Dishwashers: Reviews

The Maytag MDB8959AWW has a sleek, seamless look that's popular with consumers, with a solid door, single handle and hidden controls. But while it has a high-end look, it doesn't have a high-end price. For $600, it comes… expandin solid black or solid white, and for $150 more, in stainless steel. Performance-wise, the Maytag dishwasher isn't rated as highly as most Bosch dishwashers for cleaning or noise, but that doesn't stop owners from giving it positive reviews. It also has two features that some owners miss on Bosch dishwashers: a heated drying cycle and a hard-food disposer. It also has a steam feature, though professional reviewers say steam functions don't make a meaningful difference in cleaning ability. collapse

In reliability surveys, Bosch dishwashers are found to be the quietest and most reliable overall. The highly rated Bosch SHX45P05UC gets a mix of excellent scores for cleaning and efficiency from experts, plus great user… expandreviews for quiet operation and sleek design. Owners like the seamless door (available in stainless-steel, white, black or titanium finishes) with hidden controls. We did find some drawbacks, however. More than one owner complains about the lack of a heated drying cycle (which makes this dishwasher extra energy efficient) and several say its interior capacity is smaller than they expected. A few others say that installation is tricky. We found very few complaints about breakdowns compared to other dishwasher brands. collapse

If you don't need a lot of extra features, the inexpensive Kenmore SmartWash 13892 dishwasher is worth a look. The tub is plastic instead of stainless steel, and its louder than than more expensive dishwashers, but the… expandKenmore 13892 is a rare inexpensive model that includes hidden controls, giving it a sleek, modern look that's popular these days for kitchens. Despite the higher noise rating, however, owners don't seem to find it overly loud, and most say it's spacious with good cleaning performance. It doesn't have fancy extras like a glassware wash, a small-load cycle or a steam feature, but that doesn't seem to concern owners. It is Energy Star-rated and comes in white or black. A stainless-steel finish costs $100 more. collapse