Best Dishwasher for Your Dollars!
When I first started selling appliances, I would go to seminars to learn about new products. At my very first seminar, a Bosch representative spent literally five minutes discussing their product. I was very discouraged by this lack of information, and pretty much had decided not to present this product to my customers. Shortly after the seminar, the Bosch representative came to our store, and went over their product top to bottom. I was so excited by what was explained to me! I asked why this information was not explained to us during the seminar. The response was that Whirlpool was running the seminar, and Whirlpool dislikes Bosch! From that moment on, whenever I had a customer in Bosch’s price range, I would explain the product to them, and 8 out of 10 times, the customer would choose the Bosch. The main reason for this is because Bosch has taken every single issue customers have, and has come up with a solution.
After almost year, Bosch produced a dishwasher under the Kenmore Elite name. In order for a manufacturer to be allowed to have their product labeled with the Kenmore name, they must take one of their models, upgrade it, and we sell it for the same price as what the original model would cost. At that time, Whirlpool was the only manufacturer of dishwashers with the Kenmore Elite name. When Bosch was permitted to also have a model, Whirlpool wanted the Bosch-Kenmore Elite dishwasher to be displayed with the other Bosch dishwashers at the other end of our display. Of course, this did not happen. I personally do not recommend the Whirlpool Kenmore Elites to my customers due to the number of dishwashers that were returned to our store for defective manufacturing or customer dissatisfaction. When we install a dishwasher for a customer, the dishwasher is shipped to our store, and the installer picks it up on the day of the install. If it has to be replaced, it is returned to our store, and we have to have it checked for saleability. I will never forget when I had five of the WP Kenmore Elites returned and waiting for service at one time. Each customer replaced it with the Bosch Kenmore Elite every time. As I tell my customers: I DO NOT GET THEM BACK!
Basically, I am going to explain the features of the Kenmore Elite just as if you were here in front of me. The basic construction of the B-KE (Bosch Kenmore Elite) is just the same in a standard Bosch, with some added features. No matter which product you pick, you will get a great appliance!
With a standard dishwasher, when you start to try to level the unit, you have to use a four-legged leveling system, sliding it in and out until level. This increases the chance of damaging your floor and driving you crazy. With the B-KE, all that is necessary is to push the unit into place, take off the kick-plate, spin down the front legs, and turn the leveling screw. Bosch uses a tripod leveling system, which definitely reduces the frustration.
The next important difference has to do with the pump. How many times has a dishwasher leaked, causing water to go all over the floor or into the finished basement that always seems to be beneath the dishwasher? What Bosch has done is place the pump into a pan. If you do get a leak, the water is retained in the pan. Once a sensor registers 1 1/2 cups water, the pump drains the water and turns off the dishwasher. Because of this feature, it is necessary to use a steel-braided supply line, instead of an elbow, since you have to reach into the pan to connect the line to the pump. If you are installing, make sure that your line will not kink once the hot water is on.
Bosch is the only manufacturer I know that acknowledges that you only need to use one soap cup. Soap is much more concentrated than before, and by using too much, it will build up like concrete in your pump, which will cause it to have to be replaced or have the soap chipped out. The hinged lid on the soap dispensers are usually one of the first things that breaks, since it is exposed continually to soap and water. Bosch has designed their dispenser in such a way that the cover slides over the soap cup, and all the hardware is protected. Also, if you compare the inner latch used to keep the door closed, you will notice the sturdy metal latch of the Bosch, which is so much more reliable than the flimsy metal latches on standard dishwashers.
One of the main complaints of consumers is the fact that the protective coating on their racks have worn through, and the metal started rusting. They would start to get rust forming on their dishes, and have to replace the racks, which can run anywhere from $ 70 – $ 300. The nylon coating is much more durable, but if you break a tine, you still have to deal with the possibility of rust. With the Bosch, they have placed nylon over a low-grade stainless steel, so if you do break a tine, the chances of rust forming on your dishes is almost non-existent, thereby eliminating the need to purchase new racks.
