Kenmore Elite 1630 Dishwasher: Shhhhhh!
Written: Jan 28 '06 (Updated Mar 25 '06)
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Pros: Possibly the quietest dishwasher I've ever heard, intelligent shelf design, easy-on-the-fingers handle ergonomics
Cons: On the pricey side but you get what you pay for in this case
The Bottom Line: Your entree to luxury kitchen culture, courtesy of Sears.
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| MamaMiaEtc's Full Review: Kenmore 16309 24 in. Built-in Dishwasher |
For a price, you can buy a quiet dishwasher that will not disturb your peace after dinner. But that is not why I decided on the Kenmore Elite 1630 dishwasher eight months ago. While checking out the top dishwasher picks from you-know-where, I noticed a sharp, uncomfortable edge inside almost every squeeze-type door handle. Only the Kenmore Elite 1630, made by Bosch, had a rounded-off edge in its handle and felt comfortable to use. I also noticed that the dishwashers with hidden controls and long horizontal pull-type handles strained the herniated disc in my lower back. Hey, I was happy to narrow the decision somewhat. Only problem was that the KE 1630 was expensive at $749.99. But after checking out a few more particulars mentioned below, I bought the 1630. There may be more energy efficient models on the market now, and ones with three-year warranties, but I think the 1630 is still among the very best.
Most Outstanding Feature: Quiet Operation
One feature your money gets you in spades with the KE 1630, is quiet operation. Even with our open floor plan, we cannot hear the machine from the living room. When we’re in the kitchen we know it’s on, but it’s not a problem to talk on the phone or with each other in a normal tone of voice. It’s a vast improvement over my old Maytag. During installation the installer had trouble cramming the tons of insulation into the under-counter space. As I said, this is possibly the quietest dishwasher I've ever heard.
Happiness is...A Well-Loaded Dishwasher: Proof of Intelligent Design?
Everyone uses a different array of dishware, and my family uses lots of deep-sided bowls for pasta and salad, mugs for coffee and large tumblers. Just as you suddenly see the faces in profile when all you saw before was the vase, I suddenly saw how the bowls lined up against the back wall of the machine in a row from left to right. Then, I noticed that the tines on the bottom shelf could be adjusted in four positions from upright to all the way down, and quickly adjusted them to hold any size bowl snugly. Having done that, the dinner plates now nestled perfectly across the middle of the bottom shelf instead of the back row. There clearly was an intelligent designer at work on this machine…
The design of the flatware basket strikes me as fussy but I admit it gets the job done. Each piece of flatware, and there are slots for 68 pieces (ample enough), fits upright into an individual 3/4" diameter slot. (Yours may not fit if the handles are generously proportioned.) Removing the "sanitized" flatware necessitates grabbing it not by the handles, but by the eating end which obviously instantly de-sanitizes it. Plus, it's hard to drop them into the slots without touching any stuck-on food. In my view, all this is better than having to click each piece of flatware into a tray-like basket that I saw on some dishwashers. As an alternative, the basket's grid does flip down to the sides if you wish to load into an open basket.
The washer loads 12 place settings. I counted locations for 28 plates on the bottom shelf, or 21 with the basket in place. The most I have ever washed is eight place settings, easily done. There also is a two-section, flip-down cup shelf with nubs for holding long utensils, small juice glasses, or dip bowls. This is a great space-saver.
Shelf Action: It's a little like Making Love
There’s an adjustable top shelf which raises to allow oversized items up to 13" on the bottom rack. There is some, not a lot, stickiness in the raising and lowering action. When raised, the top shelf accommodates up to 6 1/2" plates. Generally, I keep the top shelf down because I never have needed a 13" clearance on the bottom. Another observation: the gliding in-and-out motion of the shelves is excellent. Most dishwashers I saw had poor sliding action, even some of the expensive ones. The Kenmore Elite 1630 really has an overall quality feel to its shelves.
Washing and Drying Capabilities
These days you’re not supposed to rinse, just scrape, to save water. The Normal Cycle’s water temperature on the Kenmore Elite 1630 reaches 140 degrees F. (60 degrees C.) during the wash, 155 degrees F. (68.3 degrees C.) during the rinse and uses about 7 gallons (26.5 liters). That will not remove caked-on cheese that was virtually fused to the ceramic bowl and then sat out to fester for two or three days. (Revealing deep, dark secrets of dealing with a teenage daughter here…) The Kenmore manual suggests "soaking and hand-scouring" such items, so there you have the limits of probably any dishwasher, or mother for that matter. The Scrub Cycle uses water and rinse temperatures of 161 degrees F. (71.6 degrees C.) and also uses about 7 gallons (26.5 liters). I successfully use this cycle for pots and pans with normal, not burnt or caked, residues. As we’re vegetarians though, I think we probably can’t test the scrub cycle with really gooey, oily food residue as well as other families could.
