Buying a dishwasher for dummies?

September 24, 2021 7:13 PM

I need to buy a dishwasher. I don’t know anything about dishwashers. Where do I start?

They will be renovating the kitchen in my new condo and, among other things, installing a dishwasher. I know that the unit used to have one so all the plumbing is there for it, I have a contractor, he has a plumber he works with. Now what? I have to buy a dishwasher. I don’t know anything about dishwashers. I don’t even know where to start.

posted by ficbot to Home & Garden (24 answers total)

In the US, the magazine Consumer Reports and the website Wirecutter rank things and explain why. CR is often available through a public library.
posted by clew at 7:35 PM on September 24, 2021 [4 favorites]

Definitely should start with budget because there is a wide range of prices. Check the dimensions of the space where it will go. Most are standard but make sure you get the right size.

We had to replace our dishwasher because the originally installed one almost caught fire. It was a Frigidaire basic model that cost around $299. We upgraded to a Kitchenaide (around $600) with a stainless steel interior, which is so much better than a plastic interior. It has three slide-out shelves instead of just two. It's fairly quiet if that's important to you. Decibel level is a common attribute for dishwasher descriptions.
posted by perhapses at 7:38 PM on September 24, 2021 [3 favorites]

Look through previous threads here. The general recommendation seems to be to check the wirecutter review. And if you follow that suggestion, you'll probably end up with a Bosch 300 series. That's what I did a year ago. I went to a local chain rather than Home Depot or Lowes, and Bosch has a 500 series model (it's obviously 200 better than the 300 series) just for non-national dealers that was just $35 more. The Bosches are a little more expensive than other brands, but not much, and it's been fantastic. Super quiet, and even on the quickest setting, it does a great job.

Of course, the are still supply chain and shipping issues, and if you need it quick, you may have very limited selection ( I waited three months for mine, but I could wait).


* I can't remember what the difference are between the 300 and 500 were, but if you go Bosch, see if you have a local dealer who sells them.
posted by jonathanhughes at 7:54 PM on September 24, 2021 [4 favorites]

If you can afford it, buy a Bosch.
posted by sanka at 8:15 PM on September 24, 2021 [2 favorites]

My main advice is: All else being equal, buy the quietest one (that is, the one with the lowest decibel rating/other measurement).
posted by skynxnex at 8:42 PM on September 24, 2021 [4 favorites]

I have a Bosch 24" recessed handle 300 series. It's a piece of shit as far as I'm concerned. Never worked any better than any other dishwasher I've used. At two years old, something to do with the heater element failed. Then there's been some kind of fault that caused the pump to run continuously even when the machine was powered down. Had to physically disconnect it. This particular model had no macerator, which means you have to clean it's filter pretty much every time you use it.

It is the quietest dishwasher I've ever encountered. When it's running, that is. It came with good ratings, and a price to match. I've been so disgusted, it's just been sitting there filling a gap in the counter that would be there if I dumped it. So now I'm doing dishes by hand these days. If it did a great job, I'd still be using it. But I don't really trust it much now, and it's performance was never all that noticeably better than previous experiences. Sorry I can't give much recommendation, other than a negative data point.
posted by 2N2222 at 8:43 PM on September 24, 2021

Tbh when I got new appliances I just got the cheapest dishwasher that was a brand I had heard of (I went fancier on the oven to my budget was shot) and it has worked perfectly ever since except that one of the lights to show status stopped working, my least problematic appliance. It isn't terribly loud, either.
posted by jeather at 9:10 PM on September 24, 2021

The very first thing you should do is make sure you have the dimensions right. Know the size and depth of the dishwasher space before you even start your search. You would be super unhappy if you picked out an awesome machine and it didn’t fit, right? The right sized machine should be an early consideration.
That said, we have a new mid-range three rack Kitchenaid, which has been quite a good rig so far.
posted by msali at 9:45 PM on September 24, 2021 [4 favorites]

One thing to know (and which the Wirecutter article mentions) is that Bosch models don't have a heated dry cycle. The steam dries most dishes, but if you have a lot of plastic tupperware, you'll likely need to take them out and leave them to drop dry.
posted by matildatakesovertheworld at 9:53 PM on September 24, 2021 [1 favorite]

I have a Bosch that I like very much. I think it’s a 500 series? It has a “CrystalDry” feature that uses zeolite to convert residual moisture into heat… good for getting plastics dry after the cycle’s over, in the absence of a heated drying cycle.

