I brought my KDS-18 dishwasher down to the basement today for a test run before installing it in the kitchen in a few weeks. I had this dishwasher in the garage but not connected for a long time so I want to make sure everything is perfect before putting it into a brand-new kitchen. I've decided to use this machine instead of buying a new dishwasher for several reasons. The first is the frightening thread in the Deluxe forum on "Today's Dishwashers" that in summary means that unless you spend roughly a grand (or two) you won't get the performance (and speed) that some of the vintage machines deliver with ease. While it's true that we will use more water and energy with the KitchenAid, I will still only run it a few times a week so the cost vs. savings is rather a moot point. The other reason is because I have been using my KDS-56 and KDS-55 portables in the basement these long months of remodeling hell and have come to love the ability of these machines. Even with dishes that have sat for days, the Soak & Scrub cycle blasts everything away with obvious ease. If I had a built-in version of the 16 or 17 series, I might consider installing it, but there are advantages to the 18 series as well. The double wash arms (and constant rinse) allow for much more loading flexibility than the single-arm models, the cycles of the 18 series are very similar to those in the 16 & 17's without sacrificing the 180F sani-rinse and we still have a heated dry. I considered replacing the 800 watt drying element with an 1100 watt element from a 16 or 17, but am finding that 800 watts still gives adequate performance without the damaging heat in the back right corner of the lower rack. Of course, the drying heat can be shut off if desired with the energy saving option. With any drying element or option, there will still be small puddles in the bottoms of cups, etc. and rarely will plastics dry completely - especially in the top rack.
