How about an entry-level Miele? I think I saw somewhere that they're under $1,000.

I have the least expensive Bosch in White - the Ascenta. It run great and is very quiet. It took me time to get used to the arrangement of the racks, and in my model - it's been a few years - the bottom rack can slide off the rail if you pull it all the way out. Silliest design mistake I've ever seen and hopefully fixed by now - but read reviews. It was between $600 and $700, but I don't recall if that included install.

Mine is a KitchenAid and it's, gosh, twenty+ years old, stainless inside and out. I always use the sani-cycle. My point is, if you had a great run with your Maytag, why not buy another?

In the meanwhile, try using eco friendly, biodegradable paper plates.

From what I understand, may tag is no longer the company it used to be - from both a product and service perspective. The top two DWs I see recommended are Bosch and Miele and then ASKO thrown in as a very solid but lesser known alternative. I would look to see if any of these fit your budget and then research further any particular model you were considering.

Thanks for all these comments and suggestions! I will check out all those brands (and any others that may be suggested later).

I used to have a KitchenAid many years ago, and it was wonderful. At the time of our kitchen reno, I heard that the quality of KitchenAid had declined, so we purchased the Maytag. Actually, I think both were fine appliances, and we replaced them for reasons unrelated to quality.

Sue

Bosch Ascenta! It's around $500-$600 and sometimes white or black can be found for less. Cleans so well, has leak protection and sanitize cycle. We love ours, and will be getting the same one when we move.

You also might want to have a look at the latest Bosch 300 series models. Around $670 in white (more in stainless) when I bought mine in March. A bit of step up from the Ascenta for not much more money. Comes with a third rack for silverware, somewhat better drying, a bit more capacity, is somewhat quieter, offers a few more rack adjustments, and offers a 30 to 40 minute "Express Wash" cycle. I've found the Express Wash does a creditable job with light to medium loads when using powdered detergent as well as current versions of the pelletized detergents. (The Bosch models now drop the pellet into a sort of basket where it is in the direct path of the spray from the spray arms so the pellets get thoroughly dissolved even in short cycles.) IIRC, the Ascenta models offer a similar short cycle which runs a bit slower, taking around an hour to run.

You might want to search on the Appliances forum here, too. Also, since your questions are right down their alley, you might want to copy your original post and start your own thread there, as well.

A further research recommendation is --- If you have not already seen it --- the May 2017 blog on dishwashers on the nytimes/wirecutter/sweethome site.They explain at some length why they liked the Bosch 300 series models followed by the $800 Kitchenaid KDTM354ESS as an alternative with the Maytag MDB49449SDx (at around $500) as their budget pick. If nothing else, you may find it helpful to getting a sense of what's on the market these days. The link is here.

Slightly over $1k list is the Miele Classic Plus with 3rd rack for silverware.

These are all great suggestions, and I thank you all very much. cpartist's comment about the way a company's past reputation does not always reflect current reality is exactly why I'm asking.

Sue

The KitchenAid DW we bought in 2007/2008 was also horrible (mid-range Architect series)! They are NOT made like they used to be.

Based on the comments here and on the Appliances Forum, we went with a Bosch 2 or 3 years ago and it's been great! I hope they keep up their quality.

Just beware the capacity of European dishwashers. They are not as deep and don't hold what their American counterparts do. You also want to make sure that there is a heated dry cycle and a heated sanitary cycle, otherwise really what's the point.

Bosch is fine, nothing extraordinary there. I haven't used the Miele. Everyone has kudos and horror stories about every brand. This makes the research a little difficult. In the end it is a bit of a crap shoot. The kenmore dw I bought seven years ago for the beach cottage was and is perfect. Unless you get a lemon, you'll probably be fine with one of the major brands.

