If your dishwasher actually washes dishes.....

[teacup princess]

what brand and make/model is it?

Two hour wash cycle and half the dishes still come out dirty. I'm throwing this thing out the window.

 

[AKL_Megs]

We have a Frigidair and it is our lifesaver! The inside sticker and booklet says "Electrolux", so I guess they produce Frigidair products?

 

[cornflake]

Bosch.

 

[DeaverTex]

We adore our Bosch. It's so quiet that I've had to stand right next to it before I could tell whether or not it was running. And yes, it gets dishes clean.

 

[Gina]

Ugh, I'm with you!! And I will be taking notes from this thread for sure. The dishwasher in my house is the very cheapest they could possibly have put... I'm thinking they hand-washed everything and the dishwasher there is just to fill the hole that would otherwise be there. I HATE that useless thing.

I hope all the time that it'll just break for good, so that I can get the home warranty company to replace it. But I know darn well that if my house burned to the ground today, that stupid dishwasher would just be sitting there perfectly fine in the pile of ashes around it...

 

[SaraJayne]

Another Bosch here. I love it!

 

[cornflake]

We adore our Bosch. It's so quiet that I've had to stand right next to it before I could tell whether or not it was running. And yes, it gets dishes clean.

Heh that too. At some points, with water draining, you can hear it if you're in the room, but at others, you have to check the clock to see if it's running.

The dishwasher is so awesome got a Bosch vacuum - also awesome.

 

[MIGrandma]

I had to get up and go look...

Mine is a Gibson, we've had it 10+ years and it's still going strong.

 

[daughtersrus]

We have a Kenmore from Sears. It wasn't a lot of money (around $300). I put dishes in without rinsing but I do scrape the pieces off. It a little loud so I use the timer and run it at night while we're sleeping. My DD has oatmeal every morning. Her bowl sits in the dishwasher about 18 hours before it's washed and it comes out clean!

 

[beaucoup]

Kenmore Elite. I would have to find the model # & look up the manufacturer to tell you more. Maybe 2 yrs old?
Freakishly QUIET! I have to put my ear to it to see if its running. LOL Stainless steel interior helps with noise too.

I will add though that normally there are just 2 of us, and this year its only me, so I do rinse the dishes before loading so they aren't dried & stuck on for DAYS before its full enough to run the dishwasher.

Other things can effect how clean dishes get. How you load them. How many spray arms & where are they located? So in other words, is the water even spraying the dishes? Stainless steel interior keeps water hotter. Is your water hot enough to even begin with? Does your machine boost the water temp? Just to name a few.

 

[LuvLuvLuv]

subbing! mine is a real piece! it's awful, leaves a mess on the top rack stuff, doesn't wash, and its sooo freaking loud!!

loving the bosch reviews!

 

[beaucoup]

Read owner reviews on particular models. Consult Consumers Report for what brands are best & last. If a company makes an awesome stove or fridge, they may not make an awesome dishwasher. That's what I did.

I'm happy with all my appliances. I did lots of research. Read lots of reviews. And NONE of them are the same brand. Because not one company excels in all types of appliances.

 

[Piglets Mommy]

I have a Maytag, and love it, BUT....I recently learned that a lot of these issues are more related to the dishwasher detergent than the actual dishwasher itself. Most dishwahser detergent used to have phosphates in them, but they are being phased out for environmental reasons. A lot of the phosphate-free detergents don't work as well, but I have found that a lot of the 2-in 1 tablets with rinse aid do work a little better. I am currently using the electrasol tablets, and they work pretty well, but you STILL need to add jet dry in addition to what is included in the tablet.

 

[golfgal]

We bought a $250 Kenmore a year and a half ago because it died and we weren't sure what we were going to do with appliances when we remodel...it cleans amazingly well--WAY better then our old expensive model. It doesn't dry well so we just air dry them-saves money too. We use the short "light" cleaning cycle too. LOVE it.

 

[Christine]

I have a 6 year old Frigidaire and it cleans very well. However, I have NEVER liked the setup for the racks. They don't hold my bowls well. Some of the adjustable pieces have broken.

I am shopping for a new dishwasher. If Frigidaire had changed their racks, I would buy another, but I checked yesterday and they are the same.

Now looking at Bosch and KitchenAid.

 

[Hoodie]

Before you throw it out the window, have you tried changing detergents? A lot od detergents have changed their formulations in the past couple of years. I've found only two that work - Electrosol powerball tablets and Cascade two-in-one (with the funky swirl).

btw - the dishwasher repair guy suggested my mom try the Electrosol ones before he went out to "fix" it when her washer wasn't cleaning. One tablet and everything came clean.

 

[TriMom]

I know whirlpool usually gets terrible reviews. But I have a whirlpool gold with powerscrub. My sister had one, and it was the most amazing dishwasher, so when my piece of junk (literally, I was in a pinch and bought it for $68 from a scratch and dent surplus store) died. I splurged on her dishwasher.

I love it. It is quiet. I can use the cheapest detergent tabs in it. And I never pre-wash anything, including baked casseroles. I also play dish tetris, and load that baby up to the brim every time. Globs of ketchup - gone. It actually got burnt milk off of a pan. The only thing it can not deal with is scrambled eggs.

 

[TriMom]

Before you throw it out the window, have you tried changing detergents? A lot od detergents have changed their formulations in the past couple of years. I've found only two that work - Electrosol powerball tablets and Cascade two-in-one (with the funky swirl).

btw - the dishwasher repair guy suggested my mom try the Electrosol ones before he went out to "fix" it when her washer wasn't cleaning. One tablet and everything came clean.

I will add to that. You can also try running a full cycle on an empty washer, and fill the detergent container with vinegar. Hard water can cause the jets to clog.

 

[Mrs.Malone]

We move often and have had a whole lot of different dishwashers over the years. The one we have now is one of the best we've had. It's a fairly basic, newer Kenmore that cost about $350. The cycles are long but not horribly loud and my dishes are always clean.

Once I tried Martha Stewart brand liquid dishwasher detergent from Home Depot and it didn't work at all. I thought the dishwasher was broken!
I think detergent can make a difference. I use the Cascade tablets that come in the plastic tub at Costco and they seem to work great.

 

[jrmasm]

I will add to that. You can also try running a full cycle on an empty washer, and fill the detergent container with vinegar. Hard water can cause the jets to clog.

I need to try that. I doubt it will work because my dishwasher has never been great but it's worth a try.


Do not buy an Amana!!! It is super loud and doesn't get the dishes clean.