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38 of 39 people found the following review helpful.
Definitely worth considering in the ~$350 range
By Adam Wood
To help put my review in context, I was very fortunate and received this as part of the Vine program. I have, however, been considering getting a new dishwasher for quite some time and have been looking at washers both online and in the stores. My ~14-year-old Whirlpool dishwasher still cleaned well, but I thought that it was excessively loud and I wanted to get a quieter washer. Overall, I've been happy with this Amana and recommend that you consider it if you're looking in this price range. I've tried to detail out some areas for you below, and I've mentioned some tips at the bottom if you have this installed for you.* CLEANING ABILITY - 5 StarsVery good, IMO. Okay, I'm not the ultimate tester for this, as I tend to rinse off my dishes before I put them in the washer based on old habits. I haven't tried any baked-on lasagna :) I certainly don't "clean" dishes before putting them in the washer, though, so hopefully my results will represent what you'd see - and the results are excellent. I thought that my Whirlpool got dishes clean, but dishes come out of this washer looking even better. They seem smoother and have a better shine. I'm using the same detergent (Cascade Complete Pacs) as I've used for years. I have been using a new rinse aid (Cascade that came with the unit versus Jet-Dry that I've used for years), but I honestly think that it's the washer doing a better job. My Whirlpool only had a washer arm on the bottom, whereas this tall tub unit has washer arms underneath of both racks. Plastic dishes, ceramic bowls, glasses, cups, and stainless steel utensils have all come out looking great. I'm a fan of air drying, but I did use the heated dry once to try it out. The heated option certainly dried the dishes (although coffee cups with recessed bottoms still had some water pooled in them), but my utensils get water marks where they are touching the utensil holder (just like in my old washer), so I choose to air dry and take them out a bit early.* COSMETICS - 3.5 to 4 StarsOf course, aesthetics is all personal choice, so I'll discuss the quality of the materials used on the door. I think that Amana did a good job with this unit overall. The upper plastic section on the front panel that houses the vent, handle, and controls has a good feel to it and seems well made. The front metal door panel has a good paint coating and looks quite nice.The one minor downside to me is the lower plastic panel that closes the gap between the door and the floor. It's just a thin piece of plastic that is kind of flimsy and doesn't give a really polished look to the installation.* NOISE - 3 Stars overall, 4-5 Stars at this priceWhether you'll be happy or not with this comes down to your expectations. Also, how much noise it makes will depend on your surrounding cabinets and home acoustics. If you want whisper quiet, you'll need to look elsewhere and spend more. If you want relatively quiet, this is definitely worth considering.This Amana is quieter than my old one, so I'm pleased. It's only about 4 dB quieter, but it doesn't makes the same rattling noises, so it's a lot more enjoyable to be in the house while it's running as compared to the old one. It measures around 66 dB at a distance of about three feet away in my kitchen. That's not exceptionally quiet, but for the price, that's not bad at all. The closer that you get to silent in dishwashers, the more they cost because of the added expense of the sound insulation. I've looked at the Bosch units with ratings around 40 dB, but those cost significantly more. I do think that Amana could have insulated the lower plastic piece underneath of the door better for little extra cost, though, and helped with sound from the motor and water flowing through the hoses.Also, mine has a constant high pitched whine that comes from the electronic control panel. I only notice it if my head is about a foot away, but I wanted to mention it in case you are sensitive to those noises. I decided to connect mine to an outlet under my sink controlled by a wall switch (like a disposal is), so I can shut it off and get rid of that noise when I'm not using it.* BUILD QUALITY - 4 StarsOverall, it seems good to me. The internal washer area is sturdy, and the racks are just as good if not better than those on my Whirlpool. The front panel materials are also good. The top of the metal door where it mates with the upper plastic section is a bit loose on mine (only noticeable when I push on it, but I mention it because it might add to noise), and the lower plastic panel near the floor is a bit flimsy, but those are the only two things that I can think to point out. In the ~$300 range, I think that this is a good unit. Only time will tell if moving parts and water connections hold up, but I've inspected under the unit a number of times as I was adjusting the back feet, and nothing looks or feels sub-par to me.* SUMMARY - 4 StarsThings that I like:- Tall tub, allowing larger items and/or easier access for regular items. For example, wine glasses that always had to be at an angle in my Whirlpool (and consequently often fell over during washing) fit on the top rack of this Amana just great.- Washer arms underneath both racks, so there's no cylinder taking up room in the center of the racks for water to flow through allowing you to fit in more items- Nice, clean look on the outside- Utensil holders can be placed on the sides or front of the lower rack- Overall good build quality and noise rating for this priceThings to consider:- Lower plastic front panel doesn't give a really polished look, but you might not really ever notice it because it's near the floor- Not whisper quiet (again, it's good for the price, but it's not exceptionally quiet in general)* INSTALLATION HINTSThe installation instructions that come with the machine are good. Follow those, and you should be set. Mine was delivered and installed for me, and based on some issues that I had after the installers left, I have some hints for preparation and things to make sure that the installers do before they leave.