Thread Number: 22689
The Greatest Cleaning Dishwasher of All Time
[Down to Last]

automaticwasher.org's exclusive eBay Watch:
scroll >>> for more items --- [As an eBay Partner, eBay may compensate automaticwasher.org if you make a purchase using any link to eBay on this page]
Post# 355303   6/7/2009 at 16:37 (5,408 days old) by mrcleanjeans (milwaukee wi)        

In your opinion, what is the greatest cleaning dishwasher of ALL time?




Post# 355356 , Reply# 1   6/7/2009 at 18:10 (5,408 days old) by jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers)        
My 2004 Kitchen Aid Superba

jetcone's profile picture
Hands down!

Post# 355358 , Reply# 2   6/7/2009 at 18:12 (5,408 days old) by roto204 (Tucson, AZ)        
Oh, Jon, and here I thought...

roto204's profile picture
...for certain you'd vote for the Crosley Tumble-tub ;-)

Post# 355368 , Reply# 3   6/7/2009 at 18:50 (5,408 days old) by stevet (West Melbourne, FL)        
Toss it up here!

Can I have 3?
KDS-18 with the longer top wash arm and true 180 degree Sani Rinse!
My KDC21-D Imperial derived machine, longer cycles than the Superba of the same genre and better rinses after the washes!

KDS21/22 with the Hobart designed pump. Nothing cleans better than these.

My project when I get back from Italy at the end of June is to recreate a KDS18 but use the 21 pump. Make it non reversing and add an external drain pump to it.


Post# 355386 , Reply# 4   6/7/2009 at 20:04 (5,408 days old) by maytagbear (N.E. Ohio)        
My Maytag

WC400 from 1973.


It wasn't quiet. It drank more than a practising alcoholic.


But, oh could it clean!


Lawrence/Maytagbear


Post# 355390 , Reply# 5   6/7/2009 at 20:16 (5,408 days old) by roto204 (Tucson, AZ)        
KitchenAid

roto204's profile picture
Of almost any vintage ilk, none of the KAs I've used have disappointed. (Roger's fault for setting me on the path of Hobart enlightenment...then Greg encouraged it with that 15 :-D ) ;-)

Post# 355395 , Reply# 6   6/7/2009 at 20:29 (5,408 days old) by gyrafoam (Wytheville, VA)        
KitchenAid

Doesn't matter which model right on up to the -23's.


Post# 355413 , Reply# 7   6/7/2009 at 21:02 (5,408 days old) by kqkenmore (memphis tn)        
kenmore

kqkenmore's profile picture
I had a Kitchen-aid and it was very good but I have had 2 Whirlpool made Kenmores and they have been the best.The first Kenmore that I had for nine years was the best and I thought that it was going out and I found another tall tub one on clearence at Sears reg 800.00 for 300.00 and I bought it and gave the other one to a friend it still works great.Why todays dishwashers are not that good is because they are taking the disposers out of them so they are quieter but they do not clean as well.

Post# 355415 , Reply# 8   6/7/2009 at 21:03 (5,408 days old) by moparwash (Pittsburgh,PA )        
Until I get my 'New' KA 23 series installed..

moparwash's profile picture
It would be Me!

Post# 355418 , Reply# 9   6/7/2009 at 21:06 (5,408 days old) by appnut (TX)        

appnut's profile picture
Dayam Jerry, I'll take you over any automatic dishwasher ever made!!!! CRAP!! That's the best lookin mdel I've seen in years.

Post# 355420 , Reply# 10   6/7/2009 at 21:08 (5,408 days old) by appnut (TX)        

appnut's profile picture
I always thought Greg's KDS18 with the black glass fornt panel was one of the sexiest dishwahwers I'd ever seen, but you now have earned that title!!!

Post# 355434 , Reply# 11   6/7/2009 at 21:32 (5,408 days old) by tlee618 ()        

For me it has to be the KDS 18 with the longer upper wash arm as well. What that machine can do in right at 33 min. is amazing!!!

