Dishwasher Ramblings

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my kids got together and gave me a gift card to Lowe's for me to buy a new dishwasher. Since I don't already have a dishwasher and since my kitchen isn't exactly set up to have one introduced, Drew and I put our minds together and decided that maybe getting a portable machine would be the best route for us. Portable dishwashers come with a top, back and sides already attached so we wouldn't have to build a cabinet for it to be installed, as opposed to the built-in models which just have insulation around them when you take them out of the box and are meant to be installed under a kitchen counter top with the cabinetry around them. Also, most portable models can be installed permanently, which is what we planned to do after trying out different locations in our kitchen with the machine still on its wheels. Handy, huh?

Well, Saturday we traveled to Lowe's to look at the portable dishwashers with the intention of buying one. Of the ten or so portable models listed online at lowes.com, only one machine was available to look at in the store. I guess portable dishwashers aren't as popular as I had imagined. I was disappointed. We decided to look at the built-in models to see if they compared to the portable ones we saw online. We figured out that the portable ones cost $150 to $300 more than their built-in counterparts and the models that turn into portable units are the lower end models. This was also disappointing.

I told Drew that I just wanted to stop thinking about the portable units for a while; I wanted to look at each built-in unit and see what I liked. As I took time to look into each dishwasher and scrutinize on its features, Drew waited in a little demo kitchen and thought. I didn't even look at the $198-$300 models. The $300-$400 models were ok but I didn't like the latches on the doors or the soap dispenser doors. The interiors seemed cheaply made and the racks were flimsy. I found a $400 model that was ok; the silverware rack wasn't in the middle of the bottom rack (I think that takes up a lot of space that could be used for bigger dishes and pans), and it had a mesh-type drain at the bottom. Then I got to the $500 Bosch model and I really liked how the door opened and how the racks were adjustable. I continued on to the $600 machines and stopped. I didn't want to spend more that that. Did you know you can spend $1,200 on a regular dishwasher at Lowe's? No me.

Then I introduced Drew back into the perusal of the machines. He found that he liked the $400 Fridgidaire and said it looked a lot like Joey's machine in his newly remodeled kitchen. He looked at my preferences and then we decided to go home and think about the purchase some more. On the way home Drew suggested we stop by Joey's and see what machine he has. We did and it turns out to be the $600 Fridgidaire. Drew said he would build a cabinet for the machine and we should stop looking at the portables. I agreed that he could build something for a lot less than $300, and we would get a better machine for our money.

So the search continues. I will look at some reviews online this week and continue to look at more options on the machines that we liked at Lowe's. Will let you know when we decide something.