Most of us don't think too much about our dishwasher. We load the dishes, it cleans, we empty. But when the dishes aren't coming out as clean as they should, it's taking more rinsing to get all the food off, you're drying your dishes by hand because the machine doesn't, or if the coating on the tines is chipping off, you might start thinking about replacing your appliance for one that holds up and maybe has some nice features that you deserve.
Did you know there are three types of dishwashers? There's built-in, countertop, and drawer. Built-in dishwashers are the traditional dishwashers most of us have had in our homes. They are full-sized or even narrow and apartment-sized, and are slid in below the counter. Counter-top dishwashers can be found in Europe and are just that - they are small and fit on the counter. The drawer models are shallow and fit below the counter. Because they are the most common type, we will look at only the built-in models.
Tuesday, September 10th
Bosch is a German company that manufactures appliances across the spectrum. When it comes to dishwashers, Bosch machines do exactly what a dishwasher should: wash well, dry completely, and do it all quietly. It works well with soft or hard water, the racks are versatile for all your needs, and Bosch is just the best all-around dishwasher. We recommend it as the first brand you consider when shopping for your new appliance.
Miele is a top-rated brand of appliances and their dishwashers don't disappoint. Not only do they have excellent customer satisfaction, their cleaning and drying features are innovative, and they have amazing attributes that seem quite futuristic. That said, Miele dishwashers may be a cut above, but so is the matching price tag. You get what you pay for, though, and this is definitely a brand you'll want to consider for your next dishwasher.
If you're looking for the ultimate dishwasher experience, consider Thermador. They are top of the line, quiet, and have updated features. Their higher price points may make them out of reach for some customers, but rest assured that these dishwashers offer good value for the dollar.
LG dishwashers have great features that help to wash the dishes thoroughly, come in the latest colors, and are competitively priced. Some consumers note that the machine can break down, and if it does, customer service is lacking in communication and service. For that reason, we rank LG dishwashers as better than most but not quite our highest-recommended brand.
GE is a long-standing name in appliances. Their dishwashers perform well, from cleaning to drying, and have reasonable price points. Even their lower-end appliances have several options and features, and they don't cost an arm and a leg. GE offers some nice features such as the third rack and are energy efficient, but because their focus is on performance, GE dishwashers often lack some of today's more stylish features.
Frigidaire has been around since the early 1900s and has been well-known for generations. The dishwashers are very good at cleaning, can last up to ten years, have a variety of options and colors, and are reasonably priced. However, their drying power isn't as good as their cleaning power, they have a less-than-desirable rack design, and can be louder than their competitors' dishwashers.
Samsung's dishwashers have nice features such as a pop-open door for better drying, a beautiful color choice of Tuscan stainless, and a decent price point. Praises include how efficient the dry cycle is, but complaints include drainage issues. We'd recommend looking at the higher-ranked brands before deciding on a Samsung dishwasher.
KitchenAid is a long-standing name in dishwashers and other household appliances. Their dishwashers are good and offer nice options such as a third rack and foldable tines, but it's not our top choice. They do the job, but one repair service reports about 13 percent of their KitchenAid dishwashers require service or repairs within the first year after purchase. There are other brands of dishwashers with more features and better longevity at a comparatively lower price.
Whirlpool is a long-standing name in American-made dishwashers. They can be budget-friendly, especially for first-time home owners and also are a good machine for rental units. They are reliable, have good customer service if you need it, but just don't have the modern features most other brands have, even in their entry-level machines.
Maytag has dishwashers with premium looks and features without the price tag of the fancier brands. Most of their models cost under $1,000 and have quite desirable features. Maytag's goal is to balance quality and value, perhaps better so than their competitors. Unfortunately, their customer service contact information can be hard to find, and once found, they may not get back to you, plus the parts you need fixed may not be covered under warranty.
Think about what you want in your new appliance. You'll obviously want a dishwasher that does a good job of washing your dishes. There are a lot of fun features you can have, such as a third rack, lights, and smart capabilities, but if the machine doesn't do a good job of actually washing your dishes, what's the point of any of the bells and whistles?
So once you choose a brand that you like, you can select your wish list features such as the third, top rack; a quick-wash cycle; a delay start; self-cleaning filters - yes, you should know if you need to clean your filters for maintenance, which is typical; food pulverizers; interior components made of stainless steel to promote longevity; child locks; sanitizer settings; sustainable materials; special jets under the silverware caddy; and smart capabilities, so you can control the dishwasher from your phone or smart home system.
And that's just the beginning. Here are several other criteria to keep in mind as you shop for your new kitchen appliance:
The best top racks have three adjustable heights where you can set both the right and left high or low, or one side can be high while the other is low, allowing space for taller cookware on the bottom rack. A third rack is becoming a more common feature, even with the more reasonably-priced appliances. This third rack is above the traditional top rack and is shallow, so it allows plenty of space for the glasses below it. Some people like to line up their silverware in between the small tines. It can fit shallow, awkward items like cup lids, tongs, long-handled serving/cooking utensils, where in other places in the dishwasher, they might be a hard fit. Not everyone is a fan of the third rack as it does take up space, but it is a feature that is growing in popularity. If, however, you end up not liking it after trying it, it's easy to remove.
Consider even the little things like clips to hold delicate glasses in place, to make sure your glassware doesn't bang against anything else during the wash cycle. Ball bearings in the racks make the racks move more smoothly and don't jerk around the dishes as you pull or push the racks. A fancy, new feature is an interior light in the dishwasher. It certainly isn't necessary, but it's nice for seeing all your items as you load and unload. These are in the more expensive lines, of course. Now, imagine what you will load in your machine, especially on the bottom rack.
To help you make this important purchasing decision, Top Consumer Reviews has evaluated today's most popular dishwasher brands. If you're done spending too much time pre-washing your dishes, continually re-arranging them because the rack and tine design is poor, drying them after the dishwasher supposedly dried them, or re-washing after the clumps of old food just don't come off after a full cycle, do consider a new dishwasher. You can save a lot of time by not pre-washing, post-washing, and drying. And with all that extra time, you could relax reading a book or watching your favorite show while a super quiet dishwasher does all the work while making virtually no noise.