Post# 355440 , Reply# 12   6/7/2009 at 21:38 (5,408 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)        

gansky1's profile picture


Vintage KitchenAid
(with modifications/exclusions for some models)




Post# 355469 , Reply# 13   6/7/2009 at 22:10 (5,408 days old) by toploader55 (Massachusetts Sand Bar, Cape Cod)        
KDS-18

toploader55's profile picture
I have the Short Wash Arm, and have used the Longer version (Wash Arm that us), and Nothing cleans better. I might be on the Hot Trail of a Vintage Fridgedaire Portable. Stay Tuned !!!
But in the mean time, KDS 18 All The Way. The Over Head "Constant Rinse" gets rid of the yibbles on the top of stuff in the Upper Rack. Why they never worked on that was the biggest disappoinment when they dropped that on the rest of the machines built. You gotta have something overhead to rinse the Crap off the spray from the bottom from either racks.
The AM 14 at the restaurant and for a matter of fact, All Commercial Machines have a Upper and Lower Wash Arm. Makes Sense, doesn't it ? All my Vintage KA's clean well, as long as you have plates in the Lower Rack and put concave objects in the Upper Rack. I feel this limits the capacity.And I still sometimes find Yibbles on the stuff in the upper Rack
Just My Opinion. Eddie


Post# 355473 , Reply# 14   6/7/2009 at 22:39 (5,408 days old) by amyswasher ()        
Lady Kenmore

My mother had a avocado Lady Kenmore in 1978. It was the very top of the line. It was the picture of the day a couple of days ago. That thing you could put chicken bones it it and everything else and it came clean. (I am not kidding about the chicken bones) Now I have a Whirlpool Quiet Partner II, and it is a piece of crap. I could probably bet it is still working to this day. Energy efficiency does not work if you half to run the dishwasher twice. It is like King of the Hill and the low flow toilets it doesn't work if it's a bad product.

Post# 355477 , Reply# 15   6/7/2009 at 22:55 (5,408 days old) by toggleswitch2 ()        
In your opinion, what is the greatest cleaning dishwasher of

My grandmother with rubber gloves, hot water, detergent and a sponge. Where she came from there was no water in the house and certainly no hot water. She was happier than a clam with runnig water, a dish-pan and a dish-drainer.

My momma's Kenmore-badged TOL Lady Kenmore Roto-rack from 1968 certainly did look like a space-ship with all of its lights and indicators. I think it washed well but mother washed her dishes before puitting them in there!

I loved my Whirlpool Power-clean from the 90's most! Still being made today although I would have to guess dumbed-down to be be (*PUKE*) "energy-star".

Hint: today for a new DW get one that is NOT an enegy star model!


Post# 355496 , Reply# 16   6/8/2009 at 00:22 (5,408 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA)        

swestoyz's profile picture
KitchenAid

Post# 355511 , Reply# 17   6/8/2009 at 01:54 (5,408 days old) by mrcleanjeans (milwaukee wi)        

I'd say the Whirlpool power clean module machines,the GE GSD1200 and certain Waste Kings from the mid 70s all cleaned even better than Kitchen Aids,however no DW was ever built better than those Hobart Kitchen Aids.

Post# 355615 , Reply# 18   6/8/2009 at 15:35 (5,407 days old) by washmeup (scottsdale)        
Kitchen Aid

washmeup's profile picture
Kitchen Aids made by Hobart! I have a Miele now and it is awesome!

Post# 355618 , Reply# 19   6/8/2009 at 15:47 (5,407 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture
I always thought the GE Potscrubber (a 1978 model) that my folks had did a great job. We really did use that Power Scrub cycle to death and it got the heaviest crud off the pots and pans.

Post# 355634 , Reply# 20   6/8/2009 at 16:45 (5,407 days old) by frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie)        

frigilux's profile picture
OK, go ahead and throw things, but my TOL 2008 LG (Model 9810) cleans better than any dishwasher I've ever had, which includes two TOL KitchenAids (one Hobart and one Whirlpool-made), a Maytag (this one came in 2nd), a Frigidaire (good with dishes but not pots/pans), a Whirlpool (circa '86 or so) and a GE.

The LG cleans pots/pans like no other! And it has no rival for racking space. Hands down, the winner!



Post# 355641 , Reply# 21   6/8/2009 at 17:11 (5,407 days old) by brisnat81 (Brisbane Australia)        

Out of the three Older Dishwashers that I've lived with, they were all about the same.

Dishlex Mark 8
Simpson Cascade
GE Potscrubber with Dual Spray arms.

They were all late 70's machines, did a good alround job on most loads. Couldnt shift burnt on stuff, but would clean most saucepans etc without a problem. Proper scraping was important, as there was no soft food disposal, everything got caught in the filter and needed cleaning. They all suffered from a lack of loading room, due to the space the upper spray arm took up, but were quick (When connected to Hot)

Out of that mix of oldies, the best I've used is the older 500 series Miele and my current 2000 series. Its a tall tub with huge amounts of interior room, flexible loading and the ability to blast off any burnt on food, even with the pin hole spray jets. The Miele wins hands down compared to the oldies.

