Dishwasher recommendations? Black Friday coming up!

[bibsoconner]

Hello all,

I considered hijacking this Black Friday post (https://www.piggington.com/black_friday_review_google_wifi_routers_and_samsung_frontload_wa) as my question is somewhat related but decided it warrants its own post.

I’m looking for recommendations for dishwasher, particularly basic, cheap ones.

I’ve been having trouble with my supposedly top of the line Bosch dishwasher. Model is SHX68T55UC and it’s only about 3 1/2 years old. Cost was about $800 at Lowes I think. Rather than fix it, I’m seriously considering junking it. I realize some of you have not just your home dishwasher, but rental unit ones too, and therefore have more experience than me! This time, I’m leaning towards ignoring the boss (wife) and going super cheap and buying at Costco (I think I get 2 extra years of warranty). My reasoning is that if it’s going to break in 4 years, I’ll be 50% less upset if it costs $400 rather than $800.

The cost to have someone look at the Bosch (Bosch certified folks) is about $139 PLUS $50 every fifteen minutes. That last part of the sentence is not a typo! $50/15 minutes, or $200/hr. I’m somewhat handy myself but this problem has me stumped. I’ve taken the door off and the lower panel and observed the bottom part of the unit getting water in it. The flood sensor (E-15) came on, and sure enough there is water in the lower electronics basin, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out where it’s coming from. I’m somewhat tempted to pay the money just because I’m curious what the problem actually is! More details of my Bosch unit woes are at:

https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/177719/bosch-dishwasher-has-water-at-bottom-after-using-liquid-soap

I posted there for advice.

I’ll close with a warning for those who don’t know…. Don’t use liquid soap if you run out of dishwasher tablets. I followed a recipe from Dr. Google, consisting of a few drops of liquid soap and some baking soda. Did that for 4 nights. My problems might be coincidental, but it sufficiently scared me not to use liquid soap again!

Thanks,
Dave

P.S. On the plus side of this fiasco, I’ve been having the kids wash dishes by hand, so at least I’m getting some work out of them!

[Coronita]

I bought a whirpool from home Depot for about $290. For personal use, I would spend an extra $70 to get the same one with a stainless steel bin.

For rental, the plastic tub is fine since they usually need to replaced more frequently

made in USA too.

sorry I was wrong. It was $276 in October. And it was free delivery and haul away of old one. I did a self install, so no installation charges. dishwashers are pretty easy to install.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Whirlpool-Front-Control-Built-in-Tall-Tub-Dishwasher-in-Monochromatic-Stainless-Steel-with-1-Hour-Wash-Cycle-55-dBA-WDF520PADM/205506225

the ones with a steel bin inside are usually $100 more. if this was my own owner occupied home I would probably get this Maytag.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Maytag-Front-Control-Built-In-Tall-Tub-Dishwasher-in-Fingerprint-Resistant-Stainless-Steel-50-dBA-MDB4949SHZ/305908132

Maytag is owned by Whirpool and both Maytag and Whirpool are pretty reliable and not that expensive.

I’d stay away from GE (which is basically Haier now). I’d also stay away from Samsung and LG. when they break down (not a question of if), they will be expensive to repair

You might also want to consider spending $95 to get an extended 5 year warranty especially if it’s a rental.

oh, and if you don’t already have one, I would run a solid copper water supply lines not one of those plastic or even steel braided supply lines. A copper line will probably last 20+years without worrying about it bursting.

[bibsoconner]

Thanks Flu,

FYI, the same model Whirlpool is available at Costco for $1.99 more. I mention this because somebody (you?) mentioned the warranty is extended at Costco if you pay with Costco credit card.

Currently 329.99 at Costco
328.00 at Home Depot.

Thanks!

[The-Shoveler]

Sometimes if not in a real hurry you can find a close out or dent return.

I got a Samsung stainless for less than $250.00

Can hardly see the dent after I took the plunger (with a little oil to add suction) to it.

[FlyerInHi]

As much as I hate it, I drive up the 15 frequently. I discovered the Best Buy outlet in Moreno Valley, only open Friday, Saturday, Sunday. They have the best prices, but not worth the trip for 1 appliance.

I like Samsung dishwashers. They pops open automatically when done to air dry. Energy saver! Why didn’t anyone think of that earlier?

Who said Samsung and LG are expensive to own and repair? I have Samsung and LG from 2006/2007. They still run fine. It’s time to replace them anyway.

To avoid water spots, use powder detergent with Lemi Shine. Some tablets are good, but expensive.

[Coronita]

[quote=bibsoconner]Thanks Flu,

FYI, the same model Whirlpool is available at Costco for $1.99 more. I mention this because somebody (you?) mentioned the warranty is extended at Costco if you pay with Costco credit card.

Currently 329.99 at Costco
328.00 at Home Depot.

Thanks![/quote]

The one I got is plastic inside. I would get the slightly more expensive version with stainless steel inside for personal use

double-check Costco’s warranty and credit card warranty. Remember that the extended was when it was American Express. I don’t know if that has changed now it’s Citibank.

Also the Costco 2+2 warranty is for electronics. I am not sure if it covers appliances. It might not .

[temeculaguy]

I hate my Bosch dishwasher. I hate my Samsung fridge. Love my Kenmore micro and W/D. I realize Kenmore is just other brands rebranded but all the appliances that have given more than 10 years of reliable service came from Sears and I’ve been able to repair them myself using youtube. Now that Sears is fading into oblivion, not sure what to do when replacements are needed. I also love all my craftsman tools, I’m going to miss Sears, they should have stuck with just tools, sheds, patio furniture and appliances. I guess in 30 years, people will lament Amazon going out of business. My Kenmore HE3t W/D is 16 years old and works like a champ. i got it used 11 years ago, rebuilt it twice for under $100 and it only took n hour or so to replace the parts. I’ve had the Bosch dishwasher for 2 years and it wasn’t cheap and it has always sucked, but it is quiet and pretty.

