Dishwashers--which one should I buy? KitchenAid vs Whirlpool Gold?

[Harriet Vane]

We are considering a dishwasher purchase.

 

We have really hard water that leaves mineral deposits.

 

We wonder if the more expensive KitchenAid will last longer, or should we get a cheaper Whirlpool in case the hard water kills the machine and we have to get another one? We HATE the idea of disposable appliances. However, we have lived in this state only three years and don't really know how best to handle the hard water.

 

For what it's worth, we are getting a substantial discount through a friend. So the less expensive one is even cheaper for us, but the more expensive one is actually in the realm of do-able for us due to the discount.

 

Should we get the more expensive KitchenAid KDTM354ESS?

 

Or the Whirlpool Gold WDT720PADM?

 

 

Why or why not?

 

Thanks!

[trulycrabby]

Can you get a water softener for the house?

 

We have hard water, but I have connected it more to killing water heaters than dishwashers.

 

My last dishwasher was a high end Kitchen Aid and it was a lemon, but their quality might have improved. I had a model that was known to be glitchy, so perhaps you should read a few more reviews before you take my opinion I to consideration.

Edited August 8, 2016 by trulycrabby

[StephanieZ]

Bosch 800. :) I love, love, love ours.

[Harriet Vane]

Bosch 800. :) I love, love, love ours.

 

Unfortunately not an option for us. It has to be one of the two models I mentioned in my OP in order to get our discount. :)

[Carol in Cal.]

I studied dishwashers frantically within the last year, and decided that I would get a high end Kitchen Aid over anything else that was 'normal', because it seemed the most likely to be reliable and effective.  I had asked here and ended up deciding on a high end Bosch, but when we went to purchase it, I was dismayed to see that the tines of the lower rack are diagonal, meaning that I couldn't wash my large pots in it at all--unacceptable.  The KA was our second choice, so I decided to go with that.  I was told to expect long but very quiet cycles, and to have the dishes come out of the dishwasher still wet, because of the energy saving measures forced on manufacturers lately.  This was for our cabin, so a high priority was to have a 'normal' brand that could be serviced easily.  Ultimately we ended up postponing that purchase for financial priority reasons, but I think that it would have been a solid choice based on everything I studied.

 

At home, which is where our very old dishwasher broke, we were just at the point of getting that KA when a couple of messages on these boards led me to go look at the Miele models, which are decidedly not 'normal' and have their own store.  We were extremely impressed with those.  They are more expensive than KA, and have more options, so it's like designing a car--you pick your model and they build it for you.  They have an available water softener that you can have built in in advance, and we would definitely have gotten that feature.  The only thing I didn't like about them is that they expect maintenance, like any basic German car, and I'm really more of a 'this should run by itself' Toyota type person.  But I was impressed by their long warranty, and by the fact that they took this machine seriously enough to suggest a maintenance schedule for it.  It sounded like they expect this to be your final, last dishwasher that you ever buy, an attitude I heartily endorse.  The other thing that bothered me about them is they are too sleek and gorgeous.  I think that getting one would be functionally sensible, but it would make the rest of my kitchen look really, really bad; whereas now it just looks kind of charmingly dated.  But I was going to do it, except that on his 4th try (bless his charming persistance) DH got our very old, and even dented KA to run right again, better than it had in years, and so we were blessedly able to postpone this purchase.

We have very hard water, the kind that leaves calcium deposits on the bottom of our teakettle fairly regularly.  Vinegar removes this, so every once in a while we run the dishwasher empty with a glass measuring cup of vinegar perched in the bottom rack once or twice, and it removes most of the deposits.  We learned from this last breakdown that it would also be smart to take out the arms and clean out the spray holes from time to time.  A lot of what we thought was just normal aging of the DW was actually deposits building up in some of the holes.

[Harriet Vane]

Can you get a water softener for the house?

 

We have hard water, but I have connected it more to killing water heaters than dishwashers.

 

My last dishwasher was a high end Kitchen Aid and it was a lemon, but their quality might have improved. I had a model that was known to be glitchy, so perhaps you should read a few more reviews before you take my opinion I to consideration.

