My Two Cents on Choosing a Dishwasher
Nov 06 '09 (Updated Nov 07 '09)
The Bottom Line Choose carefully. An under-performing dishwasher will leave you with years of frustrated pre-rinsing and rewashing.
Standing over my sink and washing dishes has to be one of my least favorite chores. Consequently, I wash as many of my dishes and cookware in the dishwasher as I can. In fact, I will go out of my way to ensure most everything I buy is dishwasher safe. That may sound odd, but modern dishwashers, if used correctly, are more efficient than hand washing dishes, and the better ones can pretty much clean sloppy, dried on, baked on messes as well as scrubbing with a human hand.
After having used numerous dishwashers over the years with different wash systems, I can safely assert that a machine with a better washing system will leave you much more satisfied than an under-performing machine, which will cause years of pre-rinsing and post-cycle washing to remove bits of food that either remain stuck to dishes or which were redeposited on other items. Not only is it aggravating, but having to do all this pre-rinsing and rewashing uses up extra time, water and energy.
In a recent example of this, my sister moved into an apartment that was furnished with new appliances. Believing that “new” automatically meant better, she razzed me that I would be jealous that she had a new dishwasher, while I had an “old” one (mine is eight years old). I wasn’t too worried, knowing that apartments usually get entry level machines in a manufacturer’s line. Sure enough, the machine she uses has a very basic wash system that redeposits food particles, doesn’t wash very well and causes her to pre-rinse most food soils. I told her I’d rather have my “old timer” that actually cleans dishes.
Since my purchase eight years ago, the selection of machines has changed. I see a lot more “tall tub” models now. Basically, since the manufacturers had to shrink pumps and motors to gain more energy and water efficiency, they utilized the freed up space to stretch the vertical, inside tub dimension, without changing the overall dimension of the machine. This has allowed more room for taller items in the upper and lower racks, particularly if the model has an adjustable upper rack. Note, too, that cycle times have increased in proportion to the energy efficiency, with many machines taking a couple of hours to complete a cycle.
Major points of my advice:
1. To start narrowing down desirable models, use an objective source, such as Consumer Reports, to choose good-performing, reliable models.
a. I would not settle for anything other than a model that gets an excellent rating for wash performance. I settled for a very good rating at one time as was unhappy.
b. If you use the dishwasher multiple times a week, you may want to consider a model with at least very good energy and water usage rating.
c. They often identify models that offer the best value in performance, energy savings and reliability.
d. Of course, if you have stricter appearance considerations for your kitchen, then you will most likely want to pick one of the high end models they test, which may allow for custom panels or a professional look.
e. They also have information for other criteria, such as noise, cycle length and special features of the rated models.
2. After you have your models, make use of online, consumer reviews of those models; these can be found on Epinions, as well as many department store websites. Sometimes issues, which are not readily apparent in a laboratory situation, crop up in home use.
3. If you have time and are interested in finding a “good deal”, I would recommend going to different department store websites and search for your models.
a. Tracking the prices over time will allow you to spot a good deal when it becomes available. I find it most helpful to sort the models by price (low to high), as this allows for quick determination of prices and to spot specials.
b. Many store websites also allow you to set up an e-mail alert that will tell you when a particular model goes on sale.
c. Sometimes a store will offer free installation on a more expensive model. This may allow you to upgrade to a higher end model without paying much more than a lesser model, compared to the total cost of the lower priced model plus its installation cost.
d. Use one store’s published price as leverage at another store, especially if one is offering additional services. They may match a competitor’s price.
4. Go to the store and look at the machines. If you have odd-shaped or very large dishes, take a few along so that you can see if they fit. You will be very frustrated if you cannot efficiently load your dishes in your new machine.
