Help purchasing new dishwasher

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aimeemarie12

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Mar 24, 2013
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Hello all! You all steered me in the right direction in our purchase of a set of Speed Queens last year and I absolutely love them. Now I am here to learn about purchasing a new dishwasher.

We are a family of four so lots of dishes to be washed. Have very hard water hope to get a softener somewhere down the road but just moved into new home. What are good brands and models? My primary concern is that dreaded white film that ends up on dishes if I don't use Lemishine.

Thanks in advance.
 
If you have the money....

Go for something nice and highend. No, I'm not talking about those Samsung's, LG's, Frigidaires and what-not (The "Singing" dishwashers), something like Bosch, Miele or Asko. 

 

If you search my username here in the Deluxe forums, you'll see I've posted quite a lot about my F&P Dishdrawers, as has another member. Mine is going on 1.5 years without any major trouble (We've had the drain filter replaced, as it separated). Performance is very good too - though others may disagree.

 

If you are willing to go 2nd hand, try a Kenmore or Whirlpool with the PowerClean module - as they are quite renowned for good cleaning ability and food disposal on here. Most dishwashers you will find also have manual clean filters - no disposal or self cleaning filters and don't use enough water or powerful enough pumps to do the job properly... If buying 2nd hand AVOID ENERGY STAR (Unless its a Kenmore or Whirlpool with the PowerClean!)
 
I love my Speed Queens, but for a dishwasher, I feel, and some people might bite my head off, I highly recommend a KitchenAid/Maytag/Whirlpool family brand of dishwasher! My choice is the KA. I have a Maytag portable, my brother has my old KA, and ma has a newer WP. All work well, make sure you use Finish, not Cascade for great results!
Mike
 
We bought a top-of-the-line GE Profile tall-tub in early 2010 and it works like a dream. It's super easy to load and dead quiet. Ours has the smart dispense system and disposal, I highly recommend it.
 
If you have hard water, you won't be satisfied with any dishwasher, new or old, unless you have a way to combat the hard water. (I speak from personal experience.) Your dishes won't get very clean, and you'll have the white film problem. I think your options are:

-Get a whole-house water softener
-Get a dishwasher that has a built-in water softener
-Use dishwasher detergent that still has phosphates in it, such as Cascade Institutional.

Consumer Reports has also reported good results with the non-phosphated Cascade Complete Action Pacs.

Once you decide how to handle your hard water problem, then it should clarify what particular dishwashers to consider.
 
Personally I've had it with any Whirlpool manufactured machines, which the Kenmore you're looking at is, after our Kitchenaid (whirpool) broke down after 11 months just before the warranty expired (I've since bought the extended warranty). The previous KA wasn't any better. It's the twice burned 3 times shy thing I suppose.

I would definitely be looking at a Bosch next time, they get high ratings in CR. Don't be fooled by the euro machines "being smaller" you can't tell by looking and the designs like we had in our Miele was actually much easier to load and fit just as much inside. You may notice the tines are closer together though so if you have plates that are somewhat deeper than normal could be a concern.. You could, maybe should take one of your regular dinner plates and cereal bowls with you when you go shopping to see how well they stand up in the different machines.

The machine you're looking at didn't get a recommendation in CR but they say it should still be considered. They say it washed excellent, the noise level was good, etc so I'm not really sure why it didn't get recommended where some of the less expensive plastic tub Kenmores did get recommended. As well it's very similar to the stainless tub Whirpools and Kitchenaids, many of those were recommended.

Just my opinion but I think these days it's wise to consider the extended warranty on a dishwasher.
 
Well, I can't really recommend a dishwasher (you are going in the right direction with Bosch), but I can recommend a detergent. We have rock hard water, and I use either Cascade Platinum pacs, or Cascade Complete pacs. We don't need to use Lemishine with either of those and our dishes always come out sparkling. I personally never rinse the dishes before they go into the dishwasher, just scrape off any large pieces of food.
 
Another 4 Bosch

During the time that I had a Bosch dishwasher, I enjoyed using it. I especially liked the 30 minute quick wash. By the time you finished cleaning up the kitchen, dishes are done and can be dried and put away.