 

We are not crazy about getting a water softener for the whole house. For one thing, it's expensive. For another, we both grew up with softened water and hate the taste, hate the feel of it. (We grew up in the Chicago suburbs. When we moved into the city proper with Lake Michigan water, we both decreed we would never live with softened water again if we could help it.)

[Carol in Cal.]

PS So in your case I would get the KA, AND run a cleaning cycle every few months OR look at the Miele's and get one with a water softener built into it.

[hellen]

Bosch 800. :) I love, love, love ours.

Me too. Love the 3rd rack.

 

The 2 models you listed seem pretty similar so I would go with the cheaper one. I looked at the inside configuration. Having a dishwasher that doesn't fit your dishes well is annoying.

[PeterPan]

Ok, I have KA dishwashers, so clearly I've liked them enough to keep buying them.  Have you tried different brands of dishwasher tabs/detergent?  On our water (well water), the brand makes a big difference.  I use Finish and it's fine with our water.  Cascade, which is supposed to be higher rated, leaves spots on my dishes.  But it's the water and how the detergent interacts.  

 

Also you can get detergents that have the softener or add it.  The tabs I use have the little softener ball.  Look at the boxes and you'll see.  Or you can pour it in.  If you haven't tried an additional rinse aid or a tab with the rinse aid, then that's another thing to do.

 

There's also Lemmi-shine.  It's not very expensive at Walmart, and you can use it as a rinse aid or to run through your dw on a hot/cleaning cycle.

 

Now for the scoop on the KAs.  The same manufacturers make a lot of labels, so like Kenmore could be a bosch or fridgidaire or whirlpool or... from year to year.  KA is always nicer.  Like you might get less bells for the same price but it will be nicer.  The glides will be nicer, the grips nicer, that kind of thing.  And I just like nice, kwim?  

 

I don't know how the whirlpool reviews to have an opinion.  I think you should google them and see.  Read reviews on sears appliance and see.  

 

Negatives about my KAs?  Well if you get a model that vents out the top, eventually the circuit boards get unhappy.  That would be true of any dw I suppose, any brand.  I've replaced circuit boards on my units, and that was at maybe 6 years old.  Both my main for dw's get run at least once a day, so that's hard use compared to some people I suppose but maybe not.  

 

The real negative is the way the disposal is accessed.  This would be DEALBREAKER to me.  You can add extra insulation for soundproofing, and you can live with less swanky glides.  Go to the store, open both units, and see how you access the grinder/disposal.  My KAs, all three of them, are older and I have to remove multiple screws and pull out stuff and it's a HUGE PAIN.  I *think* they may have fixed this on the newest models.  Check, and let that decide for you.  I spend probably 2 hours twice a year, maybe longer, cleaning out the grinder units on my KAs.  They log up with slime from oatmeal, bits of toothpicks and things that never should have been in there, you name it.  You don't know HOW I wish that it was a simple little thing I could flip open and just clean!  

 

So whatever model has fixed that is the one I'd get.

 

Meanwhile, are you getting a red ring or calcium build-up in your tub or toilet?  If you are, what you might want to do is have them install a water softener but divert off a line to a drinking spigot.  You can do that.  :)  

 

If you run unsoftened water through your dw, you're going to get those same minerals built up in the tubing and spray arms, which means every so often you're going to have to service it.  It *might* be that right now your unit needs some service.  Maybe you've already done that?  I don't run a water softener at my house and we do have a dab of minerals in the water.  So when I clean out the grinders twice a year, I tear apart all the spray arms and clean out the build-up.  If you run Lemmi-shine or something more often, it would probably help.  Really though, depending on how hard your water is, a unit for the house and leaving your drinking water unfiltered is the solution.  

[PeterPan]

Adding: I don't know much about the Whirlpool.  If your thought is that it's not as good a machine, then no don't get it. I would deal with the water problem by changing your detergent, etc., and get the better dw.  I've *heard* Bosch are so much better, but I really don't know. 

 

And I'd be really curious to see what happens to your current dw if you service it.  Is it old or builder grade?  What are your complaints?  Have you cleaned out the spray arm, grinder, etc. to see if anything is plugged?