With the B-KE dishwasher, the top rack can be raised or lowered with the assistance of levers placed on the outside of the rack. The top rack can also be completely removed for tall items. They provide a “sprinkler head” that can be placed over the back water inlet. This provides horizontal spray, as well as the top and bottom. Both racks have tines that can be folded down, as in other brands, but instead of having the whole row fold down, they have divided the row into two sections, allowing for more flexibility. When the top rack is in the lower position, a full dinner dish can be placed on the top, as well as the silverware basket, which has retractable handles. I think that the only “complaint” I have with the dishwasher is the size of the basket. It can be split into two parts, but I think a larger basket would be better.
Most of the noise comes from the steam vent and the bottom of the dishwasher where the pump is located. Bosch has completely enclosed the base of the dishwasher, and has also placed the outlet for the steam on the inside of the dishwasher. This “sub-drain” is connected to the main drain, so that the noise and steam literally goes down the drain with the water. The B-KE dishwasher is the absolute quietest one made. You will need to look at the controls to see if you started it, not just listen for the noise! I perform the sound test to show how well insulated the dishwasher is by rapping on the back, and then rapping on the next one in the same price point – the resulting sound is all that is needed! I call it the Tin Man Affect!
With a standard dishwasher, you are provided with a pump with a hard food disposal, and a heating element. The heating element is the most inefficient part of the dishwasher. Most consumers forget to run the water hot out of the faucet before starting their dishwasher, which makes the cycle that much longer, because that tiny element is having to heat cold water. It also restricts you as far as what you place on the bottom if you use the heated dry, and if something does fall on the element, damage is done to the product – usually expensive Tupperware – and can also cause damage to the element. If you accidentally break a glass, the piece can bypass the hard food disposal and become lodged in your pump. With a typical cycle, the dishwasher “pre-washes” your dishes, and if the water is too cloudy or full of particles, the load of water is disposed and a whole new amount is used. Most dishwashers’ sanitizing cycles only go up to 158 degrees, but it takes 160 degrees to kill E-coli.
With the Bosch, you are provided with a pump with a soft food disposal, and a heat pump. The heat pump heats the water hotter and faster than an element. First, the dishwasher drains any liquids out of the dishwasher before starting its cycle. It then triple-filters the water going out of the dishwasher, thereby eliminating the need to use two loads of water. Because there is no heating element, Bosch does not have a heated drying cycle. The example that I use to explain how it works is when my mother used to wash dishes by hand, she always used scalding hot water. She would place the dishes in the drying rack, and the water would sheet off, drying almost immediately. I could not even touch them, and when I could, I dried them even though they did not need to be dried. The Bosch works on the same principle: the stainless interior works like the bathroom mirror, pulling moisture away form the hot dishes, since the stainless is always cooler. The hotter temperatures and the rinse agent (necessary for all Energy Star dishwashers) causes the water to sheet off. The sides of the dishwasher may be damp, but your dishes will be dry.
In the bottom of the dishwasher, you will find a small “cup” that inserts into the center area of the dishwasher. This is the safety feature for protecting the pump from being damaged by bone or glass. If something is captured by this cup, all you have to do is turn it and lift the cup out to empty. With Bosch, if you have the need to sanitize cutting boards, canning items, etc., you can use the scrub cycle, which reaches temperatures of 161 degrees!
The sleek appearance will fit into any kitchen, and is available in the four main colors. The controls are very simple. On the B-KE version, you have a 24 hour delay, a top-rack only cycle, the scrub cycle, followed by normal, china, quick, and rinse. There is also a signal for when you need to refill your rinse agent.
Hopefully, I have given you some useful information. The Bosch dishwashers can start as low as $ 650. The B-KE starts at $ 799 (at the time of this article) for the three basic colors, and the stainless is generally about $ 150 more. I get very excited when I show this product, and even more excited when I get positive feedback from customers. I highly recommend this dishwasher!!!