5. Major considerations:
a. Tall tub versus standard tub? Tall tubs create more interior room and allow for more versatile loading. However, the opened door will be much closer to the floor. Make sure you can bend down that far.
b. Plastic versus stainless steel tub? Everything I read points to the fact that this is really an individual preference. I have a plastic tub, and I must say that I get tired of cleaning off the stains. Even though it doesn't affect performance, I don't like looking at a door with residual stains from tomato sauce, juice, etc. I also can’t help but think that the porous plastic traps some odors and bacteria that stainless steel wouldn’t. They make colored plastic tubs that reduce the visibility of the stains, but nothing prevents the plastic from absorbing coloration. Often, though, stainless steel tubs command a higher price.
c. Cycles, cycles and more cycles…I can tell you that I mostly press the start button, which retains the last cycle I used (the normal/ high temp wash/air dry). Put more weight on performance. You probably only need rinse and hold, a light wash and a normal wash. Options such as high temp wash and air dry will let you achieve what you need to.
d. Insist on a full spray arm under the upper rack, as opposed to a wash tower. With a wash tower, you have to be careful not to load tall items next to it, so that water distribution to the upper rack won’t be hampered. With a spray arm, you can simply spin it when the racks are pushed back, and you will immediately know if you loaded something that will block it. Towers also take up room in the lower rack that could have been otherwise used for dishes.
e. Noise – Go for a quiet model if you will be watching TV, socializing or sleeping nearby, while it’s running. As I write this, I can hear the drone of my machine from the kitchen and sometimes wish I had opted for a quieter model.
f. Grinder or no grinder? Models with a grinder will pulverize food particles, filter them, and flush them down the drain. Models without a grinder have no pulverizer, but they do trap particles in a filter that must be manually cleaned. I know some folks who have Bosch models that have a manual clean filter, and they say they rarely find anything in it. It appears that models with a grinder tend to be louder than those without.
g. Dish drawer – These are interesting models that are configured as separate drawers which can be run independently of one other. These may be helpful for those who find that they normally accumulate half loads. But, be prepared to pay a hefty price for one.
h. Half-load option – This feature allows you to run the dishwasher, with spray only going to the upper or lower rack, depending on the model. However, do some research, as running two half loads may be less efficient than running the machine once with a full load (if that matters to you).
6. Some features I have found helpful:
a. Nylon coated racks - These resist abrading and decrease exposure of the underlying metal better than vinyl, thereby decreasing the chances of your racks rusting.
b. "Ball-tipped" tines – The nylon coating is applied thicker at the tip of the tine, where a lot of abrasion occurs. Mine has nylon racks but not the extra coating, and I have noticed the metal on the tips of many tines is beginning to show through.
c. Fold-down shelves – These allow for double-stacking of shorter glasses and bowls. My aunt is always amazed when I visit and fit in so many more dishes than she does, because I make use of the fold-down shelves on the lower and upper rack of her old Maytag. It’s really no secret; you just have to know how the water is distributed and load the stacked items so that the water can get into them to clean. This may mean that you have to leave a little space and stagger the glasses/bowls over one another.
d. Fold-down tines – These allow you to create flat areas on the rack so that you can fit in very large items that would otherwise catch on the tines. I use this feature a lot for my crock pot insert.
e. Silverware basket:
i. A fold-down cover with slots into which you insert silverware handles helps prevent nesting of silverware.
ii. A basket that splits apart can make room for extra dishes when not all compartments are used. Also, you can put the compartments at various parts in the rack.
f. Adjustable upper rack – Allows you to raise the rack to fit larger items in lower rack, or lower the rack to fit bigger items in the upper rack.
g. Utensil trays/cutlery holders – Allow for places to put stirring spoons, spatulas and knives.
h. Clips that help to hold small, lightweight items in place
i. Concentrated zones of washing, often referred to as “TurboZone” or “Power Scour” – These models offer specialized spray jets at the back of the tub that allow you to prop up very dirty pots, pans and casseroles facing toward them. The concentrated spray supposedly removes the soils better. My research indicates that they are effective. However, no claims are made for removing BURNED ON food items; you still have to pull out the scouring pad for those dishes. Again, you will pay a slight premium for this feature.
7. Consider sibling models that use a similar washing system. If you become familiar enough with the various models in a given brand during your research, you can often find sibling models that add or subtract features while giving the same performance as a model you are considering.
