Not to hijack the thread, but while we're bemoaning the drawbacks of the newer front loaders, how about dishwashers?? Mine is at least 20 years old and while I'd love to get a new one, I've heard horror stories from my friends, one of whom just purchased a top of the line model. The shortest cycle runs almost 3 hours!!! It's supposed to be energy efficient, which is why it runs so long per the salesman. But how can it be energy efficient if it runs so long????
You know what I'd love to see the manufacturers do for dishwashers? Make them run for 2, 4, or 6 minutes, like the industrial ones in restaurants and school cafeterias. I'd be tickled pink if I could have all the dishes clean and put away half an hour after dinner was over.