The old ones seemed to be high volume at a lower pressure, where the Miele is low volue, high pressure and those needles seem to just blast the dirt off. The diffence is double the cycle time, but it can deal with soft food disposal.

Mum still has a Mark 8 Dishlex that does a good job, it just requires finess to shoe horn baking pans and the such in there.


Post# 355725 , Reply# 22   6/9/2009 at 04:31 (5,406 days old) by whitekingd ()        
KDS-14 P "Superba" Kitchen Aid

It's not the quietest machine ever made, but when loaded properly and run with good detergent I can't beat it. Once every fourth or fifth load I MIGHT have a dish not come clean. And, I don't pre-wash, or even rinse the dishes. I just scrape 'em and load 'em. Love that Superba!!

Post# 355729 , Reply# 23   6/9/2009 at 07:05 (5,406 days old) by bajaespuma (Connecticut)        
Taking a cue from Jerry...

bajaespuma's profile picture
My Mom and our 1962 GE WU-402 pull-out. Mostly because she hand washed every damn thing before it went in to the machine(Before we ever owned a dishwasher she once saw a friend's KitchenAid with a week's full of dirty smelly dishes and roaches and swore that her's would never be like that). Dishes came out of there spotless and too hot to handle.

Post# 355785 , Reply# 24   6/9/2009 at 11:23 (5,406 days old) by washmeup (scottsdale)        
Remeber When?

washmeup's profile picture
Growing up I remember unloading my mothers Kitchen Aid after it had shut off and the dishes were so hot you could barely touch them. Now when you unload the newer dishwashers the dishes are never that hot. I liked it the way it used to be!

Post# 355789 , Reply# 25   6/9/2009 at 11:31 (5,406 days old) by soberleaf ()        
my dog duke!

left to his own devices he would lick every spoon, plate and cup sparkling clean although probably not sanitized! unfortunately for him with 6 dishwashers in the kitchen he doesn't get a chance!

next to duke i would vote for kitchenaid by hobart, any model!
i'm partial to the 17 series myself but realize the later models prob clean the upper rack a bit better and make loading more convenient! but kitchanaid all the way!


Post# 355873 , Reply# 26   6/9/2009 at 21:11 (5,406 days old) by everythingold (Grand Rapids, Michigan)        
The best dishwasher????

everythingold's profile picture
In terms of what? Initial cleaning ability? I doubt any new LG owner is going to be happy in 5 years. I hope you got the extended warranty. Does best mean longevity? KA's win hands down on longetivity. NOTHING can compare with KA's on this.
That is why I have a shop full of KA's. Because they survived. And they do a good job. Sometimes they do an amazing job. I am curious about GMFR's, certain D&M's (like the Kelvinator Pete has), and now, Maytage direct drive reverse racks. These are rare machines because they did not last 40 years. But they probably made it 20. But I didn't even get a chance to hook up the Maytag DD I had. BTW, I am not allowed to load the dishwasher. My wife has a certain way of doing it and I only mess up her system. She has used a variety of dishwashers. She thinks the top-loading design is superior. matt


Post# 355878 , Reply# 27   6/9/2009 at 21:27 (5,406 days old) by norfolksouthern ()        

"Remeber When?

Growing up I remember unloading my mothers Kitchen Aid after it had shut off and the dishes were so hot you could barely touch them. Now when you unload the newer dishwashers the dishes are never that hot. I liked it the way it used to be!"


I actually have a BOT Whirlpool that does that; the dishes are almost too hot to touch when it's done. The cycle usually completes in roughly 45 minutes. It has no sensor, just a mechanical timer with temperature boost and heat dry controls. Less to break, of course! A KitchenAid it is not, but it still does a decent job. I have always had good luck with Whirlpools, but no so much with Maytags or Frigidaires. I can't say about the GEs, because I've never tried one.

NorfolkSouthern


Post# 355890 , Reply# 28   6/9/2009 at 21:49 (5,406 days old) by super32 (Blackstone Massachusetts)        

super32's profile picture
Ok, so im torn. I have had 3 great dishwashers. Growing up we had an old BD maytag. It was noisey, but it cleaned. In my adult years i have had maytag DWU9962, ge potscrubber 2800, and 3 different bosch models. My current bosch cleans very well. Sometimes i dont know how it does, but it does. The maytag did a great job too. That whole fuzzy logig thing was still kinda new at that time. As for the ge, well lets just say it would have made a better lawn sprinkler!

