temperature is 140 degrees for normal, auto and powerblast cycles. The quick cycle's final rinse temperature is whatever your water heater is set at. Those are the same final rinse temperatures on my current 7 y/o Kenmore Elite TT. On light/china, the final rinse temperature is 130 or 135 degrees.
 
I just dont know

12 gallons of water  for pots and pans and over three hours?  They can't come up with something better than this?  I can't even understand what 12 gallons of water is doing for this amount of time.

 

I didn't think any DW used this much water anymore especially taking 3 hours for a load.  Quick cycles using over 5 gallons for about 1 hour. Is it really going to take it this long and use this amount of water to clean light to medium soil dishes?

 

I am using today's detergents with enzymes and they don't seem to have any problem working with wash temperatures of  125F, 130F, 150F or 170F but for less than 3 hours worth of cycle time so <span style="font-size: 14px;">I just don't know what to think about this. </span>

 

<span style="font-size: 14px;">Seems like everything new looks like taking a step(s) backwards.</span>
 
Automatic Dishwashing Is Not That Much Different From

Laundry.

Once you start messing about with one of the four basic parameters (time, chemicals, temperature, and amount of water), you must compensate by adjusting one or more of the others.

Supposedly the theory from the federal government and others advocating "low energy" use dishwashers is that the things are mainly run at night/last thing during the day. Therefore long cycles aren't a problem since the machine will certainly be finished before Madame or whomever is running the household awakens the next day.

On the one hand can see some truth to all this; I mean am looking at older dishwashers that used multiple heated water cycles and am gobsmacked at how wasteful that could be. I mean to heat water for just four to seven minute cycles then dump it all down the drain (and repeat several times) is kind of pushing far on energy use.

OTOH before all this nonsense started the sweet spots from say the 1970's to recent memory seemed find. That is given proper amounts of water dishwashers could complete a normal cycle in < one hour.
 
<a name="start_52012.757983">"OTOH before all this nonsense started the sweet spots from say the 1970's to recent memory seemed find. That is given proper amounts of water dishwashers could complete a normal cycle in < one hour." </a>

 

And to start bragging (yet again) - they still can :)

Mine can, and will still deliver acceptable results. But I prefer "Delicates," which gives the same washing time (less pressure) as Normal (Which is supposed to be longer, but ISN'T) and a third rinse.

*Hint* *Hint* Launderess, find a Dish-Drawer and convert it to portable ;)

 

The other thing is, I seem to recall you stating your Apartment's boilers keep the water at pretty reasonable temperatures - given this is the case, why even bother with "Automatic Water Heating" when you can purge the tap and get steaming hot water on tap?

That saves the old KitchenAid mantra of heating Pre-Wash water for at least 10 minutes, before draining it all out straight away, non-held heating in the (short) Main-Wash, and another hold for, what would be, a short final rinse!
 
Water Usage

I can't recall, from previous discussions, how many water changes these Maytag machines actually. have.

 

The good thing is, you shouldn't have trouble getting clean dishes from such a machine, given the amount of water used - and I suspect this water usage would also assist keeping the filters clean and really flushing trash off the dishes.
 
I dunno, I have the previous model, 8595, and when you tell it to heat the water that water gets freaking hot... Like I've melted my rainbow pan that I've always been able to wash on the bottom rack in my other washers with heat boost and have had no issues. The water gets hot in these machines.. Thats with the heated dry turned off.

My KDS58 would boost to 140 and I've not melted anything, this thing must just hate plastic in the bottom rack because I've been melting stuff left and right.. Which, in its own way, is fine because its low quality plastic stuff that is stained that I'm trying as a last resort to clean but throw away anyways... I've slowly been switching my plastic stuff to glass or stoneware.

I've put pans with burned noodles, cheese, meats and what not and I haven't had a spot on them when they have come out. The only no scrub way that gets my stainless that clean is to put water in them and let them boil for a bit on the stove... I am impressed on how hot the machine gets.

I guess keep in mind that the heated wash is going to be different than the power blast plus steam option. You have the wash temp boosted to the 129 but at the end of the wash cycle, before the rinse process starts, the machine heats the soapy water to the NSF 180 steam temperatures. Thats where this machine kicks butt. After that, you'd have your rinse cycle and if you chose sanitize, it would steam again. (Heh this solves why the rainbow pan melted :P)

As far as water fills, I can't exactly tell you how many times it does a complete dump and fill, I'm thinking its 4 times, but I do know that with the soil sensor, this machine will gradually dump dirty gunky water out and fill as its dumping it. Its like the dirt is collected in a reservoir and emptied every so often. When I first got my machine it drained into a mop sink. I'd watch as it drained and all it really spit out was very dirty oily water. Its impressive.

Sorry for the late night ramblings.
 
I have the 4709 and it's the same way. I haven't had anything melt, but usually the cheap throwaway containers that I keep, just in case someone takes food home, go on the top rack, mostly because the bottom arm is strong and flips them over. Mine does a main wash and two rinses on Normal, and usually does a couple of Auto Filter Purges during the wash, and if you watch down the drain at what comes out, it's literally nothing but a soup of food junk. I usually don't add any options though, just Normal cycle, and steam usually starts coming out of the vent 15 minutes in. I've yet to take anything out that wasn't squeaky clean and spotless. I hope the new models will have the same Filter Purge process.
 

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