Seeking Advice on What Dishwasher to Get

I have a dishwasher on wheels. Bought it at Sears (Kenmore)more then 10 years ago and have never had any water leakage on floor. One on wheels do cost more but since I couldn't afford to lose any cupboards it works well for us. Mine is a normal size dishwasher and I do like it. I'm thinking I may have seen one at Lowe's also.

Hi Melissa,
I agree with Jessi's input regarding the top and bottom sprayers. We just got one this summer (I forget what brand) from Sears at MOA. It's a full size one but only has a bottom sprayer. We don't run it often (only some nights since we don't mind hand washing) as it runs for hours...and it doesn't always get the dishes on top very well. That and we have to keep a space between plates which lowers its capacity. So I feel like it wasn't worth the money but it's too late to return. Go for the double sprayer and you'll get your money's worth. Oh, and I've had movable dishwashers in two other homes and none ever leaked. Good luck!

Hi Melissa, We just ordered a full sized portable whirlpool dishwasher from Sears. It was rather pricey in comparison to built in models, especially with black friday sales coming up. I researched online at the store websites and the maker websites looking at consumer reviews they provide before making my decision. Some places to look are Sears, Lowes, Best Buy, Home Depot, Walmart, as well as Whirlpool, and GE websites. I was warned that the reviews are sometimes a bit off base as happy people don't feel the need to complain and don't necessarily do reviews! :) One thing I looked for was a model with a sprayer on the top and bottom. The cheaper ones only spray from the bottom- so how do the top dishes get clean? We chose a full size model because we figured, if we're going to spend the money anyway, we didn't want to do three loads a day! I'll try to check back after it arrives to give a review of how it works! :) Good luck and have fun shopping!

We have had a full size "roll away" dishwasher from Sears, ours is a Kenmore, since 2002, it has a top and bottom sprayer. I think it was about $500, and we moved with it, too. We did buy the extended service/maintenence plan for it and for our Washer, Dryer, and Fridge (all bought at the same time) - we had to use the service plan ALOT on the washer and dryer, so it was worth the extra cost, but the firdge we left at the other house after 2 years, and the Dishwasher has never had a problem. We were getting a film on the dishes for a while,and I had the tech come and do the yearly "check-up" covered in the maintenance contract, he told us to use powdered detergent, (not liquid, packets, or pellets) and to only fill the detergent spot about 1/2 way for a full load - not a problem since.

You so have to be careful with the roll aways that you rinse off any big food particles, since they don't have a "grinder" in the drain system, and it all has to drain through a hose into the sink. Our dishes have always gotten clean, but it is noisy, and even on the light wash or water miser cycle, it runs for a whole hour. All that said, I am still so glad we have it, both our kitchens had no built in dishwasher, and I didn't want to lose any cabinets either, but especially now, with baby bottles, I am so glad to have a dishwasher of some kind! It has never leaked, in 7+ years. My mom had one of th elittler ones, and it did leak once - that was becasue my Dad was trying to help by doing the dishes and put hand-washing dish soap (you know like Dawn) in the dishwasher....that stuff foams up too muchand it somehow breaks the "seal" around the door and then they will leak....I don't think it was permanent, though, I think after that load was done and rinsed out, the dishwasher worked perfectly well - just something to keep in mind - don't get any sink dish soap or hand soap in the dishwasher by mistake!

jessie

We have had one for 3 years now - one thing to keep in mind is that they are SMALL - we run about 3 loads a day to keep up and it never gets put "away."

Hi Melissa,

My husband and I own a construction company so I'm familiar with your request. First of all, yes you should do all you can to keep moisture off of your composite wood floor. Wipe up spills immediately, etc - otherwise the moisture seeps between the cracks and you get a big mold problem. That being said, there is no reason you can't install a dishwasher if there is a spot available in your kitchen. We usually recommend tiling the floor under the dishwasher with either ceramic or laminate, then there's no need to worry about moisture from the dishwasher ruining your floor.
My brand of choise is Bosch. They are expensive but well worth the cost. I'm not familiar with what brands make a portable, so you may need to search on the internet for recommendations. Good luck!

We lived in a tiny house and I used one of those roll-around dish washers for 6 years. It was great, didn't leak or anything. I loved it!

Hi there -

What a great dad!! If you have a spot built in for a dishwasher you should really buy an under the counter one. As the contractor said - most houses are built w/ the type of flooring you have and do not have an issue w/ their dishwashers. I would think having a big hole under your counter looks odd.

We have a Bosch and like it as it is VERY quite... that being said it beeps like mad (and forever) when it is done so if you put the washer on before you go to bed be prepared to to walk to the kitchen and pop the door open if you're a light sleeper. The main difference in dishwashers and where you'll see a big cost uptick is if the machine has stainless steel insides or plastic insides. The better models have the stainless steel inside. Good luck and don't think twice about getting a built in dishwasher! Good luck.

I had a full-sized portable during my 20s when I was living in apartments - worked very well, easy to use, never leaked. I think I bought it at Sears. They do tend to be significantly more expensive than a built-in dishwasher, though. You're looking for a "portable dishwasher" (google that or go to Sears.com or HomeDepot.com or whatever.) You can buy countertop models (the size of a big microwave), smaller models that roll on the floor, and full-size models that roll on the floor. Good luck!

We've had 2 Bosch dishwashers and we LOVE them. They are pricier but we feel they're worth it. One thing I should tell you is that for us, the most important part of the dishwasher was the noise factor. Our primary goal was to get the quietest one possible . With our Bosch, you can't even tell that it's running. But that's what our family needed. So, maybe you need to make a list and rank it in order of your needs and wants. We also went to Sears both times to get our dishwasher. By the way, we found that the one at the Mall of America seemed to have a greater selection than any of the other sears in the Twin Cities. I just don't know whether they make a portable kind since we never looked for any of those.