- Have some towels ready if you have a dishwasher already installed, because there will be water that leaks out when the hoses are disconnected and when the dishwasher is pulled out and moved. The guys that delivered mine were very nice, but they weren't used to removing dishwashers and didn't have any towels. If I would have had towels ready, that would have been prevented a mess.- Make sure that the installers fit the insulation blanket on properly and keep it in place when they push the dishwasher into place. As a tip for them or you, you can use some tape to secure the front edge of the insulation in place - that worked great for me when I repositioned it.- Inspect the location of the washer before the installers screw in the two tabs above the door. As I was writing this review and noting a cosmetic gap on each side, I noticed that the gaps were there because my installers had pushed the unit about 0.5-0.75" too far in. Because of that, the sides of the unit were recessed compared to the edges of the cabinet, and there was a large visual gap on each side. I just now corrected it by pulling the unit out and making sure that it was lined up on both sides, but I had to put two new holes into the wood brace above the washer for the screws (easy in my case, but maybe not for everyone). It wasn't difficult, but it took a while, and it will be easier for you if you check before they secure it.- Make sure that they check that all four feet are on the ground and that the dishwasher is level. My installers never checked the back feet, and they weren't touching the floor - so the machine would slide in and out at the bottom when I opened/closed the door. Those feet are pretty easy to adjust, but you'll have to fit your arm past the hoses underneath to reach one of them - so it's best if the installers do it and make sure that all connections are still secure afterwards.
37 of 38 people found the following review helpful.
LOVE THIS DISHWASHER ! BIG PLATES/PLATTERS FINALLY FIT !!!
By Tanzanite Gal
I have had the pleasure of using this Amana Dishwasher for the past week and I love it! I ordered it because of the Tall Tub feature. I use Fiestaware dinnerware (Made in USA) which is heavy and the chop/buffet platters are large. In the older model d/w this replaced, they would only fit on the very outside edge of the bottom rack. Not very convenient. I could put all of them in this Amana! That alone makes it a keeper for me!I have tried the different cycle features and the 1 hour works best for me. I timed it (because it runs so quietly I couldn't tell when the cycle was finished!) and it is exactly 1 hr! I called customer service (excellent, fast response) because I did not see an Air Dry feature which is what I prefer to use. If you want to air dry - don't depress either heat option button - that is your air dry. When both lights show black, not green. When the cycle finishes you can just leave the d/w alone (which is what I do) or you can crack the door a little bit for the air dry. Be prepared - if you crack the door, lots of hot air/condensation/steam will come out and if you are in a warmer climate as I am, you might want to avoid that which is why I rarely use a heated dry cycle. I don't need additional heat in the kitchen!The cutlery/flatware baskets are unique! Instead of just dropping the pieces of flatware into the baskets - keep the tops closed and place each piece individually in a slot to avoid pitting/scratching the finish. Especially nice if you are using new stainless steel or 'company flatware' - or, if like mine and it's older flatware, just open the tops and put them in together :) The closed tops are also nice for small items such as measuring cups, etc.Because of the depth of the inside of the tub, the door opens quite low to the floor, BUT the lower rack smoothly glides out and when it is full of heavy dinnerware, etc., that is so nice! The bottom rack in the d/w the Amana replaced had to be lifted up before sliding out of the d/w and for an older gal like me or someone with back issues, that was a bit of a strain at times.This Amana is a very nice looking dishwasher. Clean finish. Stylish without extra whistles and bells that require a manual in hand in order to figure out how to use it. I would call it an off-white with a textured finish - not the old shiny finish that was a real pain to keep clean. The top is easy to read and use.As for installation - excellent. The company who installed it was on-time, professional, friendly, worked quickly and hauled off the old d/w. The two installers actually made it look easy! Very pleased with everything!I would highly recommend this Amana Tall Tub Dishwasher!UPDATE 5/20/12 I have always used powdered Cascade (or whatever brand you prefer) and had great luck. That's what I have been using in the new Amana and I was getting frustrated because sometimes I would put too much in and I couldn't close the dispenser door and I would have to get a spoon and take some out, etc. I couldn't understand why the container was so shallow that holds the Cascade.........well, big duh for me....I received a sample of the new Cascade Action Pac Sachets when the d/w was installed, but hadn't used them until this morning. Wow! So easy! Just pop one in the container - the dispenser door shuts so easily :) Absolutely no mess!! I can't honestly say if the pac cleaned better than using powder or gel. I think the cost would determine if I continue to use them.The 2 sample pacs I received are in an un-resealable plastic bag. I do not know what they are in when bought directly from a store, but on the back of the package it says enough that I would not leave them loose under the sink - for safety reasons, if there are children and/or pets in the home. We have cats - I will be putting the pacs in a Lock n Lock plastic container specifically for that purpose!UPDATE 6/16/12: The top basket is approx 6-1/2" deep. The bottom basket is approx 6" deep. I placed a 16-1/2"L x 12-1/2"W cookie sheet on the bottom rack and there was approx 1-1/2" to 2" space between it and the washer arm under the top rack so this might give you an idea of what will fit on the bottom rack.
