Wow Dottyinduncan...you've got the million dollar question...which one should you replace it with? I've scoured these boards, and there is not an answer to that question. Every dishwasher brand has problems and issues. It comes down to what's actually important to YOU. I've decided I'm not spending a lot on a dishwasher. I don't need the stainless steel interior...there's no way a dishwasher nowadays will outlast the plastic tub, so what's the point of stainless steel? I'm not going to put $1,000 or more down to find that it won't even last 10 years, or that I hate it. So I'm looking at rack configuration, and other features that are important to me. I've narrowed it down to the Frigidaire Gallery, I believe. I can get the most bang for my buck. And I will pick an appliance store who takes pride in their installation, which is another important factor in a dishwasher. If it's installed wrong, you've got problems. Just waiting for the "Cash for Appliances" program to kick in before I pull the trigger....Good Luck!

alex9197- I purchased a SHV45MO3UC which is still on order from last November. I still have not taken delivery as my kitchen project has taken so long but will be ready for delivery in December. After reading some of these posts I feel lucky because I still can cancel and purchase a different dishwasher. The model I ordered is the one that accepts custom wood panels. At the time of purchase the one I listed above was new, are there newer ones out now? does anyone know when they came out and what the differences are? thank you in advance for responses.

I've been using JetDry rinse aid since we remodeled my Mom's kitchen in '68. That was a KA made by Hobart that was so loud it would run you out of the room. But it lasted for over 20 years.

you need an enzyme dishwasher powder with this Bosch machine. And don't use 'RinseHold' unless you're going to complete the wash cycle in a few hours. It leaves dirty dish water in the bottom that will stink after a while.

When shopping for a new DW, you ALWAYS need to take some of your dishes with you to see if they will fit. All the manufactures use different configurations that may or may not hold what you have. My KA is kinda iffy on holding my bowls, but I still appreciated its flexibility.

Research71, thanks for your thoughts. I totally agree that you need to buy from a store who takes pride in after service. And, my DH and I will discuss the "cheap and cheerful" option, vs the expensive cadillac model. I was out today looking at DWs in stores and understand that a lot of the problems that people here are concerned with, are concerns with all brands. So, I agree, it comes down to inside config, quietness of model and how it looks. It certainly won't last long enough for the insides to rot out.
Thanks for your words.

While the question is about hating Bosch dishwashers, I happen to like our Bosch dishwasher. I like the unheated drying, it works for us and saves energy *gasp*. We don't have a problem getting our dishes into it, it runs quietly, and the dishes are clean and dry when done. No bad smells, either. Can't ask for more than that, other than long life, which remains to be seen. We can use the "quick" wash cycle and "flash dry" (opening the door when the cycle is done *smile*) if we're in a real hurry for clean dishes.

By the way, that flashy stainless steel tub has a role in the unheated drying. It also helps make the dishwasher quieter. So it isn't just there for appearance or as a cosmetic upgrade.

We don't have any problems with our Bosch so far, but it hasn't been a year yet. We'll know more in a few years *smile*.

-Roger

i hate our Bosch. It's atop of the line and cost $1,600 a couple of months ago. My problem is that it reeks of dish detergent when the cycle is finished. It is the EcoSence line and perhaps that means it uses less water. Anyway the dishes smell of soap. I put it on a rinse cycle after the wash cycle and everything still smells of soap. They reccomend 'Finish' detergent. I hate it. The smell is so toxic. Why do we need scented detergents anyway? Anybody know an un-scented brand? DON"T BUY A BOSCH - ESPECIALLY THE ECOSENSE LINE.

Yes, we are also very disappointed in obtaining this Bosch - the model # does not seem to matter after reading all the postings. Ours is near the top end.

In any case, it does not clean as well as we had hoped. The dishes, after much tweaking (times, detergent, rinse agent, drying mode) comes out almost completely clean but the silverware, now there's a whole can of worms.

We have tried flipping the larger spoons 180 degrees to see if having the big ends nearer the water jets would make a difference.
It did not, the big spoons still have a crusty edge of soap/residue/whatever it is (imagine a rim around the tub).
When we have to do this again, it will not be a Bosch, ESPECIALLY at the $$$ cost ($1,300)!!!!

Let me rephrase a statement, I meant that the dishes come out 'somewhat' completely clean rather than 'almost' completely clean.

And like some of the others, I was not really aware of this Euro version and American version - we know now.

I hate my Bosch dishwasher...constantly running cycles over and over adding vinegar and rinse...not really cleaning dishes very good...would love to replace it...Husband is a plumber so I know it was installed correctly...looking to break it so I can get a new one...lol...

HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT.

Worst appliance purchase ever! The soap dispenser opens up 25% of the time so the dishes never get cleaned properly. It is loud. It takes a LONG time to run through and the dishes never seem to get cleaned properly. Such a horrible purchase! We got it at Lowes and they claimed it was 'best selling' and 'top of the class'.

One thing is for certain: We will never get another Bosch dishwasher.

We have a lower end Ecosense. About 1 month after purchase, the soap door would no longer open. After much haggling, we got it replaced. Then about 4 months after the new door was installed, the soap door again would not open. We have well water that is moderately hard, but malfunction after 1 month? 3 years, yes, but not 1 month! These machines need perfectly soft water I believe. I think our next dishwasher will be a $250 model.

Hate our rental one. Our old one in our REAL house is a Hobart like weedmeister mentioned above! Took forever to get going and then we had to shut the doors of the office and the TV room if we wanted to do anything in that 2.5 hours after starting it.

I will say, the Bosch is quiet. And our dishes do come out cleaner than that old KA/Hobart.

It just seems high-maintenance. "Only use this brand of powdered detergent, and the rinse-aid." Bossy! The property owners showed us the "soap dispenser doohickey" that they
have to fiddle with if the dispenser starts popping open.

It has The Smell. Not the fishy one but the stagnant dishwasher detergent one. All the proposed fixes - other than installation issues - seem "fussy." Run Tang, run vinegar, run bleach, run this kind of tablet, clean this, fish out that - hello???

I don't know what our new KA will be like, but thank goodness for the people here on GW (and the appliance store!) for suggesting we bring in our dishes and put them in the various machines. They did NOT fit well in the Bosch. Yay!

We bought two high-end Bosch dishwashers when we remodeled the kitchen, which I regret. I hate the racks, hate them. In particular, glasses don't fit well. One reason we added a second dishwasher was to clean up after dinner parties. But stemware fits so poorly, I have to run multiple, half-empty loads. The bottom racks has such a big grid that I couldn't use it for glassware until I wired in some small metal racks (the kind for cooling cookies, etc.). The units clean fine, and I like the natural drying, but I would not buy them again.

Hate ,hate, hate my Bosch. I constantly have a garbage smell that leaks into entire kitchen. I have had it rigged correctly, and have done everything Bosch customer service has said to do. The funny thing is..... They say they never have gotten a call about bad odor. I see posts all the time about the terrible smell. I even had purchased a 5 year warranty. They would not even come out to look at it, as "bad odor" not covered. Would never by anything Bosch again. (Besides odor, after the cycle has run, the stainless steel on door is slimy.)

Suetrio,
If the SS inner door is slimy this indicates more of a detergent issue and not a mechanical issue. You may want to try changing your detergent.

I love the Bosch dishwasher. It is quiet and using recommended dishwasher detergent, results in clean spot free dishes and glasses. The beeping is annoying at the end of the cycle. Regarding long cycles, we use the half load setting, and it shortens the time with good results.

Regarding the smell, it took nearly a year for a fishy odor to resolve that we smelled at setup; the source is unknown, but it is gone now.

Got to say that I've loved our Bosch over the years...had it for a few years now, and it just quietly does its job, no complaints *smile*. Gets glassware spotless (we use rinse agent), and everything is clean when it comes out of the dishwasher. No problem odors, just washes dishes quietly. Can't ask for more.

Just noticed that I have a reply above from about 5.5 years ago, with "time will tell" in it. Forgot about that. Holding up well over time, I guess *smile*. On the other hand, our washing machine is from 14 years ago and still working well, so this appears to be the house that time forgot.

The Bosch dishwasher replaced a GE that we got with the house that made a lot more noise and didn't get dishes very clean to boot. The GE may have been good when it was new, but it had a lot of clunks and disturbing noises by the time it got to us. We have basically open space between the kitchen and living room, so loud noises in the kitchen easily carry into the living room, and are loud there. Our living room is much quieter these days *smile*.

Almost 4 years now since my previous rant, and still using our low end Bosch. To remedy the soap door, I just run citric acid periodically. And it seems that the door sticks less. As far as run time, we rinse all dishes off good and then use quick wash, which is 30 minutes. Seems like if we didn't rinse off everything we ended up with dirty dishes, regardless of the wash (even power wash) so we just figured we may as well prewash and then use the quick cycle to finish. So I guess it is as good as anything else we have had. With over 4 years under our belt I am happy. One good thing is the simplicity of the moving parts - easy to remove and clean up. Did that once now as the sprayer was clogged.