8. As with other appliances, some higher end dishwashers are also offering steam, which is touted to increase cleaning ability by loosening soils. If the machine cleans well without it, why would you need it? My thought is that it adds complexity to the machine, thereby increasing likelihood of repair. I have seen the effects of hard water on the heating element of my dishwasher, and I can only think that a steam cycle would accelerate mineral deposits on interior parts.
Now that you have it, how do you get the most out of it?
I will say, for the record, that I have a Kenmore UltraWash with a “standard-sized”, plastic tub, the performance of which was rated as excellent by Consumer Reports at the time. It was knocked down for energy and water consumption with the very dirty loads they use to test the models; the sensors employed by the wash system will change water more often with very dirty loads. I don’t throw in excessive food soils (well, try not to), so my machine does not change water as many times as in their testing. This machine is made by Whirlpool and shared the same wash system as similar models in Whirlpool’s line. While the particular model I have is not an Energy Star, I have learned how to maximize efficiencies by only pre-rinsing items that, from experience, will not be able to be handled by the machine, scraping off excess food particles instead of rinsing them off, loading so that water from the distribution system can hit and run off all surfaces, running only full loads, utilizing the high-temperature wash option along with a good detergent to ensure good cleaning, using rinse agent, and selecting the “Air Dry” option. I had to experiment a bit with the wash cycles to find the shortest cycle that cleaned well; it happened to be the “Normal” cycle with the “High Temp” wash option.
I mention all of this, because these are the things one must do to get the maximum efficiency from any machine. If you have an Energy Star machine but use it incorrectly, you will defeat the benefits you get from its Energy Star rating. Likewise, you will make a less-efficient machine even less so.
Here is a quick rundown of my logic:
-Avoid pre-rinsing: You can waste a few thousand gallons per year just on pre-rinsing. If you are using some amount of heated water, you are wasting the energy used to heat that water.
-Load correctly: Water must be able to get to all surfaces from the distribution system. An incorrectly or overloaded machine will result in poor cleaning or trapping food particles where dishes meet.
-Run full loads: For a partial load, a dishwasher uses, for the most part, a good percentage of the resources it would use for a full load. Running partial loads is, therefore, less efficient. Allow the load to build to full capacity. I take a couple of days to fill the machine to a full load.
-Use a good detergent: Dishwasher detergents are not all the same. It appears that detergents with enzymes work the best. I look to Consumer Reports to find good performers, as formulations and performance can change over time.
-Find the most efficient wash cycle: The goal here is to find the wash cycle that will clean the dishes with the least amount of energy. If they get clean with the normal setting, there is no need to use pots-and-pans. Most likely, you will need to use the high-temperature wash option to boost wash water temperature to activate the detergent enzymes and break down bonds between dishes and stuck-on food. Experiment with the various cycles when you get it; start with a ‘normal’ wash as a baseline, and adjust accordingly.
-Use the air dry option: Why waste energy on the drying, when many dishes dry with residual heat from the wash cycle? I inspect for items with lots of remaining water and dump it off; then I leave it open overnight. Usually most everything is dry by the time I put the items away.
Final thoughts: To keep up good performance, it’s a good idea to inspect the wash system periodically. Inspect the spray jets and remove anything blocking them; a pair of tweezers may come in handy. Over time, deposits can form on filters, heating elements, connections between components and other fine passages; the deposits come from minerals in the water combining with food and detergent. This can definitely cause a decrease in cleaning performance. There are several products on the market that are specifically designed to clean interior components of dishwashers. Also, one product I have found helpful in this is CLR (Calcium, Lime and Rust remover). The frequency of cleaning will depend on the quality of your water and your frequency of use. If you notice a degradation in cleaning performance, make sure to follow the steps above to get to the bottom of it.
Good luck with your dishwasher, and may your burden of hand washing be greatly reduced!
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Epinions.com ID:
weggbw
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Member: Dan
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Reviews written: 27
Trusted by: 1 member
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