I have a Whirlpool GU1500XTLS2 dishwasher that I bought 6 years ago.  It has never given me any trouble and is very quiet.  But I was never really pleased with the washing results until just this last year when I finally decided to try a different dishwasher detergent.  I had been always using the top rated Cascade 2 in 1 Action Packs so I figured I was already using the best detergent money could buy.  But I just decided it was time to start trying different brands to see if that might help.  So I purchased some Kirkland Liquid Gel (Lemon Fresh Scent) from Costco and I was amazed what a difference it made!  Our dishes are always spotless now!  All those years of re-washing and scraping dishes and glasses were for nought because it was just that we were using the wrong dishwasher detergent.  So now our dishwasher can fall into the "I Love My Dishwasher" category!

I don't know why the Cascade Action Packs don't work well for us, but the Kirkland Liquid Gel definitely works much better.  And it's cheaper too.  Our water is from a spring and is pretty soft, so maybe that has something to do with it.  One thing I'm doing different is I fill both the main compartment and the pre wash bowl with the gel, whereas before I just put in 1 Action Pack in the main wash compartment.  According to Cascade's directions, it was unnecessary to use a pre wash with the action packs, so I didn't.  I'm sure if I did though, the wash would have come out better.  But the cost of using two of those packs would really up the dishwashing bill.  And it would be a nuisance to use the gel in the pre wash bowl and a pack in the main wash compartment.  Might as well just run the gel across both areas and be done with it.  The results are great and the cost is still cheaper even with filling both now.

I haven't seen CR test the Kirkland Liquid Gel so I don't know what they'd think of it.  But in our machine and with our water it blows away the Cascade Action Packs.  At least at the single pack level.

We always have Jet Dry in the rinse dispenser and always run the water in the sink until you see steam rising.  That is a necessity with these newer water conserving dishwashers.  Because if your hot water heater is any distance at all from the sink (as ours is), it will never see a spec of hot water by the time the tub fills with that little bit of water they use.  And your dishes will never get clean if they don't get hot water to them.  Ours has the ability to raise the temperature of the water, but if it starts out cold it takes so long to get it hot that it eventually just gives up and starts cleaning with lukewarm water.  Then you are guaranteed of opening the door to a dishwasher full of dirty dishes.  If it starts out hot from the beginning, the dishwasher stands a good chance of raising the temperature to a level that will get your dishes clean.

If your dishwasher isn't cleaning your dishes well, maybe try a different dishwasher detergent because just because it is top rated by CR doesn't necessarily mean it will be top rated by you.  At least that has been my experience.  And always run the water in the sink to as hot as it can get just before starting the dishwasher. 

Wish the writer included the model #.  Many reviews say they have a small capacity...does every model?

A model number would be helpful, thanks

Do you know what model number your dishwasher is?

I have a Kenmore UltraWash HE and I use Cascade Action Pacs (from Costco; recommended by CR).  I have 3 children, two of whom load the dishwasher.  Needless to say their scraping leaves a lot to be desired.  I NEVER pre-rinse, and my dishes always come out clean.  I've had the dishwasher for 1 1/2 yrs and LOVE it, despite the cost (my recollection is it cost a bit more, but it's been worth it!).  I use the SmartWash cycle and it runs forever, but it's quiet and gets the job done (at least once a day, sometimes twice!).  I allow the dishes to air dry, which is both more energy efficient, and allows me to easily clean any little bits of food left on because they haven't been baked on with the heated drying (maybe once or twice a month I have a dish with something small left on it). 

The dishwasher has a filter I have to manually clean, but it takes just a minute or two once a week and I use a soft bristle bottle brush.

I don't think they sell my particular model anymore, but it appears to be 13154 (I see a 1315(2) listed in the CR reviews, but no customer reviews with it and I remember reading reviews on mine).  Again, it's been awhile, but I remember that CR wasn't as impressed with my machine, but the user reviews were slightly more in favor of it.  CR now seems to be impressed with the machine (something about the enzymes in the detergents now in their testing may have changed their minds).