It’s a fairly obscure point, but if you should decide to get a panel-ready Bosch to integrate with your cabinetry, be aware that they are very bad about identifying their standard model vs their accessible model (which sits higher off the ground, and will not seamlessly integrate with standard cabinetry). Ask me how I know.
posted by mumkin at 10:17 PM on September 24, 2021 [1 favorite]

One thing I would definitely say is that take all the "here's how to make your dishwasher work better" articles of late with a grain of salt. We've followed all the tips, bought the one of the top-rated Consumer Reports models, and found very little improvement in wash quality.
posted by queensissy at 10:37 PM on September 24, 2021

Don’t get too caught up in deciding which to buy til you find out what’s even available. Many appliances have been low in stock.
posted by bluedaisy at 11:01 PM on September 24, 2021 [5 favorites]

Nine years ago, at about the same time, I bought a IKEA (that is Whirlpool) for my rental apartment, and a Miele for our farm. The Miele replaced a 25 year old Miele, and when the dealer pulled it out, they discovered that the machine was fine, it was an installation problem (it had initially appeared that the price of repair would be higher than the price of replacement). The new Miele is like the old Miele, reliable, quiet, efficient, with low energy and water use. On the other hand, the IKEA/whirlpool machine is already showing signs of decay -- there are rust spots and it uses more and more rinse aid. I haven't checked the power use, but it is pr declaration higher than the Miele.
What I am trying to use anecdote to say is that it depends on what type of economy you have. It made sense for me to by the cheapest available machine for a rental apartment, where I don't know how long I'll stay. At the family farm, longevity is the most important factor. The price/year of use will end up lower for the Miele, if its predecessor is anything to measure by.
"Nur Miele, Miele sagte Tante, die alle Waschmaschine kannte"
posted by mumimor at 12:45 AM on September 25, 2021 [1 favorite]

I hate our current Bosch, loved our previous KitchenAid. Am putting a KitchenAid in after a renovation and the appliance sales guy said they are their bestsellers. Anecdata :)
posted by amaire at 3:25 AM on September 25, 2021

We have a Bosch that came with our house. It has a broken soap dispenser and numerous other small problems. It doesn’t work any better than any other machine I’ve used. And the parts to fix its small problems are expensive enough that I’m planning to just replace it eventually. It is however very quiet.

I say this in every appliance thread, but Wirecutter let me down real hard last year. Their top recommended dehumidifier turned out to be a nightmare product from a company that basically doesn’t do “customer service” without a fight. So I caution against just taking whatever they recommend as gospel without researching the company involved and their reputation for after-sale service and responsiveness, by reading all the reviews you can find online about CS experiences. If I had done that before buying I’d have known: never ever buy anything from Frigidaire/Electrolux again.

Appliances are expensive and last a long time and sometimes need service. It behooves you to find out how they do over the long haul.

I’m a fan of buying the cheapest base model with fewer “features” for almost any household appliance. Less to go wrong, and most of those ever-expanding new “features” they use to differentiate models are window dressing. Unglamorous and inexpensive and replaceable for me.
posted by spitbull at 4:34 AM on September 25, 2021 [2 favorites]

I relish the opportunity to pop up and trash Bosch every time a dishwasher thread surfaces-we have one of their entry level"Ascenta" series machines and it has been a bad experience all round. 2 drain pump failures, soap/rinse aid dispenser failure, the plastic front panel cracked and the racks have rusted through in a couple spots. OK, that's reliability done. Now, on to design- the racks don't fit American sized bowls properly- "no soup for you!" I also resent having to manually clean some stupid filter screen when American style dishwashers seem to function just fine without them.
posted by Larry David Syndrome at 7:19 AM on September 25, 2021 [1 favorite]

There are two kinds of dishwashers: dishwashers with a grinder in the bottom to help get rid of food waste, and dishwashers where the bottom just has a filter that traps the food particles and then you have to clean it. I grew up with the former. Last time I bought a dishwasher I chose one just based on price + decibels, and ended up with the latter, which was quiet, but disgusting (especially combined with hard water). Food grinder all the way in my next dishwasher; it's non-negotiable.
posted by deludingmyself at 7:21 AM on September 25, 2021 [1 favorite]

I asked this question a couple of years ago and got good answers. I wound up buying a pretty inexpensive Maytag with a grinder element. It has a 10 year warranty, and cleans dishes better than the Bosch I'd had before.
posted by nantucket at 7:38 AM on September 25, 2021

Regarding the lack of heated dry, I'm not sure if any Bosch models do this, but our Miele has a feature that automatically opens the door a few inches at the end of the cycle, which really helps things dry in the absence of a heating element. On models that don't have that, of course you can manually open the door at the end of the cycle, and it does make a huge difference. But I like being able to run it overnight or when I'm not home, and not have to worry about being around to open the door. Personally I am sold on this style of dishwasher, but I get that it's not for everyone.
posted by primethyme at 8:26 AM on September 25, 2021 [1 favorite]

The quieter a dishwasher is, the longer the cycle time.

