Completely off topic compared to the other threads in here, but here goes...

We built a house about three years ago and are extremely disapointed with the Kenmore dishwasher we had installed. We go through a lot of dishes (large family) and also wanted a very quiet unit. The unit we have has been a complete nightmare.

Currently looking at Maytag and Bosch for the quality and silence. What experience does anyone here have with the higher-end units of these two brands? Or, do you swear by something else?

Looking to close the deal next week. All opinions welcome!

I bought the Maytag a few months ago. My kitchen and living room are very open, so quiet was important to me. This one is so quiet that I've run it when I've had company. It also does a great job on the dishes, and has an adjustable top rack to make it easier to load some of the bigger items.

A friend had a Bosch, and was disappointed with it. She didn't think it did a very good job of getting the dishes clean.

In the case of many appliance, Maytag and Kenmore are the same, or so I have been told.

Personally, we use the kids to wash and the dishwasher as a drying rack.

You may also Google your search. There are many places where you find info on this and opinions. I did that before getting our Neptune washer/dryer. epinions will give you some info. Having specific model numbers will be more helpful if you have pinned that down.

My mom always said that the best dishwasher she has ever had were her children!

I have always been very happy with Maytag appliances. My SIL has a Bosch dishwasher and swears she will never buy that brand again.

'Slaves'. Has my son been listening to you lately. The other morning I asked him to refill my coffee cup. A small favor. "Am I your slave?" I almost came unglued! This is a cgi linked comic, hopefully it will work. It is Sally Forth from 12-22-04. It rings so true.

The most reliable and longest-lasting dishwashers as reported in Consumer Reports are the 60cm stainless steel diswashers from Siemens, Bosch, Zanussi, and Miele. These four are the best, but they're also the most expensive (in the $680-$900 range). All are stainless steel and have lifetime full replacement guarantees.

If you are a subscriber, you can log-on to the web site and pull down the reports for each.

We, too, are in the midst of a search for a new dishwasher. We were in Lowe's the other night doing a little research, and the fellow there said that quiet and cleaning power are pretty much a function of price. The more you spend, the more insulation, the quieter the unit.

We are down to Maytag and GE. We expect to spend between $375 and $500 (we are doen to 3 models; 1 GE, 2 Maytag). For that money, the sales guy said we should expect the dishwasher to be virtually silent; it should be easy to have a normal conversation next to the dishwasher.

Good Luck.

I have a Maytag that is 6 years old. I can't wait for it to break so I can buy a new one. It is so loud, we can't hear the TV when it is running.

I got a new dishwasher...I got married.

I would not write off Kenmore dishwashers based on what came with your home. Typically all manufacturers make what are called "contractor grade" appliances that are installed in new homes or apartment buildings. These appliances are very cheaply made and in the case of dishwashers very noisy. My parents built a new home 20+ years ago and had to replace the appliances that were installed by the contractor within 5 years.

We recently purchased a new GE dishwasher to replace our 7 year old old GE that sprung a severe leak. GE, Maytag, and Kenmore all had very high rated models and some low rated models on the internet. Bosch was rated very low if I remember correctly. We went middle of the road as far as price goes and got a unit that is very quiet. My wife thinks it does not clean as well as the old one, but I think her expectations (an unrinsed lasagna pan) are a little high. Look for lots of insulation to help with noise, and multi level nozzles - at least top and bottom, prefferably one in the middle as well.

Spend some time on the internet reading reviews before you go shopping and good luck.

The new dishwasher was female.

This reminds me of a joke...

Q: Why do women where white on their wedding day?
A: So the dishwasher matches the stove!

We have a Frigidaire Ultra Quiet. It is the quietest dishwasher I have ever heard.

We bought all Whirlpool appliances when we remodeled and we are happy with the Whirlpool dishwasher.

Go to the library and find Consumer Reports Buying Guide. It will rate the dishwashers. I have used that for cars, tv's, and appliances and I have had great luck with it.

How about an illegal Alien....like Bernard Kerik...

You can also get some models with a delayed start feature and let them run after you've gone to bed. That way noise is not an issue and you are saving energy costs.

BTW, don't get fooled into thinking that Lowes, Home Depot, Sears, etc will have the best overall price. In our small city the home town appliance store has the best price, free delivery (same day usually), free disposal of your old equipment and they service their own stuff. Plus I can park at his front door.

I bought my Kenmore dishwasher 3 years ago. It has decided to stop cleaning the dishes! I had already decided NEVER to buy Kenmore appliances again, when I purchased a Kenmore freezer that was a lemon and they refused to replace it and couldn't repair it. I sincerely hope Maytag and Kenmore are not the same thing - I want to find a company that will stand behind it's products. I have a number of appliances to purchase in my kitchen - the oven is original to the house (1954), you have to set it about 50 degrees less than the recipe/package calls for and I can't find replacement filters for my stove vent anymore.

Our expensive Kitchenaid worked well for 5 years....
Now it's a disaster. Pump whines (failing), door latch has broken closed about 5 times this year. I was lucky that it jiggled open after dismantling as much as I could; if it hadn't we would have had to tear off the control panel that costs $160.
I won't buy another Kitchenaid/Whirpool/Sears, which are all actually Whirlpool.

I'm not in the market to replace my dishwasher yet, but I've been looking at the Miehle drawer type a lot as a candidate.