# Help buying a dishwasher **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 20, 2010, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-buying-a-dishwasher/529785 "2010-02-20T18:33:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-buying-a-dishwasher/529785/1 "2010-02-20T18:33:09Z")
OK, I need some help here. I am about to replace my standard (24") width dishwasher and have been doing research. Every place there are reviews, the reviews are completely contradictory. One will say it is the quietest dishwasher ever, while another will say it is the loudest. Even Consumer Reports was not very helpful as a huge range of machines fall within, “no significant difference at all,” within their ranking systems. So, anyone have any opinions or a good site for ranking machines that might help? If it is any help, my priorities are: 1. Washes well 2. Dries well 3. Durability 4. Quiet I will probably be buying it with a black front. Thanks guys. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-buying-a-dishwasher/529785/2 "2010-02-20T18:49:46Z")
All I can offer is anecdotal evidence: When my GF moved in, she complained about the dishwasher, and my comment was “I’ve never owned a dishwasher that worked worth a damn, so I don’t use it.” She insisted that we get a new one, and just to prove that she was wrong, I agreed. We bought a Kenmore, not the top of the line (not stainless steel interior), but at the point where all the added features seemed to be “fluff.” I had to eat my words - it works very well. We do pre-rinse dishes, but no scrubbing. We use it several times per week, and almost never find anything that isn’t clean when it comes out. We always run it after we go to sleep, so we never hear it. I can find the model number if you are interested. ---
**Author:** ![kathmandu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kathmandu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kathmandu)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-buying-a-dishwasher/529785/3 "2010-02-20T18:53:18Z")
Anecdotal as well. I’ve had three Bosch diswashers. One was a dud, the other two were great - cleaned even pots and pans without rinsing and were extremely quiet. So quiet I’m sometimes not sure if it’s on or not. They’re more expensive, but worth it, I think, especially if you have an open plan kitchen/living room like me. ---
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-buying-a-dishwasher/529785/4 "2010-02-20T20:29:12Z")
> [@kathmandu](#): > > Anecdotal as well. I’ve had three Bosch diswashers. One was a dud, the other two were great - cleaned even pots and pans without rinsing and were extremely quiet. So quiet I’m sometimes not sure if it’s on or not. They’re more expensive, but worth it, I think, especially if you have an open plan kitchen/living room like me. That is the one thing I saw people agree on. Bosch seems to be one of the quietest out there. Any trouble with drying? A lot of people seem to think they never get things fully dry. beowulff, that would be great if you could. Same question about drying to you. ---
**Author:** ![kathmandu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kathmandu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kathmandu)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-buying-a-dishwasher/529785/5 "2010-02-20T20:48:45Z")
Anything plastic doesn’t seem to dry completely, but if you have a load of plates, cutlery, pots and pans, etc., it dries just fine. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-buying-a-dishwasher/529785/6 "2010-02-20T21:01:29Z")
OK, it’s a Kenmore “Ultra Wash” Model 665.1374 (or 665.1384 - different colors). It dries just fine, although items that catch water, like glasses with deep punts (if that’s the right term) or tupperware with deep rims will sometimes retain water. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-buying-a-dishwasher/529785/7 "2010-02-20T21:11:06Z")
We just had to replace ours. After 4 years, one day we started to smell some electrical burning and realized it was the cause! One more reason not to leave appliances on when you sleep or leave the house - this would have caused a major fire. However, we found [this](http://www.homedepot.com/Appliances-Dishwashers/h_d1/N-5yc1vZaqqnZ66xh4/R-202023156/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053). Decent price, looks great, easy to work and best of all, REALLY quiet and has the Energy Star - supposedly about $25/year to operate on average. As our kitchen is next to the living room with the television - the old dishwasher sounded like a jumbo jet taking off and we had to turn the television way up to hear anything. With this one, I literally forget it is on until that single “beep” at the end of the wash. We’re happy with it. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-buying-a-dishwasher/529785/8 "2010-02-20T23:35:00Z")
We have an incredibly loud Haier, but it was dirt cheap and cleans really, really well. Things come out dry except for ziploc containers which retain water in their rims - we just toss them on the drying rack for a few hours before putting them away. I don’t know if Haier makes quiet models, but if they do, based on their bottom-of-the-line cheap one, it might be worth it. Both my parents and in-laws have Bosch dishwashers, and they are insanely quiet. There really are times when you don’t even know it’s on - I’ve gotten into the habit of looking for the light, because otherwise there’s no way to know. I think they are rather expensive, but if you can afford one, I’d definitely recommend them. ---