27 of 27 people found the following review helpful.
Good basic unit
By MyPenName
This Amana Tall Tub Dishwasher is an excellent basic unit. It has few settings, but they are more than able to get the job done, no matter how badly or lightly soiled your dishes are. The settings/controls are super user friendly - very straight forward - no need to read the manual to figure it out. Quite honestly, the fewer selections, the better because it is less to malfunction or go faulty.It is super quiet! The most I hear of it is when the water is running through it. You do not actually hear the motor etc while it is running - just the water.A tall tub dishwasher will fit the same as a standard dishwasher. It does not mean the dishwasher itself is taller. The inside is just more spacious/taller. You can fit ALOT of dishes/pots and pans in this dishwasher! We are a family of 5 and I am able to fit 2 days worth of dishes in, including pots and pans. I found this out by accident actually - I loaded up the dishwasher one night before bed, but forgot to start it. So the next night, I just rearranged the dishes a bit and added all of the dirty stuff from that day as well. I was surprised it all fit and that it all came out perfectly clean.My old dishwasher was a GE. This Amana cleans pots, pans and dishes thoroughly clean. I have even put the sheets from my toaster oven in and they come out so clean. Normally I have to scrub them to death in the sink, but this dishwasher did an excellent job on them! I do not have to rewash anything and I do not do alot of prewashing or rinsing - I just make sure any large "chunks" or pieces of food are not on any of the dishes/pans. Even plastic items come out clean, with no film or residue on them. With our old dishwasher, the clear plastic storage containers (like the Glad or Ziploc type) would come out with a nasty white residue or film on them. I always thought it was because our water is well/hard water, but I was wrong because they come out perfectly clean with this Amana.The silverware trays are great. They have slotted "lids" on them that you drop the silverware into. At first I thought it wouldn't hold as much as the old ones, but I think it actually holds more. You can of course flip the lids up as well and not use the slots. The silverware comes out with no spots. I do not use a rinse aid either.A very nice little feature is the clips in the top rack that hold lighter items in place - for example those clear plastic storage containers/bowls I mentioned earlier - they will not go loose inside or flip upside down. There are also 2 other flaps along the side of the top rack that you can use to help keep smaller or lightweight items in place.The door does not go all the way down to the floor, it does have the kickplate at the bottom (as you can see in the pictures above). It is a standard - about 4 inch - kickplate. This is not a drawback by any means, just pointing it out as another review had stated that it does not have the kickplate. It definitely does.This unit performs wonderfully all the way around and it is in an affordable price range when compared to other units.My only tiny dislike is that the top of the unit where the controls are is finely textured (similar to some refridgerator door handles) and so since the unit is white, I see it getting dirty over time and needing a scrubbing. Our old refridgerator had a handle that was textured like this and after years of use, it was impossible to get it completely clean. I imagine eventually the control panel on this dishwasher will end up the same way. It may take longer though since the dishwasher doesn't get as much hands on traffic as the fridge handle does.I would definitely recommend this dishwasher. It is super quiet, super easy to use, and extremely efficient. It is also energy star rated, so it's power use is minimal and in most areas of the country it will qualify you for a rebate from your electric company.5 Star unit!
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