Dishwashers

This is a funny post, because we’ve written on so many ground-breaking inventions over the years that every time a classic comes around (cell phone, microwave or dishwasher) we’re like, “this was the game-changer of all game-changers!” But you know what, it’s impossible to really quantify this. The microwave is awesome. The cell phone is awesome. And dishwashers are … awesome!

Unbeknownst to even our crack staff, the very first dishwasher was registered in 1850 by a gentleman by the name of Joel Houghton. It was an antiquated device, fabricated of wood of course and cranked by hand. But it did spray water on the dishes which is what everyone was eagerly expecting. However, Houghton’s device was slow and even more disappointing, unreliable. Like most things, the idea developed over the years and by 1924 William Howard Livens took hold of the segment and put out the first electric dishwasher that was finally suitable for domestic use.

On the mechanical side, think of a dishwasher a little like a robot. It’s a robot that rinses and cleans dirty dishes all inside a compact square box. This robot, we’ll him/her Flexy, adds water to the box, heats it to the appropriate temperature, opens the detergent dispenser, shoots the water through the jets, drains dirty water, and then finally sprays more water on the dishes to rinse them once again. After all this, Flexy magically drains itself (quite a trick) and then heats the air to dry the dishes to a sparkling twinkle. What a process, right? You bet, and while Flexy sounds like he/she has it all together, some Flexies work better than others.

One of the highest-ranking washers on the market today is the Bosch 300 Series SHSM63W55N. Jot that down, no chance you’ll remember it strolling into Best Buy. This is an exceptional model, $750 with an amazing set of features such as the ever-popular third rack for cutlery plus good cleaning performance. Another popular pick is the KitchenAid KDTM354DSS. Retailing in the same arena, this puppy has ProScrub, ProDry and Top Rack Wash all in one. If there was ever a robot washer capable of it all, the KitchenAid model would be our pick.

When shopping for a dishwasher the best thing you can do is focus intently on the online reviews and what reputable sites like Consumer Reports have to say on the machine. These are unbiased reports, and while comments can be biased, if a washer is sporting over 500 positive reviews, odds are it’s doing what it’s supposed to be doing. Another great place to start when hitting the market for a new dishwasher is your friends and family. There is nobody you trust more to give an honest opinion, and like a washing machine, people either love or hate their dishwasher. There’s very little in between. In fact, as I write this perhaps that’s the number one first stop – friends and family. Clean dishes are a lifesaver and keeping them clean in 2019 shouldn’t have to be a chore.