Maytag Dishwasher commercial

The filter strainers were somewhat coarse up through the 20 series KA's until the 21 series with the microfilter underneath the wash arm. I get around that in my 18 by modifying an anti splatter screen in the sump which eliminates the problem. I don't mind removing and cleaning the filters after each load, they are always cleaned right after unloading the dishes and never once became stinky. My water heater is turned up to 160F so 155F is guaranteed, along with a 180F sani rinse in the 18.

Believe it or not, I had a high end Kenmore Powerclean dishwasher for 4 years that I got from a coworker (2016-2020). He moved into a new home and the wife wanted a complete remodel. He was complaining about replacing appliances that looked practically new. I asked him send me picture of the dishwasher and it looked like a high end model so I took a chance since it was free. The dishwasher must have only been used during the holidays because it looked brand new inside and out.

It washed pretty well but nowhere near what's claimed around this forum. I think the biggest issue was that the cycle times jumped 17 minutes if the sensor didn't detect enough soil, which significantly reduced its wash times. If there was too much soil detected, it would almost immeadilty dump the soapy water and refill, washing with nothing but water. Pretty useless, IMO. I tried various attempts to get it to wash longer such as a lukewarm purge at the faucet and even a cold fill. This somewhat helped but did not eliminate the problem. Washing without using the "Water Heat" and "Sani Rinse" features gave mediocre results. I think if I had a non sensor model or a mechanical timer model, it would have washed better.

I did try various repairs that are known for hampering performance in these. A new water valve, new plastic washers under the wash arm, dug into the sump cleaned it out (it was pretty clean), cleaned the macerator, replaced the rubber check valve, and couple of other things that escape me at the moment and it did not improve its performance. Like I said, it washed okay but no way in hell could I put a cake in the upper rack (or even lower rack) and have it disappear by the end of the cycle. Half of the time, it struggled to get a slight smear of avocado off of a butter knife pointed downward.

As far as drying performance, my Maytag RR and Kitchenaid 18-20 machines ran circles around the Kenmore using the air dry cycle only (that what I use 90% of the time). The heated dry cycle was way too hot in the Kenmore and melted/distorted plastic items even on the upper rack. NEVER had that problem with the Maytag RR or the Bitchnaids.

I find the Kitchenaids have better flexibility in loading vs the Kenmore, especially with the upper rack design that KA used in their TOL machines. I could also fit taller items in the 18-20 vs the Powerclean. I find the coarse strainer at the bottom of the tub in the Powerclean and RR Maytag to preform identically. I don't treat my dishwashers as garbage disposals, so that area is never a problem.

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Post# 1163516 11/9/2022 at 09:36 (531 days old) by whitetub (Montreal, Canada)
Checkrate/Likes This is an old commercial, comparing KitchenAid vs Maytag dishwashers. You don't see anything about the KitchenAid, but the washing action of the Maytag is pretty impressive. I am wondering if the footage of the spray arms in action, was sped up for the commercial. The arms are spinning pretty fast. I never thought the center spray nozzle was so powerful. The reverse rack Maytags were the best. CLICK HERE TO GO TO whitetub's LINK

Post# 1163523 , Reply# 1 11/9/2022 at 11:28 (531 days old) by DADoES (TX,�U.S. of A.)
Checkrate/Likes � A KDS-18.

Post# 1163525 , Reply# 2 11/9/2022 at 12:55 (531 days old) by whitetub (Montreal, Canada)
Checkrate/Likes Cool video of the KDS-18. It would have been cool to have both Kitchenaid and Maytag, in action just like that video, side by side. The Maytags had smaller holes, more jets,with more pressure.

