Consumer Reports puts dishwashers to the test to see which ones clean the best. But the experts at CR also want to know which appliances get high marks for reliability.
Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman from Consumer Reports tells us, "We surveyed more than 100,000 of our readers who bought a dishwasher in the last five years and found a problem with a big-name brand - LG."
The survey found that 23-percent of LG dishwashers had repairs. And during its cleaning tests, Consumer Reports found a problem with a different brand. The Asko model D5233XXL dishwasher has a little trouble with tough messes. Raspberry seeds often clogged the spray arm and the filter so the dishes didn't end up clean.
"That's not what you'd expect from a dishwasher that costs $1,500," says Lehrman.
Another consideration - Asko's cleaning cycle runs three hours.
But Consumer Reports did find some dishwashers to recommend, including an $800 Bosch. It's excellent at cleaning and Bosch dishwashers have a good record of reliability.
Also, consider Kenmore model number 1374-2. At $650 it's a Consumer Reports Best Buy. And Consumer Reports has found Kenmore is also a reliable brand.
LG responded to the report with the following statement:
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"LG Electronics takes pride in its home appliance innovations and places a great emphasis on customer satisfaction. This CU survey captures data from models from 2005 - 2009. Over the past three years we have made significant improvements to the core platform which resulted in a significant decrease in service calls, by close to 30 percent. These platform improvements enhanced washing, drying and noise-level performance and make LG's dishwashers repair status within range of the industry averages."
Front-loading machines are popular but some have a whole lot of shaking going on, especially during the spin cycle. So, Consumer Reports tested seven devices that promise to help. Most are pads, ranging in price from $25 to $47.
Bob Markovich from Consumer Reports says, "You place the pads under each corner of the washer. They're supposed to reduce the transfer of vibration to the floor."
To test the devices, Consumer Reports used a washer that vibrates badly. Testers added the pads and placed a sensor on the floor to detect vibrations. A computer analyzed the results.
So did any of the devices help?
"Not really," said Markovich. "None of the pads reduced vibration noticeably in our tests."
Consumer Reports also tested the Steadywash Isolation Platform, which retails for $200. The washer still visibly moves from side to side, although the Steadywash does reduce vibration to the floor.
"You're better off getting a washer that doesn't vibrate a lot. And we found several in our tests," said Markovich.
Samsung offers a good choice for $1,400. It doesn't vibrate much at all and is very good at cleaning.
If you're looking to pay less, Consumer Reports named an $800 washer from Sears a Best Buy. It's Kenmore model number 4027-2. It vibrates a bit more than the Samsung, but it's excellent at cleaning.