Other cycles: China, Rinse, Top Tier Only, and Quick Wash.. I have used all these and especially appreciate the utility of the Top Tier Only cycle. It’s perfect for a quick cleanup of last-minute items before leaving on a trip. The Rinse Cycleconstantly surprises with its effectiveness and only uses 1.2-1.4 gallons (4.8-5.3 litres) of unheated water, minimizing energy consumption. China Cycle only uses 3.7 gallons with water temperatures of 120/155 degrees F. (48.8/68.3 degrees C.). I don’t feel confident putting my good china with gold rims in the machine however, because I believe the abrasive detergent would do harm. I never put my stemware in the machine, so I can't advise on that.
This machine actually cleans my 12 quart pot! I can take out the top rack, insert the special spray nozzle, and poof! My sauce pot is taken care of! I'm dreaming of an 18 quart pot now!
An Epinions review would not be complete without a special test, so here it is. Using freshly applied Aveda “Raspberry Tea” lip gloss on a ceramic mug and a glass, I set the machine on Normal. The machine DID successfully remove the lip gloss from both utensils. I also tested one of my daughter’s recently used pasta bowls with somewhat hardened parmesan, olive oil and tomato sauce. After scraping and washing on Normal, the bowl looked and felt clean.
Drying, well here's a little problem. Normally I do a load after dinner and unload it the following morning. That should give it ample time to dry. Thoroughly. Despite the angled shelf on the top rack where I put the mugs at an angle, there’s inevitably a small puddle of water on the top of the mugs in the morning, mocking me. But I have just learned from the manual I can tweak the settings to obtain Additional Drying Heat to defeat those insidious puddles.(At the expense of some energy conservation...drat!)
Push Buttons and Display
This would be the machine of choice for a blind person. I personally prefer quality push-buttons over electronic controls. The 1/2" diameter domed buttons require a light touch, respond with a click, and there is no uncertainty about where to push. Although not large, the six wash cycle labels stand out well in white when inactivated and glow in LED red when selected. If you stick with one cycle, and for me it’s usually the Normal Cycle, you have only to push the on/off button on the left to start the machine – no reading necessary.
The perennial question “Are the dishes clean?” remains an irksome problem, and unfortunately, Kenmore has not led us out of the wilderness in this regard. After a cycle, you have to push the "On/Off" button to shut off the red "Sanitized" message. (My old Maytag had a shut-off associated with opening and shutting the door.)
Maintenance
The machine has two filters that require periodic cleaning – a large fine metal filter on the bottom of the tub that lifts out, and a cylindrical filter also on the bottom of the stainless tub, that twists out. In eight months, I have only cleaned them once. They remove and clean up easily. We have very hard water here, but the two spray arm nozzles show no sign of obstruction so far. They should be inspected and cleaned at regular intervals.
Styling
Its intelligent-looking minimal design is just right for me.
Understanding Energy Star Ratings
For a look at the relative energy efficiency of dishwashers, updated recently, check out this site: http://www.energystar.gov. "The National Appliance Energy Conservation Act (NAECA) requires minimum standards for energy consumption." "ENERGY STAR rated dishwashers must exceed the minimum federal standard (NAECA standard) by at least 25%". The Kenmore 1630 uses 353 kwh/year, based on estimated usage of 215 loads, and is 33% better than the minimum federal standard. Some Asko dishwashers on the list are an amazing 141% better!
Conclusion
Sweetened with a Lifetime Tub Warranty on the Stainless Steel Giant Tub and a 1-24 hour Delay Start, the Kenmore Elite 1630 is on my ten best appliances list...
Thank you, pogomom, for listing the black Kenmore Elite 1630 for me!
With spring and summer coming, you might be interested in reading my review of the Scarecrow Motion Activated Sprinkler: http://www.epinions.com/content_223428185732
You may be interested to read my review of the Kenmore Elite HE3 Front Loader Washer:
http://www.epinions.com/content_193304825476
and my review of the Kenmore Series 80 Dryer:
http://www.epinions.com/content_194349141636
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 749.99
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Epinions.com ID:
MamaMiaEtc
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 - Top 1000 |
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Location: NC, USA
Reviews written: 10
Trusted by: 9 members
About Me:
Mother, gardener, twitterer (miaha), serial home renovator, MBA. Appreciate fine art and all things French.
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