I am glad to see at least while some of you like your Bosch I am not alone in really hating mine. Yes I put in proper detergent and rinse sorry constantly, clean the filter, yadda yadda yadda, but I would never ever purchased another Bosch! Nothing comes out dry. I absolutely hated it and think it's a piece of junk. A bottom of the line Kenmore is far superior to this. At least you don't have to hand dry everything. This completely takes the convenience factor right out of having a dishwasher. It's faster and better just to wash by hand. I have never been as thoroughly disgusted with an appliance. Never again Bosch!

I love that it's very quiet and cleans well; yes it takes a sort-of long time, but I'm OK with that (I know the Auto cycle that I typically use takes 2h 25m -- haven't tried others). But what I hate is the configuration of the bottom rack! I hate it. It's very inefficient because the angled tongs don't hold anything other than a plate very well at all. My pitchers, pots, bowls, and bottles take up more space than they need to because the tongs force them into an angled, more insecure, position. I took out the cutlery container, since I use the 3rd rack for that, and that does give me a little more space.

Bottom line: like the cleaning, hate the design.

The Euro style dishwashers aren't designed to dry well. They're designed to save resources.

Sharon, in order to have a chance to dry, the Bosch needs a lot of heat holding mass. That means stoneware or earthenware will work better than thin porcelain, clay anything will work better than glass, glass will work better than plastic (which doesn't help drying at all!) and metal is better than most things. With my porcelain and glass dishes, acrylic handled flatware, rare coffee mugs, few pots, and lots of plastics or various sorts, I settled for a lesser dishwasher with a heating element because dry means more to me.

If I had to do without a heating element, I'd get a heavy stainless slug to put in the dishwasher.

I like our Bosch dishwasher...especially all the choices, half-load, eco, sanitary wash, regular wash, quick wash, etc. Cleans well, and it's quiet. Being quiet is a good thing for a dishwasher that spends about 2 hours cleaning an average full load. Gets the glasses clean (rinse agent *smile*), and most of the dishes are dry when it's all done. Except the plastic ones...so few of those that it isn't a problem. No problem with smells, it just cleans our dishes efficiently and quietly. I like that in a dishwasher *smile*.

I responded back in 2009. One problem has popped up since then. There is an issue with the board and I get an obstruction error code - E24. I have tried all of the fixes so mine falls into the "false code" group. To bypass this I have to wait until it sounds like it's pumping water the second time, open the door, close, and it runs as it should. I could get the board replaced but I haven't. I'm cleaning countertops and cooktop after turning it on, so I'm in there to "fix" it. Not thrilled but it's not a deal-breaker.

No complaints about how it cleans. I fit a day's worth of dishes, pots, & pans for our family of five. I usually run an auto cycle but will use Quick or Glass Care after a dinner party. I use Finish tabs and blow off the rinse-aid. With a fair amount of hand-wash items, leaning the plastic to dry on the mat doesn't bother me. We only scrape dishes along with a quick swish w/ BKF on SS pans occasionally - because they come out so shiny!

To sum it up, loading is fine and I like it better than my aunt's US configuration. Cleaning is great. I don't care mind the length of cycles. The quiet is priceless (not exclusive to Bosch). The main board needs work.

I know this thread is old, but need to comment. We hate our Bosch so so so much. It does not clean properly, my dishes and glasses all have developed a sort of film over them that won't come off, and it leaves everything gritty and dirty. It does not dry anything plastic, period; they require hand-drying or leaving out on countertop rack (not cute). I rue the day . . . .

Since this thread is being revived, I will balance out the comment above.

We just purchased a Bosch dishwasher in May of 2017 to replace Fisher-Paykel dishdrawers that we liked, but that had given up after about 13 years of service.

So far, I almost-love the Bosch -- and had expected to like it, at best. It is quiet -- even quieter than I had expected. The super-sanitize cycle with rinse aid gets glassware very clean (no film!), even using minimal detergent. (I HATE detergent residue!) I can fit a good amount of "stuff" into the machine, including large pots and pans. The DW does a great job on messy pots.

The bottom rack is not super-well designed for anything but plates, although I manage okay with large pots. The silverware holder is actually pretty good, and even has a lift-up feature that allows me to insert items with fat handles, such as plastic spatulas.

Cycles are long -- but they were long for the F-P dishdrawers, as well. We replaced both our old 'fridge and our DW at the same time, back in May, and our electricity use month-over-month has gone down by about 10%. (We already had a super-efficient front-loading Asko washer and a new, super-efficient water heater, so a 10% energy savings isn't bad, but it's 10% of an already-"lean" energy bill.)

