I do not use the heated dry on the dishwasher. I just ran the dishes at night and then open the door to the dishwasher overnight and let the dishes air dry.

We don't use our heated dry either. We have a KA.

My dishwasher does not have heated dry. Drying is passive using residual heat from the final rinse.

I use heated dry all the time - I like dry dishes!

I have recently purchased KA (April 2013) and use the heated dry. I just find the dishes and particularly the glasses sparkle more using the heated dry.

Also all the Tupperware, Rubbermaid plastic gets good and dry with no water spots on them.

This post was edited by Caya26 on Mon, Nov 25, 13 at 9:58

No active heated dry in my Bosch, either. When the cycle is done, dishes are almost too hot to touch. I pop the door open a few inches and let residual steam and heat escape. By the time the dishes are cool, plastics are usually dry as well. Takes about 10 to 15 minutes.

Alex

Miele doesn't use heated dry; it depends on hot dishes evaporating moisture onto cold dishwasher walls, and/or opening the door at the appropriate time.

kas

I have an almost 12 year old Kenmore. I think I've used the heated dry maybe 4 or 5 times in all those years.

Helene

So I gather you are all saying that if you do not use the heater then your dishes come out dry and you are happy.
I hate when the dishes come out wet and you have to wipe them all.

I use heated dry all the time, too. Recent maytag dw - it's ok, bought for the inbuilt food disposer. For some reason, not running dry = never gets dry. To leave the door open would be a traffic hazard. It's the first dw I've had that has that problem. It's not a big deal or a big expense.

Before this dishwasher, I'd either pop the door right after it was done for a flash dry or it had a condenser dryer which I never ran.

Did a test last night and turned off the heated dry to see how my KA would do . Just the one hour wash (I usually use that cycle). I kept the door closed for about 4 hours after the cycle had finished. Dishes were clean, but most of the plastic was wet and had spots. Some of the glasses were a bit wet as well. Back to my heated dry option.
I try to use my dishwasher after 7 p.m., we get charged less for electricity usage after 7 p.m. and on weekends.

If I leave mine after washing long enough to cool off, (probably about an hour) the dishes and silverware are dryâ¦plastics may need some drying. The water is pretty hot and I make sure that the water is hot before I start the dishwasher.

Helene

I had a maytag before our remodel, it had heated dry and we used it all the time. Plastics still came out wet sometimes even with that option.

Since the remodel we have a Miele and it just pops open the door and nothing has ever been wet at all using it.

The only exception is if something has a well in it and water collects in that, like the bottom of a mug that is indented. Nothing will dry that amount of water out, heated or not.

Best of luck in your purchase.

Phil

I used to just prop open the door after the final rinse and my dishes were dry in an hour or so. However, since Maytag fixed my dishwasher after a recall the door won't stay propped...it just falls open all the way so I do the heated dry. My friend's mom taught me a trick a few years ago. Once the final rinse is done, open the door and pull out the racks, shake the plastic items of excess water,dump the water that has pooled in coffee cups, and shut the door to resume the dry cycle. Perfectly dry dishes when the cycle is done. It takes me 20 seconds to do this step and I love being able to put everything away without towel drying items.

I have a KA and use the heated dry for every load. I usually do the dishes at night and am not going to stay up to prop the door open, but even if I run it in the day I use heated dry. And I certainly wouldn't buy a DW without the heated dry option.

Then again I also use the cleaning option on my self-cleaning KA ovens (with no problems). I buy and then use the latest technology advancements.

Thanks again to everyone for all your opinions.
I still do not know what I am buying but you all gave me things to think about.
Thanks