How is your dishwasher??

[mom-from-missouri]

Mine is gasping its last breath as I type. I have been nursing it along for several months and it is time to get a new one. What we have is a 1995 or 96 (orginal to the house) built in Kenmore. It uses 23 gallons per load for the heaviest pot and pan and pre rinse cycle and for a light cycle only 9 gallons per load. It was NOT energy star rated.

Last year I replaced our clothes washer with a front load high energy Bosch and love it. It cut our water bill by 2/3. In fact, so far it has cut our water bill by around $500. In a couple more months it will have paid for itself.

I'd like to repeat the good savings experience with my dishwasher, so have started the research process. So, as before I am asking my friends on here what they have and the pros and cons of theirs.

Yes, I really do need a dishwasher for several reasons.

#1 I have MS and am supposed to avoid heat sources, and washing by hand in warm water can trigger problems

#2 I do some infant care in my home and the heat is nice for bottles.

#3 I sterilize my canning jars in it also--much safer than doing it stove top

#4 in our house (5 full timers and 4 part timers for meals) I can either do them by hand 3-4 times a day, or just run 1 full load at night. I use less water to run 1 full load in the dishwasher every night. Plus, I don't have dirty dishes stacked up (one of my pet peeves).

[creditcardfree]

Sounds like you do need a dishwasher to me!! Good luck.

We've enjoyed our Maytag, but I'm not even sure what kind of energy star rating it has!

[PrincessPerky]

I have no idea, but I just might borrow your research when done and copy you..not that I have any of your reasons for wanting a dishwasher...but I still want one.

[Ima saver]

We just replaced our GE dishwasher with the same model, but this one is not as good. This one does not always get everything clean. I got all my appliances new in 1996 and almost all of them have failed by now. (I still have my double oven, that is it!)

[MonkeyMama]

We have a GE, came new with house in 2001. LOVE it. For the last 6 years or so, we have ran it just about every day. It's a good washer and it has certainly held up well for all the use. Ours was definitely an energy efficient model.

[Caoineag]

Just got a new Kenmore Elite Dishwasher w/ Ultra Wash HE Wash System Energy Star in Feb or March. We love the thing (our previous had been an ancient one in our old apartment that croaked 3 months before we moved out so not exactly wonderful). We always use the smart wash setting and never have a problem with dirty dishes. I wish I could tell you how much water it saves but can't since none of the appliances in this house worked when we moved in.

I do know this much, our electricity and water usage is considered minuscule and we run that thing constantly. We also make an unholy mess on our stuff and don't prerinse. The sears website has actual numbers if that helps for comparing.

[FrugalFish]

About 2.5 years ago we bought a Bosch dishwasher and I LOVE IT! I'd heard lots of great things about them and especially how quiet they are. Our kitchen is rather open to the other living areas of our house and the dishwasher running was always a major noise distraction. With this one you can be standing very near it and not really be aware that it's running until you hear the water draining; it is incredibly quiet.

I think ours is a model SHE66, and they may not be manufactured anymore, but certainly there is a new equivalent. I'm really glad that we got this one instead of the model below it because of the way the top rack adjusts. In this one you can just drop it down or lift it up while it's loaded, whereas the model below it, you had to pull the rack just about all the way out, tip up, and push it back in- you could not adjust it if you had already put dishes in it. I adjust it from one position to the other often, but rarely have the foresight to start loading the machine with it in the right position.

About the only cons I can think of : we have to use Cascade detergent. Okay, don't HAVE TO, but the less expensive brands left a lot of greasy build up in the strainer/filter. You have to pull that out and clean the parts every so often. While using Cascade, there's no greasy residue in there, it's generally just a little bit of fuzz that comes off with a toothbrush and a little dish soap. I never used a rinse agent in our old dishwasher and this one really needs a rinse agent, but it uses very, very little- I think I've bought 2-3 bottles in the 2.5 years we've had it. It also get's very hot during the last cycle and certain plastics turn into shrinky dinks at the end- the clear, hard plastic like what juice comes in.

Have fun shopping

[feh]

Wait a couple months - there is going to be government rebate program for replacing old appliances. Last I heard, it may be in effect in November.

Our dishwasher is 15+ years old. Still works, but occasionally has problems. We'll be replacing it when the program kicks in.

[mom-from-missouri]

Originally Posted by feh

Wait a couple months - there is going to be government rebate program for replacing old appliances. Last I heard, it may be in effect in November.

Our dishwasher is 15+ years old. Still works, but occasionally has problems. We'll be replacing it when the program kicks in.

Thanks! I wonder how much the rebate will be for??? I also will get a $100 rebate through our electric coop.

I would like a BOSCH, based on our experience so far with our front loading washer.

I wonder if you can use homemade soaps in the newer dishwashers. We do in ours now (also in our front loader-instead of the HE soap and have had no problems-but I only use about a tablespoon each load)

[LuxLiving]

He's fine, thanks for asking! Frugalson does our dishes as part of his 'live at home, eat at Mom's' plan.

Our house did not have an in-cabinet dishwasher when we bought it. We did have a portable roll-around one for a while, but I got tired of messing with it and gave it away on free-cycle.

[feh]

Originally Posted by mom-from-missouri

Thanks! I wonder how much the rebate will be for???

It was a range...I can't remember if it's $25-100 or $25-200.

[irmanator]

Are they all standard size? As in do i need to redo my cupboards to get a new one?

[cschin4]

What is wrong with your dishwasher? And, have you had it looked at by a repair man? It might be an easy, inexpensive fix to get it checked over and maybe some new parts.
But, if you want and can afford a new dishwasher, then get one.

[MonkeyMama]

I checked and ours is GE Nautilus - has mixed reviews. Was quiet in 2001, but I have seen MUCH quieter machines - probably the more modern ones.

Just wanted to add that utility companies often offer rebates for energy star appliance purchases. I would look into that too.

[JourneyCC]

We've had Bosch and Kitchen Aid recently after getting tired of Kenmore. Both Bosch and Kitchen Aids have been terrific. I like the quietness of the Bosch, but beware bosch doesn't have heating element for dry so plastics never get dry (not a problem if you mostly use ceramics or glass). The KA just rocks, but it is a tad louder than the Bosch.