subject says all... trying to do a little googling in case my current dishwasher (which I loathe, because it's a cheap flimsy POS) can't be fixed, and all I find is stuff like this:
nate
Simple recommendation: Go to the various stores and look over the various units in the $400-$500 range. Select the one you find the sturdiest. Dishwashers today are mostly disposable and expecting a life of more than 10 years is wishful thinking. There are certainly overpriced "luxury" units, and perhaps you'll get another two years of service life for 3x the price and any repair parts at 3x as well.
Check out Consumer reports in a ;ibrary.
Read a little on how long they take to do a load. Decide if quiet is important to you.
Lou
Nate Nagel wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news2.newsguy.com:
Yea I'd recommend one. Preferably with a nice rack :-)
We're on our third Kitchen Aid over a period of 35 years. The one we have has been perfect for the last three that we've owned it. Quiet and washes very well. Glassware just sparkles. Before buying this one, we looked at Maytag (did not like the interior layout) Whirlpool (runner up) and Bosch (serviceman said they are the most trouble)
GE, Kitchen Aid, Whirlpool, Maytag are pretty good names. Like others said, each model has its own quietness levels, so look into that.
Hmm... this is why I asked, I currently have a GE and hate it (the thing is so flimsy I have to bend it to get the door to close properly, and it's been this way since I moved in) my parents have a Maytag and it is so loud you can't hear yourself think. The last dishwasher I remember not being PO'd by is the one in my parents' old house which was installed when the house was built, in 1973.
Maybe I'll just try to find a free/cheap one off Craigslist, if it's going to suck anyway it might as well not cost me a lot.
nate
Forgot to mention, the GE that I hate so much was installed by a local appliance store just before we signed on the house... leaked down the basement wall and damaged the paneling. Apparently they didn't check for leaks after they left, and the PO's called in a plumber to find that the stop valve needed its packing tightened. I still had to rework a lot of stuff under the sink to make everything completely leak free. There were no hose clamps on anything, the drain hoses were pushed together.
Turns out, after a web search, that they are basically my only option for new appliances within a 5 mile radius, save for Sears. I'm glad I have tools and a pickup truck.
nate
That sounds more like the installers fault than the dishwashers fault. If you had problems with the door, it sounds as if it wasn't installed correctly, or perhaps the openeing was too tight ( less than 24"). The leaks are the plumbers fault. I've installed dishwashers before. They are pretty straightfoward if you read the instructions.
Kenmore mid-priced units are pretty good. I bought one last year and it is working well. The great thing was that the price was comparable to other units with the same features, and I got a year's free financing on it.
Turns out, after a web search, that they are basically my only option for new appliances within a 5 mile radius, save for Sears. I'm glad I have tools and a pickup truck.
nate
*****************************************************Five miles? I usually look in a 35 mile radius if the local guys can't make me happy.
Sounds like most of the problems were from a poor installation. Either do it yourself of find a better dealer. If you go to Sears, it is ac crapshoot on the machines. Some are made by Frigidaire, others by Whirlpool. The higher end unit are generally pretty good though. The more you pay, the quieter it will be also. My KA can hardly be heard at all.
My wife selected Kitchenaid appls in our last 2 homes w/ Stainless steel D/W interior. They re working well 10 years later. I tried to get her to buy Whirlpool (who makes KA).
The same models are available from Sears under the Kenmore brand
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