Post# 1163529 , Reply# 3 11/9/2022 at 13:41 (531 days old) by qsd-dan (West)
Checkrate/Likes 5 Having owned both, they both have their positives and negatives. The Maytag had a better filter (at the time of this commercial) and caught smaller items without redepositing them, also much better at self cleaning. The full size upper spray arm guaranteed a yibble free top rack every time, all of the time. The lack of a full size wash arm under the top rack hindered performance of items that were heavily soiled though. The lower rack had a cutout for the tower of the lower spray arm which ate up some real estate. It also prevented large items being positioned down there. The tiny jets in the wash arms (particularly the top wash arm) would clog regularly (never a problem in the KA). The Kitchenaid had more brute force. The pump design was simpler and more durable than Maytags. The racks were more flexible for loading awkward items on the tall side. The detergent cups were a better design in the KA being able to independently close both cups plus add additional detergent. In the Maytag, only one cup closed and the detergent in the other one eventually would fall down into the tub and allow some to build up around the lower door seal, eventually causing leaks. It would stop leaking once cleaned though. Using the Pots and Pans cycle on the Maytag would cause the "Heavy" wash cycle to become a rinse cycle, then the detergent door would open for the "Normal" cycle. Both were equally great in the forced air drying department, better than just about anything today.

Post# 1163586 , Reply# 4 11/10/2022 at 13:53 (530 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)
Checkrate/Likes *Most reliable and best cleaning dishwasher of the 80s* Good analysis of the Kitchenaid in Maytag reverse rack dishwasher Dan Having had a 1987 whirl pool power clean dishwasher in my kitchen for almost 35 years and I had a KDSS 20 KitchenAid for 10 years it was an interesting comparison the KitchenAid was more loading friendly and overall did a good job, but they were always gimbals on top of things in the top rack and the stinky filter in the bottom was always a nuisance, the whirlpool clean better because of the heated wash the guaranteed 155� wash and final rinse out to the KitchenAid. My friend John had a top-of-the-line Belt Dr., Maytag dishwasher I used many times it had challenges and loading it you couldn�t get big things in it anywhere and things in the upper rack that were really dirty really didn�t get clean with just that spray to blow it, it also had problems with food left around the edge of the pump cover And became kind of messy in the bottom. Based on extensive repair and performance experience the whirlpool power clean as the dishwasher to get it�s very simple to repair extremely reliable and there�s never anything to clean out of the bottom of it, the other genius of this machine is the indoor silverware basket it�s so easy to use and does a great job. Drying performance was also best in the whirlpool the kitchen they did a poor job as did the Maytag fair in mind that I only ever use air dry on any of these dishwashers but on the whirlpool even with the door closed everything will be dry in the morning when I open the door because of the large vent at the top of the door.

Post# 1163605 , Reply# 5 11/10/2022 at 18:20 (530 days old) by qsd-dan (West)
Checkrate/Likes The filter strainers were somewhat coarse up through the 20 series KA's until the 21 series with the microfilter underneath the wash arm. I get around that in my 18 by modifying an anti splatter screen in the sump which eliminates the problem. I don't mind removing and cleaning the filters after each load, they are always cleaned right after unloading the dishes and never once became stinky. My water heater is turned up to 160F so 155F is guaranteed, along with a 180F sani rinse in the 18. Believe it or not, I had a high end Kenmore Powerclean dishwasher for 4 years that I got from a coworker (2016-2020). He moved into a new home and the wife wanted a complete remodel. He was complaining about replacing appliances that looked practically new. I asked him send me picture of the dishwasher and it looked like a high end model so I took a chance since it was free. The dishwasher must have only been used during the holidays because it looked brand new inside and out. It washed pretty well but nowhere near what's claimed around this forum. I think the biggest issue was that the cycle times jumped 17 minutes if the sensor didn't detect enough soil, which significantly reduced its wash times. If there was too much soil detected, it would almost immeadilty dump the soapy water and refill, washing with nothing but water. Pretty useless, IMO. I tried various attempts to get it to wash longer such as a lukewarm purge at the faucet and even a cold fill. This somewhat helped but did not eliminate the problem. Washing without using the "Water Heat" and "Sani Rinse" features gave mediocre results. I think if I had a non sensor model or a mechanical timer model, it would have washed better. I did try various repairs that are known for hampering performance in these. A new water valve, new plastic washers under the wash arm, dug into the sump cleaned it out (it was pretty clean), cleaned the macerator, replaced the rubber check valve, and couple of other things that escape me at the moment and it did not improve its performance. Like I said, it washed okay but no way in hell could I put a cake in the upper rack (or even lower rack) and have it disappear by the end of the cycle. Half of the time, it struggled to get a slight smear of avocado off of a butter knife pointed downward. As far as drying performance, my Maytag RR and Kitchenaid 18-20 machines ran circles around the Kenmore using the air dry cycle only (that what I use 90% of the time). The heated dry cycle was way too hot in the Kenmore and melted/distorted plastic items even on the upper rack. NEVER had that problem with the Maytag RR or the Bitchnaids. I find the Kitchenaids have better flexibility in loading vs the Kenmore, especially with the upper rack design that KA used in their TOL machines. I could also fit taller items in the 18-20 vs the Powerclean. I find the coarse strainer at the bottom of the tub in the Powerclean and RR Maytag to preform identically. I don't treat my dishwashers as garbage disposals, so that area is never a problem. Photos... < > Photo 1 of 6 View Full Size