I had a Kenmore before and ultimately hated it -- after a few years it left food on the top rack all the time and I finally quit using the top rack.  I hesitated buying another Kenmore, but I truly love this one.  My parents have the same old machine that I had and they don't have as many problems with it, although they do have some.

I love the turbo zone that cleans backed on, hard to clean dishes (like casserole dishes).  Almost always comes out 100% clean.  And QUIET; sometimes I have to check the light to make sure it's still running.  I thought I would miss seeing how much time was left for the machine to run, but I've decided that frankly I don't care how much time it has left on it -- either it's done or it isn't and I can stop worrying about it!

I can't say enough about how much I love this dishwasher!!

Which Bosch is it?

I hate to say it but with Viking products you just don't get what you pay for.

I would love to know Bosch's excuse for waiting until now to do a recall on something as old as a 1999 dishwasher!

I bought an ASKO middle of the line but with digital contols hidden about 7 years ago and never really had any problems with it except it needed to be reprogramed once by a service tech. Also, it had a smell coming from it. I never had ever heard of leaving your dishes dirty and loading them though until just recently by a salesman showing me the new Askos. He said you could do just that and not even rinse them. Don't know for sure if I trust him though, that is why I am on here looking to buy a dishwasher for a new condo.

Like I said, don't buy anything Viking. The computer board went out on a Viking fridge and I thought I just had a lemon only to find out that the one they replaced it with was another lemon with the same problem. I don't ever want to see anything Viking again! Their gas stovetop is terrible too! Takes hours to clean them.

Good luck with that. Everything mentioned on here has had problems.

Inasmuch as people are often focused on a specific brand: either shopping for, praising, or faulting the brand.  Why not setup separate threads, one for each brand to relay to the reader the good, the bad and the ugly of ONLY that specific brand.  Then, Let the Buyer Beware.  Why should each of us have to sort thru all of the whirlpool or LG comments, if we are interested in a Bosch or Miele.  Help us to be more focused.  Or CR could develop a search function for each of your threads.

Unfortunately, I have the same very bad experience with TWO DRAWER FISHER PAYKEL. Money thrown away. We hardly used it and are now replacing with a simple model. Will not recommend anyone.

What is the model # of this dishwasher that sounds so great??

I have an old Kitchenaid made by Hobart -- rusty racks now.  New racks from an appliance parts store cost about $180 for one!!   Racks are  made by Whirlpool. I bought one, but had second thoughts, and am returning it today. I

I will probably continue using my old Kitchenaid/Hobart DW until racks totally rust - - it is still working!!!  But I am  seriously considering the  Bosch middle line recommended  by CR.  

4 yrs ago when I purchased my FP drawers I was told by a couple of different sources that all of the drawers were made by the same manufacturer. That may be different now .... but wondering if anyone knows.
Again, I'm happy with mine ... so far so good, but not used on everyday basis.

Whirlpool makes the KitchenAid and Maytag dish drawers.  F & P makes their models. 

