kolling@decwrl.DEC.COM (Karen Kolling) (02/23/86)
(Does this belong on net.cooks? Well, who else has more dishes to
wash?)
I'm about to have some kitchen remodeling done, and I'm planning to
get a dishwasher. I've never used a dishwasher at all, so I'd appreciate
any info about what features are useful/useless, specific model
(un)recommendations, built-in vs. stand-alone, and so forth. Mostly,
I just have a few dishes to do, so info about "mini-cycles" would be
particularly useful. Thanks in advance.
Karen uucp: (allegra, decvax, ihnp4, ucbvax)!decwrl!kolling or
ENET: CIRCUS::KOLLING or
arpanet: kolling@decwrl.DEC.COMfigmo@lll-crg.ARpA (Lynn Gold) (03/02/86)
In article <1302@decwrl.DEC.COM>, kolling@decwrl.DEC.COM (Karen Kolling) writes: > > I'm about to have some kitchen remodeling done, and I'm planning to > get a dishwasher. I've never used a dishwasher at all, so I'd appreciate > any info about what features are useful/useless, specific model > (un)recommendations, built-in vs. stand-alone, and so forth. Mostly, > I just have a few dishes to do, so info about "mini-cycles" would be > particularly useful. Thanks in advance. My mother has had a Kitchen Aid Superba for several years; the one in my house is at least 5 years old. Both work very well. The Kitchen Aid dishwashers are the only ones my mother and I have ever used (and between the two of us, we've been through quite a few brands) that actually WASHED the dishes for you (none of this "rinsing-off" beforehand unless you have unusual crud; you'd be surprised what it'll get off!). --Lynn -- UUCP: ...lll-crg!figmo ARPA: Lynn%PANDA@SUMEX-AIM *********************************************************************** * Any resemblance between my postings and any person, living or dead, * * is purely coincidental. Besides, I'm only a guest user here... * ***********************************************************************
reid@glacier.ARPA (Brian Reid) (03/02/86)
I second the nomination for Kitchen-Aid. I've done a lot of dishwasher repairing in my life (I've probably overhauled and/or rebuilt 15 or 20 different dishwashers), and I've used 6 different brands. The only two brands worth considering are Kitchen-Aid and G.E. Because I prefer Kitchen-Aid, I can only speak in detail about them. All Kitchen-Aid dishwashers of any given model year are equivalent inside. They have the same chassis, the same pumps, the same motors, the same valves, etc. They differ only in their detail trim and in their controller logic, and of course in their front panel. If you buy the cheap models of Kitchen-Aid, you get mechanical controllers and poor noise insulation. If you buy the expensive models, you get electronic controllers and good noise insulation. There are also differences in the kinds of baskets you get, and in whether or not some rack is fixed or adjustable, but you can buy a complete set of the best racks at any Kitchen-Aid repair parts dealership for a lot less money than the price difference between the cheapest and the most expensive model. Things you DO want in a dishwasher: * good noise insulation * the ability to turn off electric heat during the dry cycle * a pots-and-pans scrub cycle * a "light wash" cycle * Rinse and hold Things that are a waste of money in a dishwasher: * Electronic controls and LED displays (not as reliable as the mechanical controls). * "Sterilizer" cycles. The minute you touch the dishes they are no longer sterile. (Consumer Reports supports this claim). * Plate warmer cycles (use your oven, or don't bother). I am predisposed by nature against buying a new dishwasher as long as I can fix my old one, but about a year ago my 23-year-old Kitchen Aid Superba got to the point where even I was not willing to repair it any more (it burned out its second pump motor in 23 years, and the door frame seals were beginning to rust). I bought a new Kitchen Aid Superba Energy-Saver V, and I would recommend that model to anyone. I chose it because it was the cheapest Kitchen-Aid with good noise insulation and mechanical pushbutton controls. As I said before, they all have exactly the same washing mechanism inside. -- Brian Reid decwrl!glacier!reid Stanford reid@SU-Glacier.ARPA