Dishwashers: Reviews

Updated February 2012

Any dishwasher will run your plates, glasses and utensils through a series of wash, rinse and dry cycles, but not all of them do the job with the same efficiency. To find the best dishwashers on the market, we pored over professional test results and user reviews to make the following recommendations.

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Best-value dishwasher

Maytag JetClean Plus MDB8959AWW

*Est. $660 Compare Prices

The Maytag JetClean Plus MDB8959AWW has a sleek, seamless look including a solid door, single handle and hidden controls. Yet its high-end appearance doesn't come at a high-end price. Performance-wise, this Energy… expandStar-rated dishwasher gets high marks for cleaning and efficiency. It's noisier than some more expensive models, but that doesn't stop owners from giving it positive reviews (although a few say installation is tricky). The MDB8959AWW includes a heated drying cycle, an adjustable upper rack and a hard-food disposer, saving you from having to clean out a filter. It also has a sanitize cycle, although professional reviewers say this feature doesn't necessarily improve cleaning ability. Available in black or white, or in stainless steel for about $100 more. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: The Maytag JetClean Plus MDB8959AWW is one of more than 135 standard dishwashers evaluated for cleaning performance, efficiency, noise and ease of use.

Sears.com: Altogether, there are about 70 user reviews at Sears.com for the various colors of the Maytag MDB8959AWW. Most say the dishwasher cleans very well and is quiet, with a nice-looking design.

HomeDepot.com: More than 80 owners post reviews for the Maytag JetClean Plus MDB8959AWW. They say it gets dishes "squeaky clean" and is reasonably quiet, although a few complain about noise.

Buzzillions.com: We found more than 50 user reviews here for the stainless version of the Maytag JetClean Plus MDB8959AWW. Owners give this dishwasher 4.1 stars out of 5, saying it's attractive and quiet, with good cleaning performance and simple controls.

J.D. Power & Associates: The annual appliance survey by J.D. Power and Associates doesn't evaluate specific models, but it does rank dishwasher brands as a whole based on such factors as design, performance and ease of use.

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for $678.00

Best luxury dishwasher

Kenmore Elite 13962

*Est. $1,170 Learn More

In user surveys, Kenmore Elite dishwashers are among the top picks for reliability and overall satisfaction. The highly rated 13962 gets excellent scores for cleaning and ease of use from experts, plus great user reviews… expandfor its quiet operation and sleek design. Owners like the seamless door (available in stainless steel, white, black or wood finishes) with hidden controls. The Elite includes most of the features you'd expect on a luxury model but lacks a hard-food grinder, which is one reason it's so quiet. Some owners say the touch controls can be easy to bump by accident. We found very few complaints about breakdowns compared to other dishwashers in this price class. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: The Kenmore Elite 13962 is one of more than 135 standard dishwashers evaluated for cleaning performance, efficiency, noise and ease of use.

Sears.com: We found about 150 user reviews here for the Kenmore Elite 13962.

$1,170.00 from Sears.com

Best basic dishwasher

Maytag JetClean Plus MDB7749AWW

*Est. $550 Compare Prices

The inexpensive Maytag JetClean Plus MDB7749AWW has many of the same features as the top-rated Maytag MDB8959AWW, including a self-cleaning filter and a stainless-steel tub. However, it lacks the hidden controls,… expandadjustable rack and quick-wash cycle found on its more expensive cousin. This model isn't included in professional tests, but users give it good marks for its cleaning performance and quiet operation. However, we did see some complaints that it's awkward to load and tricky to install. This dishwasher is Energy Star-rated and comes in white, black or bisque. A stainless-steel finish costs about $100 more. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

HomeDepot.com: We found more than 200 reviews at this site for the Maytag JetClean Plus MDB7749AWW. Users say the dishwasher is quiet and most agree that it cleans well, although a few complain about food residue left on dishes.

Maytag.com: More than 80 satisfied owners review the Maytag MDB7749AWW at the manufacturer's site.

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for $669.33