That's what I thought too, but having had to clean my KA's disposer twice (a real PITA) and replace it once over the course of 18 months, I don't think so anymore. I can only speak about KitchenAid (and the associated Whirlpool and Kenmore models). Perhaps other brands have better arrangements, I don't know. It's not really a food disposer; it's a rather cheap chopper and screen assembly (see link below), and if you're not careful about what solid foods remain on your dishes, it will clog and prevent adequate water flow from reaching the upper rack. Moreover, it will take some of the semi-chopped solid food and actually make whatever's in the top rack dirtier than when it went in. I've learned to carefully scrape every plate before it goes in. Mine is less than 2 years old and works reasonably well otherwise, but when I eventually replace it, I'll avoid a built-in "disposer". Here is a link that might be useful: KitchenAid Repair/Chopper Replacement

Thanks everyone. We went to a store and looked at both models to see and "touch" them. DH still leans toward Kuds30 with the hard food disposer, despite what you all have said about it not being necessary. I think the bonus to him is that it is a couple of hundred dollars cheaper. :) Not sure he realizes that couple hundred will go right back into the budget for a pot filler! LOL Five, I read all of your posts with great care about the Kude60, but heard from other people that your unit was not working properly. Even so, your issues stayed in the back of my mind as we considered. We don't want the Bosch because of it's smaller interior loading space. Thanks, Willtv, I'm glad to know of someone who has the Kuds30 and is happy with it! Weissman, we've been discussing the issue about having the dishwasher be "flush" with the cabinets, so we will definitely come to a conclusion with that before we order a panel-ready DW! Thank you all!

I recently applied Miele's AutoOpen drying system to my dishwasher: I just pop the door open two inches after the cycle is done and walk away. The moisture escapes, dry heat remains and everything dries within 15 or so minutes. As for plastics: Tupperware and other microwaveable containers dry well in my Bosch. Alex

I agree it is hard to believe. It is not_true that steam passes through a condenser coil, since that implies all or most steam. It IS true that a small small fractional amount of steam gets into a condenser device (which can look like a coil), where it condenses into water, drains into a hose, which then can be left UNconnected to anything. So, wa8b, the way you've rephrased it is almost exactly as many manufacturers support people have said it over the phone, although they also say it is not much H2O at all, not much at all, and I believe them as they say that almost all the H2O condenses inside_the_tub, and I believe them too. Your phrasing may be misleading (to yourself or to others) as the steam does NOT_all pass through a condenser coil, no. Very little gets into this condenser ("coil"). A small small amount of vapor will come out of the tub and into the vent if your unit is equipped with one. The vent is the focus here. The vent is open at the end of the wash cycle to let Some Steam escape into a condensation device. Its purpose is not to pull the steam through a condensing coil nor to vent all the steam into the air. This (fractional) portion of condensate that goes into the small device at the vent does not go back inside the tub. According to the manufacturers I have contacted. -- Where does this small amount of H2O go next? -- How much is it? These have been my questions that I have asked in many places for many weeks. Where this "vent condensation exhaust tube" goes to is an interesting subject. This tube can be called a drain. Drain. Calling it a drain tube or "a drain" does not mean it is connected to the machine's one and only drain tube that goes into the house drain (the main drain, the plumbing drain.) Using this minor confusion some companies have allowed many salespeople to get confused and to start saying "it goes into the drain." Which means to them that it goes into the plumbing drain. In many cases they are wrong. ________________________________ Summary: Yes, some condensate (not much) is allowed "... to evaporate into some ... area outside the..." (tub), and yes it can drain or evaporate in an "...area surrounded by cabinetry..." So, yes I am concerned enough to want to know what will happen when I buy my next DW now for my upcoming new kitchen reno now. Yes, the bulk of the water condenses on the tub and drips down into the sump area; it slides down the tub walls and goes into the sump where it's pumped out through the machine's drain hose. So at the end of a cycle most of the water is inside the tub, either in the sump area, or clinging to racks and interior surfaces. About "the further study that is being done" = further study means further examination by my eyeballs and my persistent questioning. I hope to have a little more feedback from people before I name names. Bear with me. This is caution. I have take pictures and can post them later. I am not an expert so I hope I have phrased my descriptions correctly. Work with me on this and tell me if how I have phrased it makes sense. I've tried my best to be precise and neutral. I think the vent and condensation chamber is only for excess steam pressure or to lower the temperature of the tub steam air down below the condensation point. David