Post# 355908 , Reply# 29   6/9/2009 at 22:49 (5,406 days old) by keithelong ()        
Best Cleaning djshwasher

My Maytag WC300 was a portable then built-in then built-in to our new kitchen. When I built it in the first time ran thru the heating domestic coil of out furnace then when I shut the furnace off the washability wasn't as good because I was using cold water! but it was still better than any GE. Oh it still is in use every day since Dec, 1978

Post# 355920 , Reply# 30   6/9/2009 at 23:14 (5,406 days old) by qsd-dan (West)        

qsd-dan's profile picture
Washibilty, I'd say a 18-21 series Hobart Kitchenaids. As far as reliability, well, the 1989 WU-204 has currently outlasted the KDS-19 by 8 years....and without a single repair. Can't go wrong with either machine though!!

Post# 355923 , Reply# 31   6/9/2009 at 23:27 (5,406 days old) by mrcleanjeans (milwaukee wi)        

Years ago.our 1959 RCA Whirlpool FP-50 portable top loader with the Filter Stream

wash system got the dishes cleaner than ANY dishwasher I had ever used. When I used Calgonite (the 12% phosphate formula ) and not the later 8.7% Formula 211 Calgonite with the bonus solid rinse aid,the dishes gleamed like they were buffed with an electric polisher-I kid you not. Consumer Reports was right about that dishwasher,they check rated it and its built -in counterpart as cleaning all but a relatively few test dishes to a "gleaming radiant sparkle." Its cycle design was rinse,wash.rinse,wash,rinse,rinse,dry. The main wash alone was 15 minutes long,triple the time of most machines then with their puny 5 min.wash,then two 1 min.rinses. Yet the cycle was only 45 minutes long,since it did not pause to fill or drain,but kept the motor running all along til the dry cycle which was only 13.5 minutes.How I forgot to bring this DW up a few days ago is beyond me-business I guess,BTW,the built in version had the telephone dial.


Post# 355928 , Reply# 32   6/10/2009 at 00:18 (5,406 days old) by whirlcool (Just North Of Houston, Texas)        

The Maytag we purchased last November cleans as good as the early 90's Maytag Jet Clean we had. The build quality is not as heavy duty as the 90's model, but it cleans just as well, which means anything that you put into it will come out totally clean; including food that has been baked onto SS pans with no precleaning.

Post# 356982 , Reply# 33   6/14/2009 at 13:44 (5,401 days old) by roto204 (Tucson, AZ)        
Behind every sparkle is a G.E....

roto204's profile picture
I don't know, every G.E. I ever had proved that there was one behind every pile of dried-on crumbs in my glasses ;-)

Greg and I guffawed at a 30" Dacor in Nebraska Furniture Mart. Like the Empress, yet another 30" machine designed with 24" wash systems. If you're going to do that, you have to change the racking--or add twin wash-arms--or something!

If I couldn't lay hands on a KitchenAid, my parents' 1978 Whirlpool (with SuperScour!) was a rockstar. 360º filtration, plastic tub and that damned silverware basket in the door, but always a flawless performer. The only bummer about those machines was dodging the wash tower and the very low-hanging upper wash arm. Otherwise, the only thing that came out was clean dishes--including, amazingly, the silverware. (We were meticulous about avoiding overloading or nesting flatware in the basket.)


Post# 357146 , Reply# 34   6/15/2009 at 06:59 (5,400 days old) by toggleswitch2 ()        

~she once saw a friend's KitchenAid with a week's full of dirty smelly dishes and roaches and swore that her's would never be like that.


One sentence solution

Find

Rinse Only
Rinse & Hold

on the control panel.

Only caveat, one must prop the door open afterwards or the resulting residual moisture will stink too.

:-)


Post# 357163 , Reply# 35   6/15/2009 at 08:33 (5,400 days old) by customline (pennsylvania)        
Well......

That would be my 1957 Westinghouse.


Forum Index:       Other Forums:                      



Comes to the Rescue!

The Discuss-o-Mat has stopped, buzzer is sounding!!!
If you would like to reply to this thread please log-in...

Discuss-O-MAT Log-In



New Members
Click Here To Sign Up.



                     


automaticwasher.org home
Discuss-o-Mat Forums
Vintage Brochures, Service and Owners Manuals
Fun Vintage Washer Ephemera
See It Wash!
Video Downloads
Audio Downloads
Picture of the Day
Patent of the Day
Photos of our Collections
The Old Aberdeen Farm
Vintage Service Manuals
Vintage washer/dryer/dishwasher to sell?
Technical/service questions?
Looking for Parts?
Website related questions?
Digital Millennium Copyright Act Policy
Our Privacy Policy