I assume that this problem was resolved since this is an old posting. However for those like myself who also had the same trouble and hated Bosch; I found a solution. The spray arms are poorly designed and the tiny holes clog over time. Unscrew the "nut" attaching each of the spray arms and use an ice pick or something small to unclog the holes along the arms. You will have to tilt the arm back and forth and shake out all the particles through the center connection hole in order to clean it out. Run water through it to be sure it is clear and shake it until there is no sound and the holes are clear. Re-attach to the machine and you will have sparkling dishes again. I cursed the darned dishwasher for weeks until I learned this!

I want to echo what Wolfc70 said, and recommend you get a lower-end Miele. That's what I did. I have a Miele with the controls on the front. I saved hundreds of dollars (I think about $800) over the similarly-featured Miele with hidden controls. Miele is pretty slick when it comes to industrial design, and the controls on its doors look clean and modern. I also like to be able to see what cycle the DW is on which you can't do when you have the hidden controls. I think both Bosch and KA are good machines, but the Miele is in a different class. BTW, the Bosch interiors always looked small to me. I would advise you to bring with you to the store a couple of large items from home that you typically put in your DW, and put them in a Bosch display model, and see what you think. Don't worry about the salesperson looking at you funny - (A) people do it all the time, and (B) you're spending a lot, so you should make sure the machine fits your needs.

Not sure the insulation - damp or otherwise - makes much sense to me. At least in the Bosch DWs and I would have to imagine, any well constructed DW, the insulation is not open to the DW itself and in fact is more open to the outside than to the inside of the DW cavity. So should the insulation be getting overheated or dampened somehow, I would imagine that smell would be just as profound when you're in front of the DW with the DW door shut as when the DW door is open because the source of the smell is on the outside of the DW. I did have the dreaded DW stink. We had put in our DW about a month before the renovation and at that time, the DW did not smell at all. After the renovation, put the DW back and it smelt like the dickens for a few days. I didn't really suspect the DW 'coz it hadn't smelt at all at its first install but still, the smell was something fierce and entirely unpalatable. Well, it took a few days but eventually our kitchen sink backed up - the drain had had a slow clog somewhere and it took a while to be detectable. We got our plumber out, he flushed the line to look for the clog and indeed he did mention that after a renovation, it is not uncommon for the drain to become slow because during a renovation, construction trash does tend to get into the drains and so usually the drain lines should be snaked to ensure they're clear. He did say that he didn't hit anything noticeable but bottom line, the drain cleared, the sink drains perfectly and the DW immediately lost its stench. In the two years since the renovation has been done, the DW has not smelled at all except on the couple of occasions when a dirty dish was left in it for several several days when I went out of town (don't usually leave dirty dishes in the DW when am to be out of town for a week or more but I've forgotten a couple of times). I do a DW load every 3 to 4 days and I don't get DW-odour in that interval. Based on my experience, whenever I read of smelly dishwashers, I suspect a slow drain with the sewer gases backing up. One probably doesn't smell it in the kitchen because the smell gets a chance to diffuse. Well, that's my $0.02

My KD has an Asko and really likes it, so I'm not knocking them. I looked at them but went with Thermador, which is a Bosch with a different name plate and probably one cycle or feature different that the comp Bosch model. And inthe panel ready model, it was running $100-150 less per DW when we bought it. Since we got 2, we went with Thermador. I probably would have bought Bosch twice before if I hadn't been told by salesmen that the filter trap had to be cleaned every time you ran it. Baloney. I rinsed them a couple of times when I had something stuck in my disposal and was trying to figure out where the smell was coming from. I think I have emptied a chunck of something out of it once or twice in over a year of using each daily or every other day. The Bosch are quiet and clean well. I ususally use the light cycle and have only used the normal cycle a few times. I'm not 100% sure if I have even used the heavy duty setting. I can tell you that a light cycle may not remove baked on egg, but that doesn't surprise me either. I'm not sure anyone's would. I have read complaints that they don't dry well, but mine dry as well as any other DW I have had. Some plastic pieces or pieces with a rim will need a wipe with a towel, although letting them sit until they have cooled does most of the job. I've had no problems with the controls and dont see how you can stain the stainless tub. Haven't noticed any stains on any of the seals or plastic parts either, and our boys are heavy on ketchup and tomato based foods. Oh, any of the upper model lines will have a light that shines on the floor until the cycle is completed. My firneds and family have asked about the little red light shining onthe floor -- even after they talked to me while I finished loading and starting the DW. They didn't realize it was running. :_) The only thing I can tell you is that you might save a few dollars getting the Thermador if you are going to cover the front with a panel. Worth checking if you have that option.