Supposedly "top-rated"
Written: Jul 10 '06 (Updated Jul 10 '06)
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Pros: Quiet, Cleans well, Well-built
Cons: Long wash cycle, Poor drying, On-demand (tankless) water heater compatibility
The Bottom Line: If only it were more efficient...
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| conswatchdog's Full Review: Bosch SHE66C05UC Stainless Steel 24 in. Built-in D... |
I recently purchased the SHE66C05UC dishwasher to replace an old Maytag that was past its life. I used Consumer Reports guidance and this has been a top-rated dishwasher for them 6 years in a row even though it does not show up as one of their recommended ones (reliability).
Pros:
Very clean aesthetic
Quiet
Cleans well
Cons:
This dishwasher was not drying our dishes well at all - wet spots after the cycle was done. A visit from the maintenance guy raised two possibilities:
1. We were not using a rinse agent appropriately, and
2. Problem might be caused by the fact that we had an on-demand water heater. (An on-demand water heater does is more efficient than a conventional water heater and heats the water only when needed.)
The rinse agent was not a problem but you do need to use it!
On the on-demand water heater, we consulted the sales guy whom we bought this from and were all inclined to ignore the reason. We could not rationalize why Bosch - a leader in conservation in their appliances, would build something that would not work well with more efficient water heating systems prevalent in Europe and Japan for decades.
Well! When the Bosch representative reiterated the cause of the problem as the water heater type, we decided to try his solution. Before we turned on the dishwasher we needed to run the water in the kitchen faucet until it was hot and then turn on the dishwasher.
This did make the drying problem much better, but we remain unhappy with the fact that the reason we have an on-demand water heater is its greater efficiency which is undermined by the design of our Bosch dishwasher.
The other thing we struggle with is the design of the dishwasher's tines and its ability to accommodate mixed loads i.e. bowls, glasses, pots & pans, silverware, etc. This is not a design problem, but a matter of how your family uses dishes and the dishwasher's fit to that use. For example, if you have many thirsty kids, you will generate more dirty glasses. Our previous dishwasher would accommodate a balanced mix of all the above. We are still figuring out new ways to load our dishwasher to optimize it for our needs and get the most clean dishes in a load. The "fit" was better with our old Maytag which seemed more intuitive.
I did go back to the store and looked at other dishwashers such as the Miele and do not believe that their designs are any better (in fact I liked our Bosch better).
One thing I would do next time I want to replace my dishwasher is take a typical load of dishes with me to the store and try and load them in the dishwasher I like, and see how intuitive its design is. This would allow you to understand the fit of the dishwasher to your family's needs even though you may have to endure a little "embarrassment" by having a load of dishes with you in the appliance section of the store... But you will live with your dishwasher for several year, so might as well check out its "fit..."
Overall, I am satisfied with the dishwasher, but not thrilled with it!
That being said, I doubt that I would have liked any others on the market much better.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1200
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Epinions.com ID:
conswatchdog
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Reviews written: 2
Trusted by: 0 members
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