I dunno. I agree on one hand because I don't know how much more we can squeeze usage regulations down. From a mechanical and chemical aspect, machines and detergent engineering/formulation has come a LONG way, soil, water, and fabrics have not and most likely never will, until god forbid they invent some kind of fabric that just never gets dirty or stinky, in which case all the fun of appliances and how they work will be extinct. But that's all to say that there's only so far physics can allow for these reductions in energy and water use.
On the other hand, I used to be one of the fools who bawlked at "HE" appliances, both washers and dishwashers, and now I'll proudly admit how wrong I was because I've now owned several of each, and not a one of them was a dud. I've owned four Whirlpool GlobalWash dishwashers, the well-known WP WDT920 that excelled at the scorched foods and peanut butter tests on a thread that still makes the rounds here and there, along with a KitchenAid 104, WP 520 and 710, all essentially same design and all were fantastic in performance and build quality, the 920 and KA obviously being the top contenders on both counts.
I've also owned a BravOasis washer that I still consider the best HE top-load design to date along with it's cousin Fisher & Paykel SmartDrive, and in fact I just recently fully rebuilt an exact MVWB880 identical to the one I owned and it's running beautifully in my laundry room now. I've also had a Whirlpool Duet-Alpha WFW92 front loader for over 5.5 years that has not a single time left a load less than crisp and clean, well rinsed and spun dry, along with being impeccably smooth and quiet, and built like a damn tank. There's not a thing about it that feels chintzy or flimsy, inside or out, and upon doing a disassembly and deep clean at almost the 5 year mark, didn't find even the slightest sign of buildup or mold anywhere throughout. My only detracting mark is that front loaders just don't have the character and fun of a top loader because of being so sealed up during operation, which is why I'm enjoying the Bravos for the time being.
Then brings me to the current dishwasher, the KitchenAid KDTM604, going two years now without a single hiccup and spotless dishes every time. The build quality of this thing is beautiful, especially when you're able to compare it to the sea of Samsungs, LGs, GEs and Frigidaires on the sales floor. The door is smooth and solid, the way the latch pulls itself shut has almost a MacBook like feel and thunk every time you close the door, all three racks are solid, and then underneath, everything looks and feels very nice and rigid. I was wary about the change to the poly-composite framing but in person it's very stable, and with it side mounted into the cavity, it doesn't have the slightest wiggle. Plus, unless I'm mistaken, Whirlpool actually has a repair video on their "academy" page on how to repair the spinning filter pump and motor, so it's not just a disposable all in one unit. To me, this machine is very reminiscent of the Voyager design, but very much improved and refined.
Along with the build quality, we also recently got a Kohler H2Wise+ water meter for our home, which will learn over time which fixtures are which, and allows you to manually identify and "teach" what is using water, so during this first several months having it, I've made sure to only run the washer or dishwashers when it was least likely any other water was needed, so that I could isolate and see exactly how much water is being used. The other night I ran a full load that was fairly average soil, not really much dried on, just the residues of some sauces and drippings, drink and coffee cups, etc. Normal cycle, no options. It started straight into the main wash, then what I call an "eco-rinse" where it fills partially and then pulses the pump several times throughout all four wash levels, essentially covering the whole load at least once, then the final rinse. The entire cycle was 1.7 gallons, meaning this new design is actually more water efficient than the previous GlobalWash than I realized. The results? Spotless, not a speck to be found, no leftover scents of food or anything at all, and the interior sparkling.
So I do agree in some ways with what a few are saying, but I also see this article as just another over-sensationalized clickbait to get people fuming. While I DO think build quality has tanked for alot of the budget offerings (looking at you GE with your paper thin dishwasher doors), there are also still alot of very well built and designed appliances on the market that are more than surpassing even the new regulations being proposed. I've long learned my lesson about dismissing things just because they're "new" without first experiencing them for myself, and while things have changed a good deal just in the last 20 years, I don't think there's yet any alarm to think that all the competing brands are going to intentionally design washers or dishwashers that won't clean.
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