GE vs KitchenAid

Continued from above...

Think about what you want in your new appliance. You'll obviously want a dishwasher that does a good job of washing your dishes. There are a lot of fun features you can have, such as a third rack, lights, and smart capabilities, but if the machine doesn't do a good job of actually washing your dishes, what's the point of any of the bells and whistles?

So once you choose a brand that you like, you can select your wish list features such as the third, top rack; a quick-wash cycle; a delay start; self-cleaning filters - yes, you should know if you need to clean your filters for maintenance, which is typical; food pulverizers; interior components made of stainless steel to promote longevity; child locks; sanitizer settings; sustainable materials; special jets under the silverware caddy; and smart capabilities, so you can control the dishwasher from your phone or smart home system.

And that's just the beginning. Here are several other criteria to keep in mind as you shop for your new kitchen appliance:

• Average price range. You can spend anywhere between $250 and $2,000, depending on the brand and the features you're looking for. The less expensive, lower-end models may require you to rinse your dishes more, and the more costly, higher-end models can have smart features, meaning you can control the machine with your phone.
• Installation. Be sure to ask if there's a fee for installation. Installation rates can vary, but expect an additional $200 for install.
• Finishes, handles, and control panel visibility. Dishwashers, like most kitchen appliances, come in white, black, and stainless steel. There are two additional styles, which are finger-print resistant stainless steel and black stainless steel. The black stainless is a darker stainless, and the finger-print resistant looks like traditional stainless, but resists the dreaded finger prints. If you can be open to something besides stainless steel, white or black should save you a couple hundred dollars. If you choose the pocket handle over the bar handle, that could also save you some bucks. It's nice when the control panel hides when the door is shut. But if you don't mind looking at it, you can save yourself some money here, too.
• Detergent. No matter what, use the right detergent. Using a poor quality dishwasher detergent, no matter the brand you choose, can make the best brands have poor quality output, due to no fault of the appliance. This is a simple, good decision everyone should make. Once you receive your new dishwasher, the manufacturer will probably recommend a detergent for optimum cleaning and drying results.
• Noise. Most of us don't want to hear the dishwasher running its cycles as we are moving throughout the kitchen or resting in a room nearby. Most models are rated in decibels to convey the cycle's quietness. A machine rated lower than 44 decibels (dBA) is considered by the industry to be officially in the quiet range. Machines in the mid to high 50s are louder and could definitely compete with your conversation or for your attention.
• Rack style. Racks are important features and should be carefully considered. Nylon-coated racks are the best because they are less likely to crack over time. Tines in rows that fold down are great for items that are large or unusually-shaped. Look for at least one folding row of tines. Having a top rack with an adjustable height is beneficial so you can lower it for taller glasses, vases, or stemware, or raise it if your cookware is tall or bulky.
  
  The best top racks have three adjustable heights where you can set both the right and left high or low, or one side can be high while the other is low, allowing space for taller cookware on the bottom rack. A third rack is becoming a more common feature, even with the more reasonably-priced appliances. This third rack is above the traditional top rack and is shallow, so it allows plenty of space for the glasses below it. Some people like to line up their silverware in between the small tines. It can fit shallow, awkward items like cup lids, tongs, long-handled serving/cooking utensils, where in other places in the dishwasher, they might be a hard fit. Not everyone is a fan of the third rack as it does take up space, but it is a feature that is growing in popularity. If, however, you end up not liking it after trying it, it's easy to remove.
  
  Consider even the little things like clips to hold delicate glasses in place, to make sure your glassware doesn't bang against anything else during the wash cycle. Ball bearings in the racks make the racks move more smoothly and don't jerk around the dishes as you pull or push the racks. A fancy, new feature is an interior light in the dishwasher. It certainly isn't necessary, but it's nice for seeing all your items as you load and unload. These are in the more expensive lines, of course. Now, imagine what you will load in your machine, especially on the bottom rack.
  
  Some dishwashers have their tines far apart, allowing space for pots, pans, bowls, and larger pieces. Others have several tines that are closer together for thinner salad plates and dinner plates. Still others have wide tines with additional tines that flip up or down, depending on the load. Check the thickness of your plates and think about if you want your plates closer together or far apart - tine width is a personal preference, but important in your dishwasher-buying decision making.
• Available space. Be sure to measure the space you have. Most dishwashers come in 24" , so that's easy, but if your kitchen is on the small side, the space allotted might be only 18" . Save yourself a restocking fee and extra delivery charge by making sure the dishwasher will fit your kitchen space.

To help you make this important purchasing decision, Top Consumer Reviews has evaluated today's most popular dishwasher brands. If you're done spending too much time pre-washing your dishes, continually re-arranging them because the rack and tine design is poor, drying them after the dishwasher supposedly dried them, or re-washing after the clumps of old food just don't come off after a full cycle, do consider a new dishwasher. You can save a lot of time by not pre-washing, post-washing, and drying. And with all that extra time, you could relax reading a book or watching your favorite show while a super quiet dishwasher does all the work while making virtually no noise.