Edited August 8, 2016 by OhElizabeth

[gardenmom5]

I have a top of the line kitchen aide.  I DESPISE it.  it  doesn't clean very well - AT. ALL. we have to rinse  A. LOT., and use extra  hot water with both soap dishes filled.  never, ever, ever ever will I buy another.  If I had the money, we would have replaced it four months after we bought it.

 

get a bosch.  (i did like my three arm GE profile that cleaned really well, but wasn't very quiet.  it was also extremely flexible. it died.  sad. the current one isn't as nice, which is why I didn't buy another.)

 

 

eta: the KA is very quiet.  quiet is over rated if it doesn't actually c.l.e.a.n.

Edited August 8, 2016 by gardenmom5

[PeterPan]

Fwiw, my 3 KAs were from before some of the most stringent water use restrictions went into place.  It might explain some of the differences in reviews you see over the years.  My dws clean fine and we don't rinse.  If they're not cleaning fine, it's because dh didn't load properly and blocked a spray arm or they need to be cleaned or the detergent is wrong.  But these are all from before the most stringent low water use standards went in.  

 

Remember, it's easy to add soundproofing.  You can add at the kickplate and around the unit when you slide it in. 

Edited August 8, 2016 by OhElizabeth

[Guest]

The new Kitchenaids are essentially rebranded Whirlpools, and our model has been nothing but a headache and was a higher end one. Our previous Kitchenaid was great but now we will only endorse Bosch or commercial.

[Guest]

I have a top of the line kitchen aide. I DESPISE it. it doesn't clean very well - AT. ALL. we have to rinse A. LOT., and use extra hot water with both soap dishes filled. never, ever, ever ever will I buy another. If I had the money, we would have replaced it four months after we bought it.

 

get a bosch. (i did like my three arm GE profile that cleaned really well, but wasn't very quiet. it was also extremely flexible. it died. sad. the current one isn't as nice, which is why I didn't buy another.)

 

 

eta: the KA is very quiet. quiet is over rated if it doesn't actually c.l.e.a.n.

We have had ours repaired six times in five years. It is a nightmare - the little grinder in the base gets blocked and the spray arm gets clogged so easily. Never again!

[Carol in Cal.]

I am so relieved that DH was finally able to repair our old, battered KA.

[Guest]

It would need to be a really good discount for me to consider a KA again. I honestly wouldn't go there if it were free. My KA was really bad so I was thrilled when it started leaking so I could get rid of it. My Bosch 800 is so good, I'd marry it and have its quiet little babies if I could.

[Hypatia.]

We bought a Whirlpool Gold, I think it was a Quiet Partner III (but too lazy to get up and look), when we moved into our current house 10 years ago. I've been fairly satisfied with it, but it's at the end of life now and we will look into different brands for our next one. We're a large family (not that large when we originally bought it) and it is used 1-2 times a day.

 

It's very quiet, my mother purchased one based on how much she like mine but hers was never as quiet. Items on the top rack don't seem to get as clean, anything beyond basic glasses. If we put bowls on the top rack never seem to get clean. I haven't been unhappy enough with it to replace it early (now it's starting to leak), but not happy enough with it to get another one. So overall, meh. 

 

[Tap]

We have a 15yo Whirlpool Gold Quiet Wash Plus and it is a wonderful dishwasher. If it died, I wouldn't hesitate to replace it with the exact same one, but....it was the model sold 15 years, ago, so I doubt the new ones are anywhere close to it in function.  I would probably bite the financial bullet and get a high end Bosch.  A good deal on a crappy appliance, is still a crappy appliance. 

[Denisemomof4]

All my dishwashers were junk until we got the Nosch. We tried Whirlpool, KA, and one other.... drawing a blank.

 

My Bosch is almost 8 years old and runs like it did the day we bought it.

[FriedClams]

We have a Bosch. I fat-swelly-fuzzy-heart LOVE it. It's SILENT. Like, turn it on and have a conversation next to it, silent. It gets things clean. It's been very reliable.

[DawnM]

We wanted to make sure the inside of the door was stainless, it holds in the heat far better than plastic.  

 

We also wanted quiet. 

 

So, whichever of those has the two criteria above, I would go for it.

