There is talk of how Whirlpool has gone downhill and I wanted to share my experience with my new Whirlpool dishwasher model WDT970SAKZ3 with the square pump housing. Here are some observations:
1. I like the 3rd rack, but obviously it take a third longer to empty the dishes when finished. It clean pretty well up there. I use it mostly for knives and spatulas.
2. I am pretty impressed with the fit and finish of the unit. The door spring components are pretty impressive. I guess one downside is the door handle. Whirlpool seems to have a difficult time make sturdy handles that don't loosen over time.
3. Installation was a challenge. The tub goes to the back wall of the space where it is installed, so I can't run any of the hoses behind the machine. Since the cabinet next to it is 5 inches off the ground, and the tub is 6 inches off the ground, I had just a very precise one inch space to run the drain hose. I had to run power and water through the framework on the side, which means I will have to remove it to pull it out. I hope that doesn't come too soon.
4. I am satisfied with cleaning performance, but some bowls don't get fully clean sometimes when they are nested together. I will have to figure out a fix for this.
5. I was not able to find a highly detailed owners manual. This leaves me wondering what are the differences between the cycles. One interesting anomaly is that sensor wash without water heat is timed at 3:26, while with water heat it drops to 2:31.I have been generally pleased with the quickest wash at 1:15. I am not sure what I achieve by choosing the longer cycles because the shorter ones seem to work fine.
6. Drying performance is adequate, although sometimes there is water on the top of mugs or dripping off plastic cutting boards. Some of that is to be expected, but I find myself having to do a quick wipe with a towel so that I don't drag water into the cupboard.
7. I am not thrilled that most repairs will require pulling out the machine. This seems to be a trend in the industry.
All in all, it is a nice dishwasher at a decent price. If I were to buy another or advise a customer, I would suggest maybe the one without the full handle.
1. I like the 3rd rack, but obviously it take a third longer to empty the dishes when finished. It clean pretty well up there. I use it mostly for knives and spatulas.
2. I am pretty impressed with the fit and finish of the unit. The door spring components are pretty impressive. I guess one downside is the door handle. Whirlpool seems to have a difficult time make sturdy handles that don't loosen over time.
3. Installation was a challenge. The tub goes to the back wall of the space where it is installed, so I can't run any of the hoses behind the machine. Since the cabinet next to it is 5 inches off the ground, and the tub is 6 inches off the ground, I had just a very precise one inch space to run the drain hose. I had to run power and water through the framework on the side, which means I will have to remove it to pull it out. I hope that doesn't come too soon.
4. I am satisfied with cleaning performance, but some bowls don't get fully clean sometimes when they are nested together. I will have to figure out a fix for this.
5. I was not able to find a highly detailed owners manual. This leaves me wondering what are the differences between the cycles. One interesting anomaly is that sensor wash without water heat is timed at 3:26, while with water heat it drops to 2:31.I have been generally pleased with the quickest wash at 1:15. I am not sure what I achieve by choosing the longer cycles because the shorter ones seem to work fine.
6. Drying performance is adequate, although sometimes there is water on the top of mugs or dripping off plastic cutting boards. Some of that is to be expected, but I find myself having to do a quick wipe with a towel so that I don't drag water into the cupboard.
7. I am not thrilled that most repairs will require pulling out the machine. This seems to be a trend in the industry.
All in all, it is a nice dishwasher at a decent price. If I were to buy another or advise a customer, I would suggest maybe the one without the full handle.
