Technobabble

Best Dishwasher?

Posted by on Sep 3, 2007 | 19 Comments

What do you do when your dishwasher gives notice that it’s ready to head south for the winter? Why you start looking for a new one, of course. The dishwasher here at Rancho Indebto hasn’t packed its bags… yet… but its performance is so abysmal that we’re ready to give it an early ticket out of here. Knowing that the replacement cycle of appliances — be they small or major — is never-ending merry-go-round, we’ve decided on a preemptive strike. It’s time to kick off the search for the best dishwasher around.

Longtime readers know that the Technobabble team tackles technology no matter where it takes us. The best dishwasher doesn’t have to have an embedded version of Windows Whatever or wireless Internet access. It just has to get the job done. (And no, I’m not going to use it to clean keyboards.)

A while back, when we undertook the search for the best washing machine, the community delivered solid advice. We ended up going with a Bosch front load washer/dryer pair and have been happily doing laundry ever since (knock wood). Now that the remove and replace carousel has spun around to the dishwasher department, we’d entertain the purchase of another Bosch machine… especially if it was made in America.

But the big question remains… which company makes the best dishwasher for the money? Is it built domestically or imported from abroad? What kind of energy savings can we expect over our old creaking General Electric model? Just about anything would be more quiet, to be sure… but how can we equate those bright yellow Energy Saver labels to real world savings in electricity and hot water?

I don’t enjoy cleaning dishes (one of my first jobs as a teenager was washing dishes at a greasy spoon) but I do enjoy clean dishes. I don’t know that dishwashing bells and whistles will wow me. I just want something that does its job as quietly, as thoroughly, and as economically as possible, for as long as possible…

[tags]dishwasher[/tags]

  • http://blog.stealthmode.com francine hardaway

    I have a Bosch dishwasher. It is quite, efficient, and seems to get the dishes clean. It also has those clean lines we associate with European design. However, I do have the Maytage Neptunes for washer and dryer, and love them as well. I get into these tech toys :-)

  • http://www.geekbooks.com/ Dan Gray

    Many thanks for the report on the Bosch dishwasher, Francine!

    In the dark ages, I relied on Consumer Reports exclusively for appliance research. These days, I’m more more likely to do the research online. The world is the laboratory, the citizens the scientists. I caught a broadcast from the Aspen Institute on C-Span the other day, where a representative from Consumer Reports was questioning what will happen to their business model in the coming years. CR holds their data close to the vest … if you want to see it, you have to pay (unless you go to your local library, of course).

    The Internet allows us (the consumers!) to share this information, unencumbered by the mechanisms of conventional publishing …

    In an ideal world, the consumer would be able to walk into a showroom where all the best dishwashers (and other large appliances) are installed in real working kitchens. You’d be able to experience the dishwasher, firsthand … rather than relying upon reports or mere appearances … you’d hear firsthand how loud it is … you’s see firsthand how well it cleans … you’d get real world reporting on *exactly* how much water it’s using …

    Is it financially feasable to build real world showrooms like this?

    Only if the company is moving lots of appliances. It’s time to cue up Dire Straits “Money for Nothing” and change the game …

    Now what if that showroom was online … and you could visit from all over the world, at any time of day …

    Is there an online business model in this?

    Er, yup … but only for the brave …

  • johnj229

    I have found that amazon.com can be very useful as far as looking for what is offered for whatever you are wanting to buy. Of course some of you are going, DUH,what a dunce, what does he think amazon.com is for? Now hear me out. The reason I find it so useful is not only for the products but for the reviews about those products. I have yet to buy anything from amazon.com that hasn’t had both pro and con reviews from people just like you and me, the buying public. I feel like I am getting the most truthful statements/reviews then I do from a manufactures/sellers site.

  • Mike Gorham

    The best dishwashers in the world are those two things at the ends of your arms called hands. Energy star rated before such ratings existed – use no electricity so no impact on the environment at all, don’t need distilled dino drippin’s or coal mines – hence no power plants, power lines or other environmental eyesores, never affected by power outages, you can see how clean things are as they are getting done, air drying on the rack has no required external energy source etc,etc,etc.

