I would get the DW you like and don't worry about the door handles... only you will notice it in the end and the 39DB rating is gonna be tough to beat!

MRB

I had kitchen aids (when they were made by Kitchen Aid) for over 20 years. They were a workhorse and cleaned well. I have had a few years experience recently with Bosch and would never go back to Kitchen Aid - Bosch cleans and dries better. Like Dan I went with Miele with my new build (now 2 years) and Miele cleans great and dries better than Bosch I think due to the open door air drying. LG is not a brand I associate with making a great dishwasher. Bosch has a recessed handle that is pretty generic if the handle issue is a big deal for you. Not having a heating element is a huge advantage as now you can put what you want where you want.

I've owned kitchen aid and Bosch. Had really good luck with kitchen aid in my first house. 2nd house came with Bosch, love it. Now putting all Bosch appliances in our other house.

So it sounds like most people love Bosch. Have any of you had any problems with bad smell coming from the dishwasher? I have two co-workers who have Bosch and they both have the smell problem. They said that it has to do with Bosch not having the food grinder like the American models. Thanks!

Two Bosch dishwashers among friends several years ago caught bad pumps/motors in less than 5 years. Repair was expensive so they replaced.

It seems like they just don't make things like they used to. I have a 25 year old Frigidare refrigerator that is still working great. My 8 year old KitchenAid refrigerator broke just recently. The repair guy told us it would be cheaper to just get a new frig. Fixing the KitchenAid would cost more - it wasn't worth it.

No weird smells, but we don't use our dishwasher like a garbage disposal. We always rinse big food particles before putting dishes in and not because of lack of grinder.

I have 5 family members who have all purchased Bosch and would again. No problems. I will say, I do not like the low end ascenta line. The racks are designed horribly for loading dishes. And it's not all stainless steel inside. Make sure you read the specs for each model. Our new one is the 800 series.

We always rinse our dishes too. If that's all it is, then it shouldn't be a problem. We love the 800 series. The 3rd rack is deeper too. Like Kim G indicated, the handles are recessed so it would not look out of place with the LG refrigerator. Thanks to everyone who responded. I'm leaning towards the Bosch.

I hated my Bosch. The dishes came out wet, it didn't drain completely, and I had occasional smell problems. I had to turn it on, then push "Drain and Cancel" in order to get the water out after every cycle. Yes, I cleaned the filter and all that, and it had the stainless tub. I couldn't wait to replace it. Finally I got a GE that was less expensive than the Bosch had been five years earlier and what a relief! I'm always surprised that people like them so much. Clearly not everyone has the same issues, but I'll never have another one.

I got a Bosch last year for our new house. I had a KA in my old house. Maybe I was just expecting too much; our Bosch is great, but I can't say I love it way more than my KA. My KA dried things better, but it also burned the top rack tines due to the heat. The Bosch just doesn't dry things as well, and I have done all the recommended tricks. They are both equal in my book. I can't be certain but I thing the heft of the racks was the same, between the models I was looking at. I know in my Bosch racks go into metal rollers. Some of the less expensive dw's have plastic rollers, I think.