If the racks were better designed and if I had longer experience to go by, I might even be prepared to say that I "love" the Bosch. As it is, I only "almost-love" the DW. But keep in mind that this is a 2017 model. It's newer/different than some models that have provoked complaints within this thread -- and, too, there is time yet for me to be disappointed.

So far, though, so good.

OK, now 6 years and still going with our low end Bosch. I found that vinegar works well for keeping this machine running well. I pour boiling hot vinegar on the soap door every once in a while and work the release button up and down. To clean the machine, I start the machine, and after it starts filling the bottom with water I open it and dump a half gallon of vinegar in with the water. Also clean the jets every once in a while as they sometimes get clogged. To quickly do dishes, I prewash them quickly by hand and then use the quick wash to finish them - 30 min and then I can do another load. If I do not prewash, I just use the power scrub - that takes a few hours. So far this machine has far outlasted our others - we have hard water that takes its toll.

Well, I see that I commented above that I like our Bosch dishwasher a couple of times, first time in 2009. We still have the same Bosch dishwasher, working great. Still quiet, still cleans dishes well, still like it, almost 10 years now!

Just one question for JM, do you use rinse agent? We don't have any film on our glassware, but have consistently used rinse agent since we got the dishwasher. Our previous dishwasher, a GE Monogram model, used to give us a film/water spots on our glasses, very likely due to hard water and no rinse agent. Once we got the Bosch, started using rinse agent consistently and that no longer happens.

Just curious...

Ditto ditto ditto - we hate ours too- racks are horrible and have already broken (less than 2 years old). Cannot find a detergent that doesn’t end up crusted and caked on the dishes. Yesterday, washed a load, soap crusted on the dishes, did a quick wash with no soap just to rinse the soap off - so 3 1/2 hours to get clean dishes. Worst choice we could have made.

I also hate the racks on the Bosch dishwasher...impossible to load properly

I am in a rental unit and the old dishwasher had an issue with leaking at a hose connection. The cost to repair was more than my landlord felt feasible so he had a new Bosch installed. It's awful. The old GE worked great with a simple rinse & stack in very basic racks. In the new one, you almost have to wash everything manually before placing in the dishwasher. I've never done a load in almost 2 years that I didn't have to put several things back in for the next load. The rack configurations are horrible if you want to put serving dishes or pots & pans in it. The old one had a basic square design that allowed for oddly shaped items to be accommodated. I was gone when the Bosch was installed or I would have kept the old rack to replace the one it came with. The ONLY good thing is that it is quiet.

One of my aunts replaced a 12yo KitchenAid with a Bosch in Sept 2019. They had no complaints about the KA, it was just aging with the racks deteriorating. They like the Bosch in terms of cleaning performance. They don't prerinse ... scrape chunks and bits, load and go. Everything comes clean. I haven't asked her about the rack design but she hasn't mentioned any objections about it.

Luci, have you tried a different detergent? I have a Bosch dishwasher for a few months now. It's fussy about what detergent is put in it. It cleans very nicely, with no pre-rinse, just scrape with it's preferred detergent. It doesn't clean well with some detergents that used to work well in my previous dishwasher. Took me a few weeks to figure out what works well with my water chemistry and this DW. I agree about the racks--not exactly user friendly unless you have items that fit in the slots just right, of which none of our stuff is, except for dinner plates. Loading is a brain exercise most of the time. Some other people have no complaints with loading their Bosch DWs, so I think it just depends on the shape/size/thickness of your items. I don't consider our items to be unduly large or chunky, but the Bosch racks disagree.

I hate my low end Bosch. Admittedly, we did by it used from a couple that remodeled their kitchen. I couldn’t understand why they would sell a working SS dishwasher just to replace it with another SS dishwasher….until I started using it. The racks are absolutely the worst. No heating coil??? Wet dishes all the time. Dirty dishes all the time. And that mesh trap at the bottom….WTH? That’s the tip of the iceberg. HATE, HATE, triple hate it.

@Toby WInter

Bosch dishwashers have a water heater that's part of the wash/rinse water circulation pump, heats the water as it flows through the pump. They don't have an exposed air heater for drying. They all use the condensation drying method. Dishware is heated by the final rinse water. The tub cools faster than the dishware during the drying dwell period, which entices residual moisture to condense off the dishware onto the surface of the cooler tub.

Yes, absolutely hate our Bosch dishwasher. It doesn't get the dishes clean at all. Can't understand the racket that has them consistently top rated.