    Just repeat the above to your other half and don’t forget to – DUCK!!! ‘Cause if you do it may take a long time for your vision to clear up, ‘specially if that skillet she’s holdin’ is cast iron.

  • Tony

    I am facing the same sort of problem, but from a different perspective. I’m already in Europe, but hoping to move to the U.S.

    I’m going to have to replace all my major appliances in one go then, so am already looking into reliability of most brands on just about everything.

    Next I consider total running costs, this is where energy consumption rears it’s ugly head – Why does the masive TV of my dreams have to be so dauntingly expensive to run? I’m going to have to compromise there…

    Then comes all the functions and facilities the equipment has, with a final tradeoff against the cheapest online price I can find from a reliable supplier.

    Getting to know how reliable a piece of equipment is, is key for me. Unfortunately it seems to be impossible without subscribing to a magazine or two – And then having to wait until a review comes around. Even then, they may not review the make/model you had been considering. I end up checking online reviews (which can be faked of course). You eventually find you “cherry pick” which reviews you believe, which means you can be picking the wrong ones to believe…

    Does anyone else have a better method of determining the reliability of things? I have even been known to check online insurance for them – Since the cost of insurance varies with the brand of the equpment, rarther than the price with some insurers…

  • Liz

    I have a Bosch and I LOVE it! I have had in order over the last 29 years
    Whirlpool, Maytag, General Electric, Sears (whirlpool at that time), another Whirlpool, and finally Bosch.

    This model was neither the cheapest or the most expensive but it does everything I have ever asked it to do – from Silver to cast iron and crystal to plastic without a complaint. Never a problem, extremely quiet and it seems to be pretty darn efficient.

    My motto in this house is if it isn’t washable it can’t come in, so that should tell you a lot. (I live in a museum!)

  • Carl Ray

    I’m not a dyed-in-the-wool CR fan, however, even though places like
    the Amazon could conceivably be…uhhh…overrated or have their decks
    stacked easily in their favor by themselves or someone with an interest
    in their stock. That’s why CR is the Gold Standard, even though it costs
    a bit to get at their opinions, there is no such thing as a free lunch. No
    dishwasher I’ve ever used except my own two hands dipped in hot and
    sudsy dish water, has ever done the job the way I want it done. I usually
    have to inspect each piece as I take it out and put it away. I’ve owned
    several brands. Don’t even know what brand it is without going home
    and looking, but it basically does the job most of the time. NONE of
    them will do pots and pans no matter what they claim.

  • Ted.Sbardella

    I have a Whirlpool. Canadian Craftsmanship and inexpensive. It is loud and your have to pay attention to it (it will often not fill the tank on pre-wash but I like it. I had one before that lasted ten years. Not bad for 150.

  • Andrew M

    Hellow from Australia…

    we had a Fisher and Paykel (NZ Brand) dishwasher at our old house, which we left behind when we moved.

    The new house didn’t have a dishwasher, so having heard good things about the Bosch, we got the middle of the range model, and have been blown away with how much better it is than that Fisher and Paykel…

    We used to have problems with water spotting on glasses and cutlery, water pooling on top of glasses and mugs, and things still being wet at the end of the machine cycle, all are now things of the past…

    My parents have a Beaumatic at their place, which gives a similar result to the Bosch, but the Bosch wins hands down…

  • Barb

    I remodeled my daughter’s NYC apt. (6th floor walkup) a couple of years ago. I researched a lot of dishwashers, and felt the Bosch top-of-the line model fulfilled all my requirements: a built-in bottom tray that would prevent overflows leaking into downstairs neighbor’s apt; quietness (most important if you want to run the DW at 1 am – again, the neighbors might not be happy!); sleek styling; opton to use top rack only for small loads; cleans dishes beautifully; heats water to get the job done (another energy saver as running the hot water up 6 floors wastes water and time). Only caveat: the European models don’t have heaters for drying, but depend on the heat released from the heated, washing water, so MUST keep Rinse-aid filled, or drying won’t be as complete. This is also an energy-saving benefit. The lower-priced Bosch’s are probably just as good, but without sleek styling. LOVE, LOVE the Bosch, and will replace my Sears DW in a few years.