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-buying-a-dishwasher/529785/9 "2010-02-21T17:08:37Z")
Thanks guys. It seems like a tossup among most brands if they are going to last or not, so I think we will probably go with a Bosch for the quiet factor. I know there are some that cost about 500. This is really helpful. We won’t buy for a week probably, so if anyone else has any ideas, please let me know. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-buying-a-dishwasher/529785/10 "2010-02-22T00:20:50Z")
I don’t have any advice on dishwashers but I do have advice for you if you’re looking on [consumerreports.com](http://consumerreports.com). In my experience, people only go to [consumerreports.com](http://consumerreports.com) to bitch, not to praise. Every time I look at a top-rated (by the editors) item, the consumer comments are all negative. I’ve learned to stop relying on the comments because it scares me away from listening to the objective reporting of the editors. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-buying-a-dishwasher/529785/11 "2010-02-22T02:31:12Z")
The GE washers and dryers that ALL new home Builders\* put in ALL new houses are crap. They have plastic motors in plastic pumps that cost more to replace than just outright buying a new dishwasher. Nearly anything you buy will be better than the POS GE (if that’s what you’re replacing)… We got a scratch n dent kitchenaid. I cannot believe how much better the racks are for storage. It’s stainless Steel inside (dented, hence the significant discount) and will keep dishes warm several hours after the wash cycle has stopped. - = someone will say “My home builder didn’t!” but they’re an exception. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-buying-a-dishwasher/529785/12 "2010-02-22T03:41:23Z")
Have a look at Miele. Super quiet and a very nice top 3rd rack to hold silverware. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-buying-a-dishwasher/529785/13 "2010-02-22T15:56:06Z")
[This thread from November](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=541789&highlight=dishwasher) should help. ---
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-buying-a-dishwasher/529785/14 "2010-02-25T15:04:34Z")
Thanks guys ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-buying-a-dishwasher/529785/15 "2010-02-25T15:15:27Z")
> [@flight](#): > > Bosch seems to be one of the quietest out there. Any trouble with drying? A lot of people seem to think they never get things fully dry. [QUOTE=kathmandu] Anything plastic doesn’t seem to dry completely, but if you have a load of plates, cutlery, pots and pans, etc., it dries just fine. [/QUOTE] I’ve had two Boschs. The first I replaced since it wouldn’t dry well, at least not the Tupperware. The replacement didn’t do any better. The repair guy said that’s just the way they are but worth it because of the job they do cleaning and because of how quiet they are. I’d tend to agree. Bosch: Super quiet, good cleaning, drying passable except for plastics. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-buying-a-dishwasher/529785/16 "2010-02-25T15:59:21Z")
My friend **God of Citroens** ’ Fisher Paykel has been horrible. Mysterious fault codes on the display, and it leaked, too. He’s yanking it and installing a Bosch. ---
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-buying-a-dishwasher/529785/17 "2010-02-26T19:54:51Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > I’ve had two Boschs. The first I replaced since it wouldn’t dry well, at least not the Tupperware. The replacement didn’t do any better. The repair guy said that’s just the way they are but worth it because of the job they do cleaning and because of how quiet they are. I’d tend to agree. > > Bosch: Super quiet, good cleaning, drying passable except for plastics. Thanks, we ended up going with a Bosch for just these reasons. > [@Rocketeer](#): > > My friend **God of Citroens** ’ Fisher Paykel has been horrible. Mysterious fault codes on the display, and it leaked, too. He’s yanking it and installing a Bosch. Apparently they have a higher rate of requiring repairs than any other brand according to Consumer Reports. ---
**Author:** ![Caprese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Caprese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprese)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-buying-a-dishwasher/529785/18 "2010-02-27T17:07:16Z")
> [@flight](#): > > Apparently they have a higher rate of requiring repairs than any other brand according to Consumer Reports. Consumer Reports also reported a high rate of repairs for the Asko, but I loved that dishwasher with all my heart and it served us well for 9 years before we moved and left it behind. It was so quiet you barely even knew it was on. Everything came out sparkling clean and dry. I believe Fisher Paykel makes the Kitchen Aid Dish Drawer, our current dishwasher, and my experience with it has been underwhelming (I think I posted in the November thread that **Lute** linked to). ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-buying-a-dishwasher/529785/19 "2010-02-28T15:24:13Z")
I bought a KitchenAid model KUDK03IT about a year ago. A quick Google says they’re still for sale everywhere. All but silent, washes & dries well, all the features you really need with no frou frou bling. Good brand, feels solidly made, & cheap for what you get.