Hi -
I have a Kenmoore dishwasher that is 9-10 years old. Lately it's doing a sh1tty job of washing the dishes.
Poll Questions:
Should I even bother to have it looked at?
Or just go buy a new one?
Thanks....
Mike
P.S I refilled the Jet Dry,etc....it didn't really help...
New one. Quieter, more efficient, quieter, did I mention they are quiet now?
My last dishwasher lasted 25 years (me 12) + (three self repairs).
Try changing detergents, cleaning thoroughly, and checking the filters.
Make sure the detergent has enzymes in it, they clean much better than detergents without them.
Although I live alone, mine has lasted 27 years, with only one repair (a chicken bone was caught in the air break, but if you clean your dishes first, that won't happen.)
I understand that in Iraq, if the engine on a truck breaks, the private contractors just burn the truck up, and bill the US. And I knew someone who would buy a new suit when the suit he had needed cleaning. They are probably right that repair and maintenance are overrated, but I don't have the money they do.
I've stayed in the kitchen while my dishwasher works and it wasn't that bad, but it's also not hard to leave the kitchen. It keeps me from eating too much.
What's wrong with the cleaning? All the dishes or only some?
Probably not worth bothering with if you have to pay for a service call. Meantime, check the filter screen to be sure it is not clogged, check the spray arms for clogs. It could also be the pump is not putting out the pressure is used to and having it replaced is probably more than half the cost of a new DW.
They do seem to weaker after many years. Mine was over 15 years and no matter what I did, it was just not as good as news. Even the most modest priced units today will clean very well and will be fairly quiet. If you go up higher, they are very quiet and use less water than the older models.
What brand(s) that you know of have them?
I switch detergents and dishes come out much cleaner... now using those little "Cascade" nuggets. There not called nuggets but they look like nuggets. They contain two cleaners, Dawn and regular Cascade powder...
now can someone help me get out ring-around-the-collar?? :)
According to Consumer Reports, enzymes were what seperated the great detergents from the poor ones. Most brands have them in some, but not all, of their offerings. I use the gel or tablet version of Electrasol. Read the box, if they have enzymes, it's there in the fine print.
I'd also check water temp. Mine wasn't washing that great at 120, which was the min spec. I raised it to 130 and it make a big difference.
Read the manual and check any filters and all nozzles in arms for blockage. If that doesn;t do it, then IMO, it;s not worth a service call. Just wait for a sale and get a new one. There are also some great deals on Ebay, but the usual cautions apply.
I never believed that there really were enzymes in clothing detergent, until some workers where the stuff is made said the enzymes were making them sick.
I guess I was supposed to sympathize with the workers, and I did, but my prime reaction was, "Hey, there really are enzymes. Maybe it works better than the old ones."
Didn't know about dishwasher detergent until now.
I use the gel or tablet version of
The guy who sold me the house said something about the water heater being at 140 so that the dishes would wash well, but I guess he meant that was an alternative. My water wasn't at 140, I think.
But while trying to fix the dish washer that one time, I partiallly melted my favorite plastic salad bowl. Because I kept recycling the machine through one part of the cycle, and the dishwasher kept heating the same water each time, until it was a lot hotter than it was supposed to be. This was the time the washer wouldn't drain, and it turned out the thin half of the little bone that parallels the drumstick on a chicken was lodged in the vacuum break/ air break mounted on the sink. It was the last place I could think to look for a clog, and it wasn't big enough to clog things. I really don't know how it kept the dishwasher from draining, but after I removed it, things were fine.
The chrome cap on the vacuum break just pulls off, easily, and then there is some piece of white plastic that unscrews easily, and then iirc something came out with the bone in it. could have fixed the thing in 5 minutes if I had thought of this, but I still don't understand why this caused a problem.
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