Need new dishwasher: LG, Frigidaire, or Bosch?

[patrick04]

Thanks to your help recently, I was able to repair my Whirlpool dishwasher, but it recently started putting out a burning plastic smell and I've given up on it.  I'm going to buy a new dishwasher. 

My most important criteria for the new dishwasher is reliability.  I would like to get a Bosch, but my favorite local appliance store does not sell them.  They sell and recommend LG dishwashers as their least repair-prone dishwasher.  They say Frigidaire is okay too, and that Whirlpool is their most frequently serviced dishwasher.

Another local appliance store, with a reputation for poor customer service, sells Bosch dishwashers.  But I am not sure it's a good idea to buy from them.  Of course, I could buy a Bosch and install it myself (from Sears, Lowe's, etc).  But then I wouldn't have good local warranty support or service.

So, should I get an LG, Frigidaire, or Bosch dishwasher?  I'm looking to spend around $1000 or less if possible.  Ideally I would get a Bosch with a built-in softener, maybe the 300 or 500 series (we have hard water and don't have a water softener for the house yet).  Do you have any recommendations out of these three brands, and/or any specific model recommendations?

 

[Thirstytech]

Frigidaire appliances are bottom of the bucket as far as I'm concerned. 

[LI-NY Tech]

Bosch would be the best of the three.  If you can up your budget a little go for a Miele.  They produce the best dishwashers on the market.

[patrick04]

I would love to get a Miele dishwasher to match my Miele vacuum cleaner, but unfortunately the nearest Miele dealer is almost 60 miles away 

Great idea though.

[vee8power]

Why not a GE or a Whirlpool(Kitchenaid)? I see your location is USA.

The BBQ place down the street from me is rated the best in the city by the local magazine they also advertise in. 

I take statistics with a grain of salt, they can be made to say anything; salesman tell you anything to make you buy. This pound of sugar I'm eating for breakfast says on the box that it's fat free.

 

[patrick04]

GE would be a good option.  I just didn't mention it because the store didn't recommend it, but I think they carry it.  Do you like them?

Whirlpool would be okay, except we've had bad luck with our last three Whirlpool appliances (gas kitchen range, refrigerator, and now the dishwasher), so I'm looking to try a different brand this time around.  In particular, the leaking diverter valve design on the Whirlpool dishwasher has has put me off from Whirlpool for a while (mine was leaking and I had to replace the sump assembly to fix it, it's apparently a common problem and, some people think, a major design flaw).

I agree about salesman and statistics.  I was actually thinking that the salesman was recommending LG because (statistically) they have one of the highest rates of warranty repairs, so the store can make the most money on service calls if people buy LG dishwashers   (the salesman's explanation was that LG is their least-serviced brand of dishwasher...)

[vee8power]

GE makes a good machine too. Don't forget to read Samauri's blog about brand recommendations, including the part about Kenmore.

What I get out of his blog is that all machines break; we can't control that. So buy the brand that gives you the best option down the road. When I did Samsung warranty work, I had to call in to get the correct part numbers. Non- authorized techs had to rely on the published exploded views and part look ups which were wrong. What I would add to that out of my own experience is that there are many factors that besides brand that determine reliability: The quality of the water, power, and installation, to name a few.

 

[maytagman]

I'm still kind of up in the air about the newer GE dishwashers. I've never been a fan of GE dishwashers, but the newer design the last couple years seems like it may be ok. The whirlpool/maytag/kitchenaid has had a few issues in recent years like some touch panel problems, but it would still be my choice.  Not much samsung or LG in our area and we don't service either brand so I can't really comment on them and I would have a hard time putting a frigidaire in my house if it was free. I would try to balance product reviews and the availibility of a good trustworthy service company nearby when choosing a brand. Sounds like you are considering this since you pointed out the Miele dealer 60 mi away.

[johntech]

Frigidaire only controls a small portion of the dishwasher market but 60-70% of my dishwasher calls are on Frigidaire. Any dishwasher you buy will most likely need to be repaired. Bosch and Lg takes longer to get parts and the repairs are more expensive. Ge is ok. Kitchenaid is whirlpools high end line and that is what I would reccommend. Every brand has there flaws so the safest thing to do is google any model number before you buy it. If people are unhappy they will post there complaints online. 

The best answer is to buy the one your wife wants.

[Dr. Phil]

I know I often run into GE refrigerators that are actually Samsung's.  Is the same true for dishwashers?

I agree with LI-NY - Bosch or Miele.

[BradE]

For a dishwasher under 1k, I don't think anyone can match a Bosch. They clean well, are very quiet, and quite honestly don't fail that often. The new Kitchen Aid units are starting to adopt the European style. The are getting rid of the chopper and going to micro screen filters to quieten the unit even more. Also doing away with the big heater ring thus reducing energy usage.

Biggest thing with the Bosch is you have to regularly remove and clean the filter(as stated in the user manual). Most of my Bosch calls are from clogged up filters.