Consumer Reports' Tests Reveal Dishwashers With Steam Are Not So Hot

CR March '08 Cover

YONKERS, NY — Consumer Reports' tests of dishwashers for the March issue revealed that new steam cleaning and targeted spray jet options — evaluated in models costing from $600 to $1,500 — only offered slight differences in cleaning. Moreover, dishwashers costing as little as $350 can get dishes sparkling clean.

In fact, none of the CR Quick Picks including the top-rated Kenmore (Sears) 1374[2], $650; Bosch SHE33MO[2]UC ($540) and Whirlpool DU1055XTS[Q] ($350) needed either feature to remove the oatmeal, egg, tomato sauce, and other hard-to-clean foods CR's testers allowed to harden overnight on dishes before washing.

The Kenmore and Bosch SHX98MO[9]UC, $1,550 topped CR's ratings of 47 dishwashers and both have been reliable brands. With identically dirty loads, CR compared the wash performances of a Jenn-Air, Kenmore Elite, Maytag, and LG using each dishwasher’s Normal cycle and Normal cycle with steam. The difference in cleaning was slight.

Separate spray jets had a bigger impact on cleaning. In CR's tests, those concentrated jets removed baked-on food better than the Normal cycle alone. But dirty dishes must be loaded in a specific spot. Called TurboZone, PowerScour, or ProScrub, depending on the brand, it’s now available on models costing $600.

“Steam is the latest ‘wow’ feature manufacturers are adding to their products to try to convince consumers to spend more, but consumers can get perfectly clean dishes without it,” said Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman, deputy home editor for Consumer Reports. She adds that steam also lengthens cleaning cycles by as much as 45 minutes. “Spray jets work better than steam and are available on mid-priced models, but, like steam, it’s not a ‘must-have’ feature for cleaning dishes.”

The full report on dishwashers is available in the March 2008 issue of Consumer Reports, available wherever magazines are sold. Portions of the story are available for free online at www.ConsumerReports.org.

Almost all of the dishwashers CR tested cleaned well, were easy to load, and were available in stainless steel for about $100 more than basic black or white. They also use far less water and energy than if consumers were to wash the same dishes by hand.

CR's ratings show that spending more won’t necessarily buy better cleaning or quieter operation. But more expensive models are often more stylish with better loading flexibility.

After months of testing, and almost 9,000 dirty dishes, CR's tests also revealed the following:

Dishwasher drawers deliver little. Kenmore’s Elite Drawer dishwashers, $1,400, ranked last in the ratings. The $1,000 Fisher & Paykel DishDrawer excelled at washing, but is noisier and more repair-prone than models that cost hundreds less. Fisher & Paykel has been the most repair-prone brand during the last few years.

A new name falls short. CR's testers said adios to the $1,000 Fagor LF-A073, a dishwasher from Spain. Two machines that CR evaluated failed to complete a full testing cycle and didn’t make it into the ratings.

Wash cycles get longer. Dishwashers have become more energy-efficient because they use less water. But they need to wash longer to get dishes clean. More than half of the tested models took 2 hours or more to do the job, compared to about 90 minutes needed by the best dishwashers just six years ago.

Proper loading = cleaner dishes

According to Consumer Reports' experts, careful placement of dishes, plus an enzyme detergent and rinse aid, can make the difference between glistening dishes and grungy ones. But skip prerinsing, because it wastes time, energy, and as much as 6,500 gallons of water per year.
The report also offers the following loading tips to get cleaner dishes:

Keep large items at the sides and back, so that they don’t block water and detergent from reaching other dishes.
Load the dirtier side of dishes toward the center for more exposure to the spray.
Use the top rack for plastic and delicate items that are dishwasher safe.
Put silverware handles down, but knife handles up.
Place items with baked-on food facedown and toward the sprayer in the bottom rack.

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