My Miele wont let me run the express wash, comes up and says my water isn't hot enough from the tap.

Malcolm
 
I actually bought the Cascade Platinum this week...still had the white film and chalky feeling...but I gotta say with the CP pac and a Lemishine pac....great results in an older Maytag jetclean. Honestly this machine is cleaning well (but I practically wash dishes before they go in.) But it has a small leak coming from the door at the bottom.

I do have a Blomberg dealer here but I dont know if i was that impressed. Actually liked a Samsung he had but should I stay away? I believe it was a 400 series.
He did not have many bosch bc he is waiting for new ones in may--anyone know anything about those?
 
CR gives Blomberg a mediocre (their term) in washing ability on heavily soiled dishes and on noise level. The only excellents it received were energy use and ease of use. That would be enough to deter me.
Samsung is repair prone according to their analysis but then look at my Kitchenaid experience which rates not that bad in that regard lol.
 
Bosch here - replaced a KA TT that tried (repeatedly) to catch on fire. We also have rock-hard water where I live and the built-in softener has been nothing short of a revelation! Now, instead of having to add Lemi-shine (while risking ruining some things) to every load to counter limescale buildup, I put the dishes in, add a Quantum PB tab, and press the button. As long as the salt and rinse-aid dispensers are kept full, everything comes out clean and very shiny clear first time, every time.

The model I purchased is linked in below. Couple of things to note - it is an ADA compliant one so the tub is a bit higher, and appears (at first glance) to be far far smaller than our old TT. But with careful loading I can get at least 90+% of what I used to cram into the KA into it, no problem. Also, it does not dry plastics as well as the old KA used to, for whatever reason. Dishes, plates and silverware are all bone dry but for some reason certain plastics still have water all over them when it is done. No big deal, just have to towel those off. The flip-side of this is that there's no exposed heater element so I never have to risk having something melting on it if it is blown off the top rack (like medicine cups, etc.)

Maintaining the filter is a snap. I take it out and clean it whenever I'm prompted to add either salt or rinse aid, and that seems entirely sufficient.

http://www.sears.com/bosch-24inch-built-in-dishwasher-stainless/p-02216793000P
 
Will add here that our detergents in Aus still have 30% > phosphates in the
. When our softener died, Finish Tabs ( any sort) worked great in our dishdrawer - which had no softener built on, no rinsing dishes. Water was 25grains or around 359 ppm of hardness. That was 2011 when it was brand new. Still working great
 
Kitchen Aid

I have a KitchenAid and have had several and never had any problems with them. My current machine is 2 yrs old and has the standard 4-arm spray. I always keep it full of Jet Dry and I use plain Cascade and have never had problems with white film or anything left on my glassware.
 
For those of you

who have hard water (I do too)

Try putting distilled white vinegar in the rinse aid dispenser and turning the dial to the highest # and see if that helps.

Lemishine works good too, but so does the vinegar

I have to say - I recommend WP personally because all my 2004 WP appliances are still working in 2013 and have had little issues with any of them.....But that's just me...Others haven't been so lucky.
 
I have had over ten dishwasher's in ten years. 3 G.E. from the Old Potsmasher's which are still some of the best to a 2010 G.E. Mongram which cost a $$$.Viking/Asko was terrible and I mean terrible.The new Whirlpool/Kenmore use the same Mag drive pumps

from Askol.They make a ton of aquarium power head pumps and filter pumps and there used in Frigidare dishwasher's.The motor 

in them Whirlpool/Kenmore is 55 watts and that is it.They say 15min on and ten minutes off that is why these new Whirlpool 

dishwasher takes so long 5 hours is normal and can take all nite if you want it to.I have a L.G. right now and it washes good but,

my detergent is Bubble Bandit and is about 20% phosphates after I get done with it and I never have film of anything ever.

