KitchenAid-18, 19, or 20?

[beekeyknee]

Which KitchenAid Dishwasher, KDS, does everyone prefer. The 18, 19, or 20 and why? My family has 20s.

I'll be posting my restoration process of the second 20 I've done in the past 1 1/2 years, soon.

All three models look interesting.

 

[toploader55]

KDS 18,19 or 20

Personally I'd rate the 18 first. Superior Cleaning and Performance. Then I'd say the 20 Next as this series went back to heated dry. The 20 has Superior Cleaning as well. The 19 is a Super Performer as far as the cleaning goes but the No Heat Dry is Ehhhhh. I've owned all 3 models. I have 2 18s and Love them. The 20s as I said are great too. Eddie

 

[tomturbomatic]

I believe the 18 series to be the best KitchenAids made. Some sort of insanity hit after the 18s. Dishwashers, as they are currently constructed under the strictures of the energy bonobos, have no way of purging cold or cooled water from the hot water lines. If you run hot water to the machine before starting it, you need to keep the water moving through the supply pipes at fairly short intervals to keep it from losing too much heat between fills unless your dishwasher is very close to the water heater. The 18 Superba did this beautifully; two fills with short circulation periods to use the hot water to warm up the machine, then the first wash. To compensate for heat loss in the pipes during the first wash, the second wash was heated. The first rinse cleared the lines of cooled water allowing the 2nd and 3rd rinses to use hot incoming water. After the 18s, the machines spent time doing static heating of the first fill, which was then thrown over the room temperature dishes, losing almost all of the heat of the incoming water. In the meantime, the water sitting in the pipes lost heat for the next fill which was not heated to a guaranteed temperature. They added time to the cycle, but wasted the time and energy. And eliminating the Constant Rinse after the 18s to save water did not help the washing performance. Not that I care anymore, but it would be interesting to have known what they were thinking. I guess we do know what they were thinking because we can see what dishwashers have become. What a world. What a world.

 

[qsd-dan]

KDS-18 with a 19/20 upper rack.

 

[toploader55]

Dan, You are correct

I forgot to mention that. That's what's going on in my 18.
She'll clean the rust off a Trailer Hitch !!!

 

[tomturbomatic]

Dan, you are so correct. Thanks for pointing this out. As soon as the 19s were introduced, I was in the local dealer's service department ordering the arm, ChinaGuard, clips etc to upgrade my 18.

 

[tlee618]

I have to agree completely with the others, The 18 IMHO is KitchenAid at it's finest. Like Dan I too have the 19 upper rack and wash arm in mine!

 

[qsd-dan]

Like Dan I too have the 19 upper rack and wash arm in mine!

Unfortunately, I only have a lowly KDS-19, lol. I do know where a Coppertone KDS-18 is hibernating, but the main wiring harness has been pulled from all of the components. Hmmm????

If I didn't already have so many damn irons in the fire and so little space.....

Baaaahhh, who am I kidding?! Within a few months it'll probably end up in my family room with lots of Maytags to keep its ugly @ss company until I get around to fixing it (and repainting it).

 

[rp2813]

KDS 18

I've read enough here, especially from Hobart expert Steve, to have reached the conclusion that the wash and heating system on the 18 series was the best ever.

For me, the noise factor is the only drawback. I really like Steve's idea of outfitting a Whisper Quiet KDS-22 tub with the running gear of a KDS-18. That would be my dream machine, and once I get my hands on a WQ KDS-22, I'll be on the lookout for a KDS-18 in case I ever get motivated to follow Steve's lead.

Dan, I've got that KUDS-20 sitting here, so if you can use anything from it to bring the coppertone KDS-18 back to life, come on over and get it, or I'll even deliver.

 

[gansky1]

18 with the 19 rack here too. I have it in my kitchen currently and no matter the "flavor of the month" dishwasher I've put in, I always go back to the 18. I'm putting in connections in the garage for two built-in dishwashers so now I can play with anything and not have to disturb the 18 again. I never cease to be satisfied with the results every time I open that door. I rarely use anything but the Normal cycle and usually always select the dry-heat off option if I don't need the dishes right away.

 

[sudsmaster]

I agree.

I have a KDS-18 waiting in my carport for a round toit to boot the Bosch out of my kitchen.

Someday.

But I do love the look of the 18. The fake walnut burl panel is really classy. The heated wash water, with the heater submerged in the sump, combined with a real externally heated air dry combines the best of both worlds.

I guess if I get fired from my job I'll have the time and inclination to make the swap.

 

[jetcone]

hmm must get an 18

I wonder if I have one sitting in the basement? Must check the plate.

I have nothing but good to say about my 14 though! When that cast iron goes swinging those dishes are SCREAMING to be let out and I LOCK that lever tight and hang on!