Flu’s car analogy is spot on, get the Honda accord of dishwashers.

[FlyerInHi]

Just saying, before we had the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, there was the Ford Taurus and the olds cutlass.

For dishwasher, the drying cycles uses almost 1/2 the energy. Don’t use that feature and open the machine to air dry as soon as the rinse is finished, while the dishes are still hot. Or let the machine pop itself automatically for you.

Top load washers are detergent, water and energy hogs. Detergent, water and energy will cost you more within a couple years. You want a front load washer that spins fast to get the dirt and water out thus shortening the drying time.

[Coronita]

The reason why I recommend a middle tier Whirpool is very simple.

Whirpool sticks with much simpler designs that have been tried and proven over decades. They are the largest contractor brand and parts for the volume of appliances are easy to find from not only Whirpool but a bunch of third party. And every appliance repair person knows how to repair a whirpool. Think of it as a Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla. Simple, reliable, easily serviced, does not drastically change year after year, lots of people can service it. For every home my parents and I lived in, they were all Whirpool and lasted 15-20 years. I replaced my dishwasher in old primary home in San Diego exactly once when I first moved in while it lasted 15 years and never had a service call. I only recently replaced it because I accidentally left it closed with moisture in it for months, and then when I opened it, there was mildew all over the plastic tub, but it was still working, and could have probably lasted a few more years. But $276 was cheap for a brand new one that looked like stainless steel on the outside for now a rental. And while I am not a full on bleeding heart environmentalist…having a dishwasher last 15-20 years is certainly better for the environment than replacing one every 5-7 years. So pay slightly more for the Whirpool/Maytag with the steel tub liner inside if you want to keep it for a long time. The steel tub liner will also cut down on the sound. For rental, go with the cheapest thing since its going to get trashed anyway. It’s just a stupid dishwasher, you don’t need most of the rinse cycles, and the more simple and less “gimicky” the design is, the more reliable it will be, just like Honda Civics/Toyota Corollas

It’s like the Whirpool Series 60 washers and dryers that have a reputation of being reliable, cheap to fix,and clean really well … often times better than most of the new front loading washers that also break down more easily. again, it’s also a stupid washer and dryer. Who cares how fancy it looks

GE was never really that great, and recently GE was bought by Chinese firm Haier.

Bosch was never known for reliability, just like German cars.

LG & Samsung are slightly more reliable than Bosch, but when they do go out parts supply might be lacking, and they generally cost a lot more to repair, because when they go out, it’s most likely the complicated electronics they put into them, that are not field servicable and must require an entire logic board/etc to be replaced.

Kenmore, I wouldn’t buy unless you know which manufacturer they are contracting with. A long time ago, Kenmore appliances were basically rebadged Whirpools, and that was one of the major reasons with Kenmore brands were very popular. Then they went to the less reliable GE. Then they went to LG and Samsung.

Oh, and check out Lowe’s too. They are pretty good too. I bought appliances there too.

https://www.lowes.com/c/Dishwashers-Appliances?int_cmp=Appliances%3AC%3AMajorAppliances%3AMerch%3AAppliances_Dishwashers

Most people have better ways to spend money than on stupid appliances that are there only for utility, and most of them all look the same these days in stainless steel facades, and it’s probably never going to come up in those conversations “I’m better than you because my dishwasher is a Bosch or LG or Samsung etc”… Nobody cares. It’s a stupid dishwasher.

[Coronita]

Brian,

Ok, Boomer….

[The-Shoveler]

LOL!!!

[FlyerInHi]

[quote=flu]
Ok, Boomer….[/quote]

I am of the generation after the boomers. Dad was born before the war and mom was born after.

Since your brought it up, I love this meme used to dismiss inflexible folks who minimize global warming and who are extremely brand loyal. People who buy big food brands, and brands they knew from childhood.

The 21st century is all about change, adapting to change, and innovating in the way we live and consume.

[spdrun]

FlyerInHI, what’s “drying time?” If you really want to be eco, hang the clothes on a line after washing them. CA has a law requiring HOAs to allow clothes lines outdoors.

[Coronita]

Sure Brian,

If you think buying a washer/dryer/dishwasher that lasts 5-7 years and needs to be thrown out into the landfill (which usually gets shipped to places like Thailand and Vietnam since China stopped taking Western trash, out of sight and out of mind of most hypocritical “environmentalists” here in the US) and replaced by a new unit is more eco-friendly than a washer/dryer/dishwasher that lasts 15-20 years, and you’re also one of the american wastefuls that does a ridiculous number of loads of laundry and uses a dishwasher regularly, despite being a single person with no significant other and family when it would make economically and eco-friendly more sense to run those appliances. Well, then, like I said.

Sure. Ok, Boomer.

I never used a dishwasher when I was single a long long time ago. And given you’ve been single a lot longer than me, there would be no need for you to use a dishwasher to even be commenting on a dishwasher. So either (a) you really are eco-friendly and don’t use a dishwasher, which then means you aren’t knowledgeable enough to talk about which dishwasher is better or (b) you really are an expert in which dishwasher is better because you took the time to shop for one… But then, that means you aren’t eco-friendly given your expected carbon footprint for an individual.

In either case, it doesn’t look good for you either way, because in either scenario, you clearly aren’t walking your talk. But hey, it’s ok. There’s a lot of this on piggington these days. It’s right up there with the 529k advice from folks that have no 529k or no kids.

So like I said,

Ok, Boomer.

[FlyerInHi]

Dup

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