Dear Friends,
In my ongoing efforts to ascend out of the inner circles of Bukowinski's Dishwasher Hell, I need your opinions.
Our current abode "features" a vintage 1997 Kenmore/GE budget dishwasher that - until recently - performed its assigned task with an audible gusto that totally belied its utter inefficiency at actually removing particles from any surface. Its recent inability to maintain fundamental structural integrity has relegated its status to that of a built-in dishrack, and continues to rob my family of valuable post-meal bonding time while forcing us to endure the heartbreak of dishpan hands.
So, we shop for dishwashers. As with all things that plug in and have buttons, we obsess. We build charts. We read reviews. We agonize over measurements and manufacturer technobabble. That's when I thought of all of you.
We spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and have made significant (and prudent) investment in a dual-fuel range and a vent hood that - when fully engaged - WILL prevent your seasonings from making the journey down from your shaker to the pan below. So, we will get "a good one" rather than saving money and regularly cursing the "not so good one".
We will get a stainless front and interior. We care about washing ability, quietness, and loading flexibility. We like the idea of an adjustable top rack, but it may not be necessary depending upon configuration. We do regularly wash large items (commercial cookie sheets, etc.). I still have a bit of research to do, and am still obtaining bids. Availability is a very serious issue for some vendors (Best Buy has some excellent prices, but they are back-ordered until June).
The leading candidates so far are things like (prices are plus delivery and tax):
Kitchenaid KUDI02FSS $918.
Kenmore Elite 13773 $969. This is basically the same as the Kitchenaid, except it includes some upgrades to the Kitchenaid P series line (adjustable top shelf, etc.).
GE Profile PWD9280LSS $950
Jenn-Air JDB1090AWS $820.
Jenn-Air and Maytag have basically the same guts. I have not heard good things about Frigidaire. LG and Bosch/Siemens are out of the question due to their point of manufacture and/or drying systems. I understand that some online retailers (ABT, AJ Madison) have good prices, and the shipping is basically a wash compared to WA sales tax, but I would prefer to buy locally.
Your opinions and recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
