March 2008
Dishwasher review
Buy the best dishwasher and avoid getting steamed
UNNECESSARY Adding steam didn't improve cleaning enough to justify this option's high cost. And it added up to 45 minutes to the wash
cycle.
You can pay $800 or more for a dishwasher with a stainless-steel tub, hidden controls, digital displays, and special grime-fighting
cycles. But when it comes to clean dishes, first-rate performance starts at less than $500.
Optional stainless exteriors and standard dirt sensors that adjust the water use and cycle length to the soil level have migrated to more low-priced models. While cycle times are longer as manufacturers strive to meet tougher federal energy standards, efficiency is also up.
WHAT'S AVAILABLE
Electrolux Home Products, General Electric, and Whirlpool make most dishwashers and sell them under their own names, associated brands, and Sears' Kenmore brand. Whirlpool makes high-end Jenn-Air and KitchenAid and low-end Roper as well as Admiral, Amana, and Maytag models. General Electric offers a range of choices under the GE and Hotpoint brands. Electrolux makes Frigidaire models. Asko, Bosch (which makes Siemens), and Miele are high-end European brands. Other players include Haier (from China), LG and Samsung (from Korea), and Fisher & Paykel (from New Zealand).
Most models fit a 24-inch-wide space under a kitchen countertop and attach to a hot-water pipe, drain, and an electrical line. Electrolux offers wide models at a hefty premium. Portables in finished cabinets can be rolled to the sink and connected to the faucet. Designs from Fisher & Paykel, Jenn-Air, Kenmore, and KitchenAid have two stacked drawers that can be used simultaneously or individually, while Fisher & Paykel and KitchenAid offer single-drawer dishwashers.
Price: about $200 to $1,300 for mainstream brands; $1,300 to $2,000 for higher-end brands.
Optional stainless exteriors and standard dirt sensors that adjust the water use and cycle length to the soil level have migrated to more low-priced models. While cycle times are longer as manufacturers strive to meet tougher federal energy standards, efficiency is also up.
WHAT'S AVAILABLE
Electrolux Home Products, General Electric, and Whirlpool make most dishwashers and sell them under their own names, associated brands, and Sears' Kenmore brand. Whirlpool makes high-end Jenn-Air and KitchenAid and low-end Roper as well as Admiral, Amana, and Maytag models. General Electric offers a range of choices under the GE and Hotpoint brands. Electrolux makes Frigidaire models. Asko, Bosch (which makes Siemens), and Miele are high-end European brands. Other players include Haier (from China), LG and Samsung (from Korea), and Fisher & Paykel (from New Zealand).
Most models fit a 24-inch-wide space under a kitchen countertop and attach to a hot-water pipe, drain, and an electrical line. Electrolux offers wide models at a hefty premium. Portables in finished cabinets can be rolled to the sink and connected to the faucet. Designs from Fisher & Paykel, Jenn-Air, Kenmore, and KitchenAid have two stacked drawers that can be used simultaneously or individually, while Fisher & Paykel and KitchenAid offer single-drawer dishwashers.
Price: about $200 to $1,300 for mainstream brands; $1,300 to $2,000 for higher-end brands.
