Guide to Buying a Dishwasher
Mar 26 '00
Choosing a dishwasher can be more complicated than it seems. I discuss below many of the factors to consider. In reality, many of the features will appear on similar dishwashers, but some are better than others on these features.
Installation Concerns
Typically, you won’t need to worry about installation, as dishwashers come in a standard 24" width and have an adjustable height. However, you may have special issues. If you don’t already have a dishwasher, you will have to remove a 24" cabinet. Also, you will need to buy a power cable, as most dishwashers don’t come with one.
Also, some dishwashers are “split” so you can put the top half and the bottom half in different places. This is actually a really good solution if you keep kosher, as you can put milk and meat into two different dishwashers.
Cost Issues
Dishwashers range in cost from $200 to $1500+. The real difference is the amount of features. Don’t think that the cheapest are the worst and the most expensive are the best. A lot of what you pay for is the brand name.
Noise
Though you wouldn’t think so, this is one of the most important features in any dishwasher. No one wants a loud and shaking dishwasher, especially if you are trying to watch television or sleep. A quiet dishwasher is a huge improvement in quality of life.
The number one rule is just because a dishwasher says it is quiet does not mean that it is quiet! There are dishwashers that don’t advertise as “quiet” but are.
Heating
If you set your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit (the standard setting), then you probably won’t need to get a heating dishwasher. Heating dishwashers heat the water to 140 degrees for that extra cleaning power. It is like, as Nigel Tufnel so aptly put it in “This is Spinal Tap”, like having an amplifier that goes to 11.
”Intelligent” Cleaning
Smart cleaning senses how much gunk is on the dishes and how clean they are so it knows when to stop. Theoretically, this will save water, but on the whole better dishwashers use more water, regardless of this action.
However, it is true to say that the “smart” dishwashers yield cleaner dishes on average.
Timer
Some dishwashers can be set to start at a certain time or after a certain amount of time. See the Noise section above for the impact this has on late night dishwashing.
Food Grinding
Many dishwashers have a food grinder built in. This is a really nice feature if you don’t want to rinse your dishes. If you are compulsive dish rinser anyway, you might not want to pay for this feature.
Multiple Cleaning Options
Dishwashers have different modes, such as pots and pans, light, and fragile. Theoretically, these modes change the way the dishwasher operates.
I have never put a lot of stock into this feature, though others swear by it. My view is that clean is clean. If you have a choice between two models and the only difference is price and the number of cleaning modes, my suggestion is to pay less.
Rack Design
If you have enough money to pay for most of these features, the real deciding factor can be the rack design. Most dishwashers claim to be able to hold four 12 piece settings, but how they handle odd shaped dishes is what is important. You should visualize your dishes. Will that platter fit? How about your double height frying pan? Can you put bowls on the top shelf? You should also read the manual.
One other issue is plastic versus coated metal racks. I prefer the plastic, as the coated metal chips and rusts as it ages.
You may be willing to settle for lesser rack design if you want to handwash odd size pieces anyway.
Reliability
Reliability comes in two parts. First, the longer the warranty the better generally (though consider the economic analysis, which says that companies offering longer warranties than the rest of the market have inferior goods - Hyundai’s 10 year warranty is an example).
Second, no one wants a broken dishwasher, even if fixing it is under warranty. Thus, you will want to buy a more reliable dishwasher.
“External” Dishwashers
If you have never had a dishwasher, you may not be able to hook one up in a permanent location. If not, you can get a special dishwasher or a kit that allows you to roll the dishwasher around and hook it up to a kitchen faucet. A pain, but necessary.
Finally
How do you find out things such as which dishwasher is quietest, best cleaning, and most reliable? You can’t possible test every one. The best way is to get the Consumer Report buying guide. No one - not me, not epinions, not anybody - does a better job of testing and reporting on hidden features of products than Consumer Report.
Hopefully, these tips will help guide you when it is time to buy a new dishwasher.
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