Post# 1163607 , Reply# 6 11/10/2022 at 19:01 (530 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)
Checkrate/Likes *Whirlpool Bilt power clean dishwashers* Hi Dan thanks for the very thorough and accurate description of your experience with a later Kenmore power clean dishwasher. I never liked the later ones once they went to the plastic tank as much especially the ones with the direct feed upper wash arm and the computer control systems you really just couldn�t get them to do what needed to be done they also didn�t have a big vent in the door didn�t dry as well. My water heater is only said 130 to 135 which also improves cleaning, because the main wash is always a good half an hour long, it goes through the wash cycle to fast with 150f water. Set my comments only apply to porcelain tank models with Out a computer , Although the early computer controlled ones in the 80s just mimic the timer and actually could work very well before they had the soil sensors so forth. Dishwasher performance started to go downhill in the 90s and the plastic tub Maytag dishwashers of the 90s weren�t any good either they didn�t clean like the earlier reverse rack ones. Stainless steel tank KitchenAid dishwashers were not as good as my older power clean either. John L

Post# 1163615 , Reply# 7 11/10/2022 at 22:23 (529 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )
Checkrate/Likes *Of all the dishwashers* I have owned, A KDS 17 Kitchen Aid is so far ahead of all others, Ive had a new Asko, a Reverse Rack Maytag, a new GE, and a 80s Hotpoint, a new 2007 Whirlpool, and a KDI 21 None even remotely compared from the one armed wonder 17, It would blast off burned on food, and when it shut off in 45 minutes the dishes were spotless and totally dry, I have a new GE now complete with third rack and all the bells and whistles it cleans well, but runs over 3 hours which is ok, but it does not dry the dishes like the older ones did.

Post# 1163624 , Reply# 8 11/11/2022 at 06:57 (529 days old) by Awooff (Peoria, Illinois)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Powerclean* Dan, your powerclean is identical to mine and had no idea it was as new as 2016 (was guessing late 90s). As John mentioned, cooler water supplied combined with water heat option will give best results. Burned on soils wash 100% in mine with loose powder but my hot water is around 110f.

Post# 1163625 , Reply# 9 11/11/2022 at 07:11 (529 days old) by qsd-dan (West)
Checkrate/Likes Paperwork claims it's from 1997. A lukewarm water fill does help but the soil sensor significantly reduces the cycle times if there's not enough junk floating around in the tub. This does not take in consideration of what's still left on the dishes and the wash cycles end up being too short. Whirlpool didn't get the algorithms fined tuned correctly, at least on this model. As I mentioned above, I think a non soil sensor model with water heating and a thermal hold would produced better results. From what I gather, this is how the older models worked.