OMG...it would have to be My Miele Dishwasher!  Next to my central vac, it is my favorite thing in the house....LOL including my 61inch flat screen!  I was so nervous spending that kind of money on a dishwasher, but it is truly amazing!  I have had them all through the years, kitchen aid, whirlpool, bosch, asko, viking, ge...and by far this is the most amazing machine.  Now it dosn't have a silverware basket..it uses a cutlery tray, it takes about 15mins to get used now i don't want a silverware basket again!  It hold each piece so it comes clean, has a nice size spray arm above it with many jets to clean...I was nervous about that but I have never ever had anything not come clean!  I don't rinse ever!   Pots and Pans Shine, Crystal, never a problem, Plastics amazing completely dry,  I am telling you sell a kidney and buy it you won't regret it.   Now installing it was a little tricky I did to it myself and would pay to have it done next time.  Now you are dying to know what model...I am gonna tell ya!  It is (drumroll)  Miele La Perla G2832SCi  Brace yourself for the price (2500.00)  Now there are models that much less options for 1600.00  I truly love this dishwasher has a setting for everything from cleaning/drying plastics a pasta setting that removes the nasty starch that other dishwasher would bake on for me!  One more thing...I was really concerned with the fact it has a filter because I truly don't ever rinse a thing...I mean a thing sticky cereal bowls, cooked oatmeal in the pan, 16qt stocky pot from making sauce, nasty burnt on cheese on baking dishes, greasy pots and pan....NOTHING!!!  was checking the filter after every load in the beginning just to make sure there was nothing nasty left behind....some how it makes it all disappear, I get a nut every now and then from baking cookies but other then that i just take it out about every 2 weeks and rinse it off, put it back in and done deal!  Super easy!  I have to tell you as well...there is a shine on my dishes again,  Flatware and crystal sparkle, Glasses amazing, and talk with the Miele people they give you 90 days to try it, you aren't happy they will come to your house check it out, fix any problem then if you still aren't happy...they give you your money back.....I am so thrilled I went and bought the  Miele  Washer and Dryer...I should have known all along to stick with them....prior to moving to this house...I had the Miele White Pearl Vacuum.....and it was amazing as well!  Oh one last thing....IT IS SUPER QUIET!  My fridge makes more noise....I am sorry for the rambling...but I DO TRULY LOVE MIELE!  No I don't work for them...but I should! Hmmmm wonder what the discount would be  :)  Take care and good luck with your purchase! OH OH OH...if you have haven't gone way yet....the racks...holy cow!  LOVE LOVE LOVE THEM, things fit, folding tines, removable parts, cup shelf, wine rack holders....I am telling go buy it!  One last thing  I know we aren't supposed to say anything bad...and this isn't bad...just and FYI...and this seems to be with all dishwasher the run times can be very long has cycles from 60min to 2 hours depending on what you are cleaning...but very worth it! oh oh oh...has built in water softener...how could I forget that....you need to Miele.com  You can also check out the youtube videos from Miele as well!  Ok...bye!

Now that's true love!

I am very much in love with my new/used white BOSCH shu43c02uc. This is a model that is a few years old that I purchased from a homeowner doing a kitchen remodel. The price was right, and after a string of 3 horrible dishwashers that shall remain unnamed, I figured I could take a chance on the Bosch name. I bought it even though I had read mixed reviews about this model. I believe that the control panel even had a voluntary recall, but nonetheless the previous owner had not had it serviced under the recall. OK, all of that said, my husband installed it last night and I read the manual carefully. I purchased the powdered detergent that was recommended and filled the rinse aid dispenser. I have soft water, so I turned the dispenser dial down to 1 from 4 which is the default setting (on a scale of 1 to 6). I heard a few negatives about the condensation drying being bad, etc. That was not my experience at all. I even did the metric conversion from ml. to tsp. to make sure that I was using the right amount of detergent based on my water hardness. I added one Tbs. for a regular load with soft water. First, I ran vinegar in a short cycle and cleaned the filters to remove the odor as it had been sitting for a week or two. The filters are removable and were in need of a wash. Mostly the filters just had a thick film on them, but I also found a cherry stem. For me, the manual filter is a plus because my old DW required service if anything was blocking the filter - not so user friendly. The first wash on regular cycle with filthy dishes from sitting in the sink with a broken dishwasher came out immaculate. The dishes were hot at end of the cycle and needed to cool down and evaporate a bit before putting away. Not wet like some reviewers have suggested. I think making sure of proper installation and no existing plumbing issues is important. Also, following specific Bosch instructions is important to making the dry cycle perform well. The machine is quiet, which was the biggest selling point for me. We have a very small home and no dishwasher to date has let us have normal conversation when running. Great, great, great. Would highly recommend Bosch!