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Wanting to avoid a crappy dishwasher, need recommendations

Swiss_Chard_Fanatic

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

So we had quite the adventure with washers and dryers and I want to avoid that experience with our next purchase: a dishwasher.

I'm looking to buy one that is built solid, like one you would buy 10+ years ago. We will be using it daily; I cook a lot, which naturally creates the need to wash lots of dishes. I need a workhorse that won't let me down. We went to Lowes recently to look at the modern day options and were horrified.

Here's what I want to avoid:
1. Cheap plastic or cheap, floppy, thin metal parts
2. Uses less water than older models & takes 2+ hours to complete the cycle
3. Poor drain design (Bosch)
4. Poor overall design, period.
5. Doesn't clean, just sanitizes
6. Breaks in less than 5 years
7. Terrible customer service

What I want, and I'm willing to pay for it:
1. Designed and built well
2. Excellent warranty
3. Doesn't just sanitize--cleans too
4. Is going to last 10+ years.

I want it to use as much water as is necessary to get it done and get it done right the first time like the old school models. Due to our crappy experiences with water-conserving washers, I no longer believe in water-conserving anything. And besides, we are on well water so we recycle our water.

What brands/stores should I be looking at? Thank you in advance to anyone who responds.

Featured Answer

dan1888

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

If you post in Appliances it'll be Miele or Bosch with possibly an Asko thrown in. You can find something for less than $1k if you can skip LED lighting. I have Miele.

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Comments (6)

sjhockeyfan325
7 years ago
I've never heard of a dishwasher that "just sanitizes and doesn't clean". My Bosch cleans my dishes very well. As far as water conservation, I'm not sure you have a choice anymore.
cpartist
7 years ago
You can't get one that uses as much water as the old ones.

You might want to look at miele dishwashers and you also might want to ask your question in the appliance forum.
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I had a Bosch and returned it within 2 weeks. It had an odor and the dishes wouldn't get nearly as dry as previous dishwashers. And it was installed correctly . . . so don't believe the odor is going to be avoided by that. I think it may be the luck of the draw. Replaced it with a Kitchenaid KUDS03STSS. Love it, love it, love it. To my untrained ear sounds just as quiet as the Bosch. Gets the dishes totally dry and not a whiff of an odor. I truly believe that all appliances can have issues. So it will just depend on what happens in your case. My one absolute firm recommendation is to take your dishes and try them. My tall wine glasses did not fit in the Bosch but fit wonderfully in the Kitchenaid. My dog bowls (and I wash lots of them) did not fit well in the GE Profile (they wouldn't have stood upright so would have gotten filled with water) but fit perfectly in the Kitchenaid.
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rococogurl, It is obvious that he is here to try to convince people to purchase cheaper units that will break quickly. If he is in fact a repairman, it makes sense, since these units are the ones that will break the most frequently and provide more business for him. His statement gives him away: "So if your Lowes appliance salesman meant "these days" as in these last 4 decades... he is correct. However a 2016 dishwasher will use 1/3 the water, 1/4 the electricity, be about 4-5 times quieter, and will get your dishes cleaner than the 1970's dishwasher." Several posters replied with their very different experiences because they didn't believe him either. I called him out on it because I perceived his posts to be a subtle hijack of the thread to cause me and others to go out and buy cheapo models at Lowes by injecting misinformation, including a link from Consumer Reports--and Consumer Reports is little more than a propaganda site for major brands that are revenue generators for service people. It's a really great gig they have going. A gig that I wanted to avoid contributing to. What I am looking for now is a commercial dishwasher that is commonly used in residential settings as well, similar to the way Speed Queen (which I am very happy with) is a commercial washer that is commonly used in residential, and therefore avoids either some of or all of the energy star requirements.
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linus2003
7 years ago
I also think you should look at miele.

Had Miele for 15 years and love how they work. I also cook and entertain alot and when its time for a new dishwasher I will be getting a pro model from Miele due to faster turnaround time. I can wash up to 10 loads when having the house full and that takes the whole day but with a pro model cykles are short from 20 min up to 50 min.

I you want a good and solid fast machine look at the pro machines otherwise the domestic ones.
practigal
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
No residential dishwasher truly "sanitizes" they all just clean, if you're lucky. One of the top of the line Miele dishwashers offers a 23 minute cycle... I think it costs about $4000.

I was surprised that you left quiet off your list. My old school dishwasher did an excellent job cleaning...of course, you had to be at least two rooms away if you wanted to carry on a conversation.

It doesn't matter whether or not you believe in water conservation, the government has gotten the manufacturers to go along with their view of things, Longer cycles are the rule, shorter cycles are available on some models.

The expected useful life of most appliances today is seven years. Most dishwashers come with a one-year warranty. There are two ways you can go here (1) buy an expensive dishwasher like the Miele (I would only buy that if you have service readily available in your city) and pay for the installation and pay extra for the service contract and hope that it lasts the full five years of the service contract or (2) buy a much less expensive dishwasher- you may luck out and it might work for a long time or you might end up replacing it three or four times before you reach the price of the original Miele. I definitely chose 2 and frankly it has worked great so far.

I do recommend that you try the appliance forum.
PRO
StarCraft Custom Builders
7 years ago
Why don't you also post this in the appliance forum.

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