 

We have Bosch and had one in CA and then bought the same one when we moved here, so I don't know about Whirlpool, but those were our criteria.

[Jan in SC]

Whirlpool makes KitchenAid, so get whichever has the features you like best. We just replaced a high end KitchenAid. It was ok. We replaced the electronics twice and the hinges twice, and we only had it for four years. The dishes were cleaned fairly well, but the new Bosch is noticeably better. (I'm not saying that so you get the Bosch, but so you look closer at the lower end model. I'm not sure the bells and whistles are always worth it.)

[Guest]

We have a 15yo Whirlpool Gold Quiet Wash Plus and it is a wonderful dishwasher. If it died, I wouldn't hesitate to replace it with the exact same one, but....it was the model sold 15 years, ago, so I doubt the new ones are anywhere close to it in function. I would probably bite the financial bullet and get a high end Bosch. A good deal on a crappy appliance, is still a crappy appliance.

Just FYI--your 15 year old Whirlpool was probably made in the US. They moved all their manufacturing to Mexico 5-10 years ago.

[mominco]

We have had ours repaired six times in five years. It is a nightmare - the little grinder in the base gets blocked and the spray arm gets clogged so easily. Never again!

Arctic Mama we had the same problem with our whirlpool,the repair man found a lot of blockage.

It turned out to be the detergent that was causing a blockage.

It was drying up inside and the repair man pulled out a ton

(he pulled out 1/2 gallon ziploc bag) of detergent that got dried up inside.

I was using finish and sometimes cascade.

i think other people reported the same problem with those brands.

 

I now changed to Oxiclean crystals and have not had an issue since. 

[prairiewindmomma]

If a Bosch isn't in your budget, I would go with the cheaper Whirlpool. I plugged the model number in to the Home Depot website and 5,000 people were basically happy with it. 

 

I would get a water softener and remineralize your water for taste.  Hard water kills appliances, makes it more difficult to clean, and is harder on your skin.  We finally had to cave and get a water softener when we moved here, and it's been ok.

[gardenmom5]

We wanted to make sure the inside of the door was stainless, it holds in the heat far better than plastic.  

 

We also wanted quiet. 

 

So, whichever of those has the two criteria above, I would go for it.

 

We have Bosch and had one in CA and then bought the same one when we moved here, so I don't know about Whirlpool, but those were our criteria.

 

my KA has a stainless interior, and is mostly silent (there are a couple points in the cycle you can hear it, but it's still fairly quiet.)

it's a piece of junk - and the worst dishwasher I've ever owned.  even my first dishwasher, a GE builder special (re: *cheap*), cleaned better.

[momee]

"We learned from this last breakdown that it would also be smart to take out the arms and clean out the spray holes from time to time.  A lot of what we thought was just normal aging of the DW was actually deposits building up in some of the holes."

 

This for us too.  I have to do maintenance on my DW.  That includes running with DW magic product, or some vinegar in a glass, and using good dishwashing detergent cubes - not powder! - and taking the parts out and cleaning them, including the arms to make sure they run water through without clogs.  I also have to clean the insulation strip things with vinegar AND take out the filter pieces in the bottom of the unit.  

 

We are very careful about what food is left on and the repair man - yes - we've had it less than a year and it had to be repaired/cleaned - said we should get a unit with a disposal next time.

[Ellie]

We are considering a dishwasher purchase.

 

We have really hard water that leaves mineral deposits.

 

We wonder if the more expensive KitchenAid will last longer, or should we get a cheaper Whirlpool in case the hard water kills the machine and we have to get another one? We HATE the idea of disposable appliances. However, we have lived in this state only three years and don't really know how best to handle the hard water.

 

For what it's worth, we are getting a substantial discount through a friend. So the less expensive one is even cheaper for us, but the more expensive one is actually in the realm of do-able for us due to the discount.

 

Should we get the more expensive KitchenAid KDTM354ESS?

 

Or the Whirlpool Gold WDT720PADM?

 

 

Why or why not?

 

Thanks!

 

I have a mid-range Whirlpool that is almost 12 years old and still works like a champ. I will always have a Whirlpool. :001_wub: