Dishwasher

So we have a new dishwasher. I calculated that a dishwasher can cost almost three times as much as long as it lasts three times longer. (Twenty years, it claims.) I'm also happy to pay extra if it shuts off when water-in does not equal water-out; that way my wood kitchen floor will not warp for three months when the dishwasher floods. 

It is German and fussy and demanding. It requires a constant supply of salt to keep the water soft. (It did make me wonder if that was all my old dishwashers needed.) I watched as the installer added salt before he left, and then after his empty test run the display demanded "ADD SALT.'"

(Salt Vampire from Star Trek, young folks)

I ignored the salt message, because I was waiting to watch the auto-open feature in action. That is what sold me on this model. When the cycle is done, the door pops open invitingly. (This washer is German, fussy, and not yet in menopause.) 

I pictured it would promptly give a little sigh, and a pop, and then the door would be ajar, oh, half an inch. But no. After I waited for what seemed like twenty minutes, a robot arm inexorably pushed the door open three inches, and then the display continued to flash "AUTOOPEN" for another stretch while it vented all the steam. Then the door wouldn't detach from the robot arm. Eventually I hit some buttons and the display read "PULL DOOR OPEN," when it should have read  "YANK DOOR OPEN REALLY PUT YOUR WEIGHT INTO IT."

Everything was fine after that, only I did stand for five minutes with my hands full of dirty silverware because I forgot it had a super secret skinny upper drawer with slots for the cutlery instead of a basket. 

I loaded it, but I haven't run it again, but really it kind of scares me now. I don't yet have the rinse fluid it demands, and I know it's already pissed off about the salt.

Comments

[KC]

... salt? Like, regular table salt? Do you have to add it every load?

(I want devices as low-complexity and high-durability as possible, generally. But the *main* point of that is lasting; the more features, the more things that can go wrong and if the gizmo was not made right, then it won't perform its core function if [weird side function you don't even care about] is broken and that drives me nuts...)

[theQueen]

KC - I am usually that way too, but then I started thinking about what a dishwasher will cost in the future. It really is like stock futures. Lock in the price now. But yes, my fridge has no icemaker for that very reason.

And no - special salt, and you add it every few months.