I read jwvideo's link to the Sweethome site's review, and I learned a lot from it. Although they recommend the Bosch 300 series M, it has several features I don't like: the condensation-dry method is not good for drying plastic containers, and we use a lot of those. We also don't run the DW late at night, but rather, in the daytime, so we need those dishes and pots to dry right away. I also don't like the idea of cleaning the filter monthly (knowing me, it just wouldn't always happen, and then I'd have bigger problems). Also, I like to remove the silverware basket when putting away those items, and a third rack isn't removable.

So the article actually helped steer me toward a DW that offers heated-dry and either a self-maintaining filter or a masticator (disposal). I guess the third rack is still an option, though.

On paper, the KitchenAid and Maytag both sound good, although the Maytag isn't as quiet, but I'm concerned about the negative experiences some of you have had with the KitchenAid.

I still have an open mind about other brands and models, but now I have a better idea of what I'm looking for.

As for price, I will have to check whether the dealers offer installation/haul away for free; otherwise, I'll have to (mentally) include that in the overall price.

Many thanks for your help!

Sue

I purchased a KitchenAid last year and am quite happy with it. It was on sale for about $700 at the time. I appreciate American made dishwashers simply for the capacity over European models. This also offers a heated dry option which was a must have for me. I chose a model with the third rack for cutlery and would probably forego that option the next time around as it limits the height of items on the second rack. It has a couple of large silverware baskets so really the 3rd rack is unnecessary. It is extremely quiet - 38 decibels. There was an issue at one point with side venting causing problems with condensation on cabinets. that has absolutely not been an issue for me.

I was bragging to a coworker about 2 months ago how my Whirlpool dishwasher cleaned my dishes just as good that day as it did the day I bought it 10 years ago. A week later, it literally blew up on me. Smoke and all! Scared the begeebies out of us as my house is thisclose to paid off and the outlet the dishwasher was plugged into was behind the dishwasher. We did manage to remove the dishwasher and unplug it. We finally found one to replace it just yesterday. I wanted a white one, which is getting harder and harder to find. All the new stuff is that awful stainless steel and now that is changing to a black finish that shows less fingerprints. Still not for me as my kitchen is from the 50's/50's and my fridge and stove are white. This is what we are getting. It had to be ordered and will be delivered next week: https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.top-control-dishwasher-in-stainless-steel-with-stainless-steel-tub-and-totalcoverage-spray-arm.1001054330.html

This Miele model has auto open drying.

Auto open drying-

At the end of the program the door of the dishwasher opens automatically and leaves a small gap. This allows fresh air to reach the dishware and even washed items like plastics dry completely. A special airflow pattern protects the worktop from moisture.

My Bosch dishwashers have dried plastics as well as the GE and other dishwashers I have used over the years. (I bought three bosches for three different homes, the others have been what came with the rental or house when we bought.). I very much endorse the third rack--I miss it a lot now that I don't have it anymore (moved again).

My Bosch Ascenta has outlasted my almost top of the line Kitchen Aid but it has never cleaned well so I wish it would give out.

We have had the Bosch 800 for about 30 days now and love it! It has the third row which is great, the placement for dishes is good and versatile and it is very quiet. So quiet it has a light that shines on the floor so you know it is on. Our dishwasher at our old house was an older Bosch that we picked out but never really liked, the way you had to put dishes in was too restrictive. We love the new one so much more! It is so easy to load and use and seems to have so much space!

Previously I had a brand new KitchenAid - it did not get dishes clean. I ended up having to handwash so much, so decided never to purchase a KitchenAid dishwasher again. I have the Bosch 800 and have not been sorry for the purchase one single day since having it installed. It is the best dishwasher. Very quiet, you can have a conversation in the kitchen in a normal voice while the dishwasher is running, it gets the dishes clean, and the third rack is wonderful.

So-and-so loves a KA, Such-and-such hated hers. This is what makes choosing a dw so difficult. With other appliances, like ranges and refrigerators, there are criteria that help you to rule in or out certain models and brands, but with dw it's all about personal experience.

Make a list of features you care about - to me the heated dry and sani cycle are key - and buy the best rated/reviewed model in your price range. It's really all you can do. Let us know what you choose!