Miele dishwasher's can't be beat but they are $$$$ ,I also like the Maytags that are still out Maytag is saying to hell with water use and wimpy motors.That thing will use 12 gallons on Jetclean plus cycle and it has a grinder in it still and has a big motor in it also.You can get a loaded

one for 800 bucks a ton of people are buying Maytag dishwasher's.The wash system is proven been around for years and cleans great and that was after me and I am hell on dishwasher's.I do not care for Bosch dishwasher's at all they are a pain to load bad.

My dream machine is a Old Kitchenaid or a new Miele..I don't see my L.G. lasting long I keep breaking plates and they get in the

grinder and make terrible sounds..

 
 
I will look @ Maytag, thanks. The machine i am using is jetclean and really cleans well.

The thing i am seeing that i dont like is these loooonnnnnggg cycles. When i washer shopped i was dismayed at how long some of the cycles could take...so pleased with my SQ. does it even take 30 mins? Dont think so. Time is money people!
 
We have a Siemens...

and I really can't fault the machine. It is quiet, water & electricity efficient, with sterling results, however I would also like a Miele as they are really top of the class.

We dont get machines in South Africa that does not heat the water from scratch and all of the machines have water softners. I would stay away from Lg had one, it cleaned good, but only two years in and it started to give electronic problems, pump problems door handle problems and it cost me alot of money. Also bought my mother one it was about two months old and the roler wheels on the upper tray/basket started to perish. So I would go with either SIEMENS/MIELE.

cheers
 
I thought Whirlpool did away with the Maytag Jet Clean system and the current line of Maytag DW's are just Whirlpools with a Maytag nameplate on them?

I bought one of the last models with the Maytag Jet Clean system in 2008. The unit cleans perfectly and we've used it 6 nights out of the week for the last four years without one problem. Before that we had a 1991 Maytag Jet Clean dishwasher in our last house and I'm willing to bet it is still in use. That thing was built like a tank.
 
I had a 1999 Maytag Jet clean that I loved. Unfortunately I left it behind when I sold that house. The new house had a Frigidaire, that one lasted a month before it was banished to the garage. It was replaced with a Maytag 300 quiet series. That machine cleaned well, was a bit noisy, but suffered terribly from reliability issues. Three control boards, fire hazard recall, rusting racks. . .

I replaced the Maytag two weeks ago with a Kitchenaid. My goodness I love that machine. In the normal wash it takes about two hours, but have never taken anything out of it yet that wasn't clean. I did the shorter, hour wash, last night for some baking prep equipment. Everything was clean. The machine is quiet, holds everything I throw in it, and everything comes out clean. I use the Cascade complete, Finish, and Cascade Professional. No white streaks at all, I do use jet dry as well.

Did I mention it was quiet, the only way you can tell it's running is the lights are on on the control panel. For Normal Heavy wash it uses 6.4 gallons of water. If you use the Power scrub option on the Heavy or Normal cycle it adds about 45 minutes to the cycle depending on the water temp, and increases the water usage by approximately 1 gallon.

I did buy the extended warranty--Whirlpool did build it afterall.
 
I Heart MayTAG-----which KA did you buy? Saw one today in store, I did like it. I also liked the Whirlpool Gold, did not like the Maytags though.

No comments on Samsung? A friend told me her parents like theirs. I may wait for our local place to get the "new" Boschs in in May. I really would prefer to go through them and have them install. Local small sales & service company who sold me my SQ's.
 
Aimee

I bought the Kitchenaide KUDS30IXWW (the designation WW and SS means white/white, and Stainless Steal. I bought the white model with stainless interior.

BTW--I got this machine on sale at Sear's for $599

I might add, when considering a Bosch be sure and measure your cabinet clearance from floor to cabinet. The Drip pan, or water stop system can be harder to install on older homes due the clearance allowed by the machine's pan. I had a friend that had to send her Bosch back and opt for a Maytag because of this clearance issue. Others on here may be able to address this issue more clearly than I, but do use this information as an asking point when purchasing.
[this post was last edited: 3/27/2013-12:54]

http://www.kitchenaid.com/flash.cmd?WT.mc_id=emLcmTy-Top-Products&/#/product/KUDS30IXSS/
 

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