Brent wrote:

Dear Samarai,
Thank you for the great advice on your site. I have Kenmore model you described. Replaced switches and now will replace thermal fuse.

If I have to get new dishwasher, do you have any suggestion for Kenmore or other model that is made well, that is less likely to have same problems with switches and fuse as my current model ?
Thanks for the help.

Grasshopper

Ahh, Grasshoppah, here I present to you a Great and Universal Truth of Appliantology (GUTA): All dishwashers made today suck.

You’re gonna be fixing whatever brand you buy about as often as Grandpa needs his prostate checked. Therefore, your prime criteria in selecting a dishwasher (or ANY appliance, for that matter) is to choose a brand that has the most technically precise and easily-accessible repair information available to the non-appliance tech public free of charge. Currently, only four brands fit this bill: Whirlpool (and its sub-brands: Kitchenaid, Roper, Maytag, Amana, Jenn-Air), Frigidaire, LG, and Dacor. Don’t get me wrong– they still suck. But at least with these four manufacturers you can get the information you need to fix their appliances when they surely break.

If you currently have an older model dishwasher, you’re usually better off fixing what you have rather than buying a new one. And replacing a dishwasher is a little more complicated than plugging in a toaster. You can get help fixing your dishwasher from certifiable appliance gurus in the world-famous Samurai School of Appliantology.

To learn more about your dishwasher, or to order parts, click here.