We bought a GE several years ago mostly because it matched our GE stove. It's fine. Not the cheapest, but cheaper than Bosch. I think the racks were designed to squeeze in 8, or maybe 12, place settings of a specific pattern of china, thus is not especially friendly to the china we actually have. And its amazing how flimsy a rack can be and still work OK. GE appliances are not made be the GE Corp any more.

We bought from the biggest local appliance store which is very good on warranty service.

In a store, the units are covered with stickers about electricity and water usage. It's worth paying attention.
posted by SemiSalt at 10:42 AM on September 25, 2021

Oh wow Bosch problems. I like ours, it’s also an Ascenta. It started out very quiet, does now make a sound I need to look into (like a low hum fwiw).

With that said, I’d still recommend a Bosch of some kind, because every other type of dishwasher has the vents - which expel moist air into your cabinetry and can warp it. On preview - perhaps other than the Miele! But the American models, apparently, do have the side vents to worry about
posted by cotton dress sock at 5:37 PM on September 25, 2021

I adore my Bosch, so I’m surprised by some of the comments here.

I don’t know what ‘series’ it is but it’s a slimline ActiveWater in stainless steel, made in Germany. It is SO QUIET. I’ve had it about 5 years with no hitches. Dishes come out beautifully clean. I don’t really have any other expectations of a dishwasher - I grew up without one so I guess I’m easily pleased ;).
posted by Salamander at 6:21 PM on September 25, 2021

I just bought one today! I wish I'd seen this thread, but from my first skim, it didn't tell me much new.

I bought a GE which was 10% off at Home Depot, $674 instead of $750, but Bosch was my runner-up. Both of those brands were recommended by friends as well as someone selling dishwashers. I got the Consumer Reports for 2021, and they definitely were very happy with the Bosch 300 Series, which was $899 in my area. The Bosch 100 series is a bit lighter on the features (no third drawer), but only $599 (base model of the series), and that was my runner up. The GE I got is quieter than the Bosch 100 series, but not the 300 series.

As recently as April when Consumer Reports review the Bosch 300, it was $775, so a positive review in CR (one actually labelled on teh floor model) has boosted the price $125.

To mention another good brand, assuming it's still good-- the unit I'm replacing is a 25-year-old Whirlpool which decided to start grinding its own parts last weekend. After 25 years, it has earned its rest, and hopefully modern Whirlpools are as good as this one.

The list prices were exactly the same at Lowes and Best Buy, and a little more at some appliances stores (Though I could've missed some sales there too). Home Depot has free Delivery, but Installation ($150) plus the parts kit they require for the warranty ($50) plus the haul-away of your old one ($25) plus I got a 3-year extended warranty from HD ($90), plus an assload of tax (10%), means that I paid $1071 on a $674 dishwasher. I knew that going in today, but I sure was in sticker shock part of this week. But all of those things are worth paying for, to me.

I learned that getting white or black dishwashers is pretty much out of the question, stock-wise, so I paid the extra $100 (sometimes just $50 on more expensive models) to get stainless steel, just so I could get one in my lifetime. The young woman at home depot told me that she had people who ordered white and the unit was delayed 5 times before they canceled the order. So you really need to order something that's in stock, unless you can't live without a particular color.

If you want to wait for a sale, the next big sale is likely to be Black Friday, 2 months away. Furthermore, after black friday sales, delivery dates are likely to be in short supply.

I also learned that some more budgety brands like Frigidaire, are generally recommended for use in rental properties, where they get sporadic use and likely have a shorter lifespan.
posted by Sunburnt at 8:43 PM on September 25, 2021 [1 favorite]

I also have the Bosch with Crystal Dry and I love it. It takes forever but it is super-quiet and it gets things _clean_ without pre-rinseing (I do scrape things well). The filter is no issue -- I haven't had to clean hardly at all, even with hard water (maybe a variation in detergent).

It replaced a GE Profile that was deemed unrepairable after only 5 years. It worked well at first but very quickly started leaving things dirty to the point where we were basically hand washing all the dishes.

The GE Profile replaced a 3 year old Frigidaire that was here when we moved in. It fit hardly anything, could be heard everywhere in the house.

I recommend finding a local appliance store and trusting the sales people, as odd as that sounds.
posted by miscbuff at 9:12 PM on September 25, 2021