I also hate our new Bosch dishwasher. Cups and glasses (glass ones not plastic) wobble around in the top rack as the video demonstrates and don't come clean. The bottom rack is difficult to load, plates and bowl have to be spaced out or they don't come clean. The lower rack doesn' t have space for larger items such as serving bowls or platters. A small rectangular piece hangs down from the rear of the upper rack which drags on the plates in the lower rack, so I have to open the lower rack first if I want to add a dirty glass or cup to the top rack. And it takes 2 hours and 45 minutes to do a load!

I am using the recommended dishwasher detergent and rinse aid.

It is quiet. That is the only positive thing I can say about it. I would love to have my old noisier Maytag back that loaded efficiently and left the dishes clean and dry.

I see from my comment above that we got our Bosch dishwasher about 13 years ago. Still working great, no complaints. Seems pretty unique amongst the postings here.

Just rented a beautiful new apt that we absolutely love EXCEPT for the Bosch dishwasher - it's THE WORST dishwasher I've ever had..... ever. The bottom rack configuration is restrictive to pots and pans; dishes come out unclean unless they're almost clean when they go in; the rinse agent does nothing to prevent spots; there 's no heated dry so everything is spotted, wet and if you don't open the door after the cycle, the dampness turns to odor; the 60 minute cycle is worthless unless you 're unpacking and want to do a quick clean of packed items. Who cares about noise - it's a dishwasher?!!! I'd rather have a powerhouse that cleans in an hour than a quiet machine that leaves things dirty and un-dry after 2+ hours. It's actually easier to wash by hand ~ even after Thanksgiving dinner.

" Who cares about noise - it's a dishwasher?!!! "

I do! "It's a dishwasher", but it's essentially in my living room, and just down the hall from my bedroom.

@janetpneuner I simply scrape dishes of big pieces and in they go into my bosch. They always come out completely clean. I run heavy cycle at night but use the 60 minute cycle during the day and even then dishes still come out completely clean. As far as sound...we have an open floor plan and if we run the dishwasher during the day i do not want it to be loud.

@janetpneuner: "Just rented a beautiful new apt that we absolutely love EXCEPT for the Bosch dishwasher... dishes come out unclean unless they're almost clean when they go in"

You might try this:

1. Clean the filters.
2. Don't pre-wash. Just scrape the dishes.
3. Use Cascade Complete Powder or Finish Powder.
4. The Normal cycle* has a pre-rinse stage but there's no detergent dispenser for it so put a small amount (1 Tbsp*) in the tub so it doesn't run with just clear water.
5. Add the detergent to the second line (1.75 Tbsp*) in the dispenser.

-----

*According to the Bosch manual I checked

Weve had issues with our new bosch dishwasher as well. First if all, the installation process is a pain-we had bought it to replace our old dishwasher which was fairly new but in order to install the bosch dishwasher, we had to have an electrician and plummer come to rewire and reroute/set up the water lines correctly for the thing to even run.

Then we had issues with the power cord and had to have a technician come out and repair/fix that. I also hate how you cant control it/buttons arent accessible unless the door is open. There is inadequare space for dishes, doesnt effectively clean dishes even with high quality dish detergent, rinse aid, and meticulous placement of dishes. Lastly, its annoying how it gets stuck on auto and you have to reset the thing and rerun it just so you can switch to a different mode. I have used many different brands throughout my life-rented in my 20’s and early 30’s including whirpool and LG and never had issues.

.

@HU-984658001: "I also hate how you cant control it/buttons arent accessible unless the door is open."

There are 12 standard-height 24" Bosch models (6 stainless steel) with controls on the front panel.

Love my Bosch. And I rely on air drying with the door open, to save energy.

Also love my Bosch. Bought in 2017 and still going strong.

Dishes come out dry. No need for a heating element.

I purposely bought a dishwasher with controls on the front, not the top. Much more convenient.

We are happy to spec Bosch or Meile for our clients. Nothing else is good enough. They do require regular maintenance, though. You can not set and forget dishwashers, no matter how good quality they are. Bad odors or spotted glasses are a sign you are not following the manufacturer's maintenance instructions. Gotta do the work!

Replaced old d/w with Bosch not knowing it was smaller inside(our pancake griddle no longer fit), then in time realized it needed
Frequent maintenance of filter. Did a kitchen remodel and replaced it with a KitchenAid and couldn’t be happier. Fast forward moved again and ended up with a Bosch. Same nasty issues with filter. Going back to kitchenaid and can’t wait.

Bosch. The worst appliance I have ever owned in my life. And in reference to the original post - the configuration of the top and bottom racks makes absolutely no sense and nothing fits. Must have been designed for glassware and dished from an alternate universe (or perhaps Germany). Then let’s not forgot the non-stop beeping.