CindyA

I have a Kitchenaid and it's just 'ok,' but I know I didn't spend too much on it. I hate hearing when people pay a lot of money for high quality (like my sister and her refrigerator) and it doesn't do a great job, so I'm leary of putting too much money into it. But it does the basics of getting things clean.

AlienQuilter

We bought our house 16 years ago and immediately had to replace the dishwasher. The house was only 7 years old and the dishwasher was a whirlpool. Well, we bought a kitchenaid 16 years ago and it still works and has never broke down - no repair bills. Oh, and its relatively quiet compared to other dishwashers.

If you are worried about the cost, ask the store (Sears does this) if they have any returns. We got $200 off of our dishwasher. It's only crime was that it was black and the woman who ordered it was ordering all white appliances - somebody's goof saved us $200!

NJ Quilter

I, too, have a mid-line Kitchenaid - paid about $700 just 2-3 years ago. It was rated top in it's category by Consumer Affairs. I'm not impressed. It does an 'ok' job. I really believe it has more to do with the fact that ALL dishwashers (after speaking w/repair-service folks) now are required to use less water. The cycles run longer (so how exactly are we saving water????) - about an hour without drying time. This machine IS incredibly quiet. The other factor, IMO, is that all the phosphates have been removed from all soaps/detergents. This makes getting things truly 'clean' a real exercise in pre-treating. Don't care if it's dishes or clothes. Even shampoos are different now. I think about the only cleaning product that hasn't changed is bar soap. Using a rinse agent in a dishwasher is a 'must-do' now as well.

BellaBoo

I change out dishwashers quiet often. Our water is very destructive on the inside of them or something, the racks start to break down. Finding racks to fit a certain model is a hassle and a waste of time in most cases. I use mine at two times a day though. I don't care what brand it is as long as the quietness is a feature. I didn't have room for the small dishwasher drawer in this house but will in the next one. Those are real time and money savers when there are just two at home and you still have the big dishwasher to use if needed. I dislike hand washing dishes with a passion.

LenaBeena

I've had Maytag, JennAire, and Whirlpool brands over the years and can't really say one was better than the other. Factors such as water hardness, detergent, water temperature, pre-rinsing etc. all affect cleaning. Lately mine has been depositing tiny black specks, similar to sand, on only the top rack left side loaded cups. We are taking the water arm on top apart today as maybe something is stuck in it. Check the Consumer Reports testing and see what company makes what brands. Many make multiples so don't believe all the hype. Finally, good luck!

TanyaL

You have to determine what is important to you. Since all energy efficient DW take about 2 hours to run, speed is not a consideration. My list was 1. cleanliness, 2. quietness, 3. durability 4. price. I bought a KitchenAid. It had been the display model and I got it when the new models came out and that knocked $150 off the price. I can stand next to it and not hear it running! And the only time something comes out of it that is not clean is once in awhile when a pot has been put in it that has been let get dry and hard without soaking, etc. It has a stainless steel liner so there is no chipping, staining, etc. It is the best DW I have ever owned without question.

Reba'squilts

I live in the country. We moved there twenty years ago. We always had kitchenaid dishwashers. So when building we put in the " best" one we could get. It never did a very good job. I just figured it was our water. 2 years ago it died. So I went to best buy...the stainless LG was on sale and it fit. We bought it and I can not believe how clean the dishes get. So...something must have been wrong with our kitchenaid. I think it is kind of crazy that I just figured it was the water! Duh!!!!

quiltmom04

Under the " you get what you pay for " category, we had to replace an old dishwasher and looked around at everything. But considering how much I use a dishwasher, I decided to look at more expensive models that I thought I " should" , because after all, there are probably more miles on my dishwasher than the car! Anyway, I liked the TOL kitchenaid because it has a third rack on the top for those long utensils and tools that don't fit anywhere else. This rack put this kitchenaid in a class by itself and I wanted it, so we got it. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! The rack is totally worth it, the dishwasher does a great job, and the machine is so quiet I can hardly even tell it's running. They told me it would be that quiet, but I didn't believe them. But they were right. So don't disregard something JUST because its expensive. There is a reason why.

miriam

Bosch in our place - do a Google search and see what the consumers think before you buy any certain model. My daughter got a GE with the controls on the top lip and it didn't hold up a year - the steam from the DW wiped out the controls.

LenaBeena

To finish my story...we took the innards all out and apart. Soaked in vinegar, used an air compressor to blow out gunk and removed a bone fragment, toothpick tip, tiny piece of foil and much very soft black cat fur! (I don't know either!)Anyway after re-assembling with no parts left over we tried it again. STILL some black "sand" so called our water company. We live in the country but too many nitrates from fertilizer to make the water safe to drink. They checked pipes, etc. and nothing. We checked rubber hoses, fittings, whatever and nothing. So tried again. No more black sand - at least today- but now a goo like mashed potatoes. I'm ready to scream! Yes we have a softener and filter and they are fine. Yes I pre-rinse and use only minimal amount of detergent. Any ideas?