  • Sabine

    Bought a top-of-the-line Bosch 8 years ago and HATE IT, HATE IT, HATE IT. Has had 2, count them, 2 triple digit repairs (long delay for parts that had to be ordered, 6 weeks both times). Essentially it has been bought twice. Now it doesn’t remotely clean the dishes without hot water soaking in the sink first. It is history. Don’t know where to go from here.

  • Richard J.F. JONES

    I find the comments too general. I appreciate the posters good intentions, but none of them appear to be engineering types. I much prefer the CR approach. No one actually stated that a particular brand was the best, even though the intent of the article was to present the “Best Dishwasher”. I will do some more research.
    I presently have a Maytag which is about 25 years old. Today the pump has jammed but the motor did not burn up since I saw something was wrong and turned it off and then removed the bottom front cover for a preliminary investigation. There is some surface corrosion and sticky dirt in the bottom.
    I will probably buy a new one since I already replaced the pump once, due to a pump machine screw which came loose and jammed the impeller and cracked the body causing it to leak (about 5 years after purchase and probably about 20 years ago). I didn’t have much money at that time, so I epoxy glued the pump body and it worked until today.

    When I was newly married I purchased all new Maytag high end appliances based on CR’s recommendations and my parents good experience with the brand. They all served me well and are still in daily use today and over the years I was able to buy replacement parts for them when required. In retrospect, it was a good decision to buy Maytag.

  • Danny K

    Besides the obvious online reviews, one source I do trust for all my purchaces (or at least trust for honest input anyway) is Choice magazine and choice.com.au. You do have to pay for the service, but they find all these things out for you, they told me more about my TV than any reviewer or salesman could. My subscription expired and you already have your new washing machine because this page is so old (although you never said which one you got, hmm), but in the future you might consider publications like Choice for your input as they cover all the things you asked for (performance, energy saving and all that).

  • Warren

    I purchased a Kenmore Elite stainless steel dishwasher 12 months ago and could not be happier. No prerinse necessary, very quiet, everything comes out clean, and it is very easy to use. Also there are no controls on the outside. My buddy just got the updated version a few weeks ago and he too is very happy. Cost is around $900 if you wait for the 20% off sale. Also, Sears backs up their products and they are everywhere in the USA so repairs (if there are any) are less costly and less time consuming.

  • peter

    …Don’t believe the last comment…obviously a corporate
    plant. I bought a high end Sears kenmore ‘elite’ and it was
    a lemon from the get go…I know mistakes can happen, but on top of that all we got was the runaround and BS from customer service…never did get any service or replacement!!
    I’ll never buy another Sears product again!!

  • schlitz

    We have an electrolux (top model they had about a year ago) and it is a piece of junk. The dishes come out looking like they’ve been splooged on (even if you scrub all the food and everything off them first) we even tried expensive soap…degreaser pellets …. and anti streak gel caps… all this stuff they made us go through before they took it back. nothing works. dishes look disgusting. On the bright side…it was so quiet you couldnt hear it running

  • Bob S

    We have a Kenmore Elite that is now two years old. It has now broken down for the 3rd time. It doesn’t drain properly. In our last house we had a Bosch that worked well, so we’ll probably go back to that next time around.

  • http://www.goretsky.com/ Aryeh Goretsky

    Hello,

    If you are building your own computer, one additional thing you should not skimp on is your CPU’s heatsink and fan (usually—but not always—these are sold as an integrated solution) and the thermal paste which goes between the CPU and the heatsink.

    This is what allows your processor to effectively radiate waste heat away, and if it overheats the system can become unstable and crash. In extreme cases, the CPU itself might be damaged.

    When installing an aftermarket CPU heatsink, be sure to follow the instructions for applying the thermal paste: Installing too much can be as bad as installing too little, as a thick layer can reduce the transfer of heat from the processor to the heat sink.

    Regards,

    Aryeh Goretsky

  • http://profiles.google.com/techie.geek.girl Tracy Fortune

    PSU- Sooooooooo important! Do not cheap out. A bad PSU can give you all sorts of erroneous errors/issues. Invest in the lifeblood of your tower!

    T