# Dishwasher, repair or replace?



## trc65 (Oct 22, 2020)

Have a 22 year old Kitchen aid dishwasher that started to leak. Door seal and lower door seal will be about $60 in parts, and my labor. Is it worth it to repair or will this just be the first of many repairs and throwing good money after bad?


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## El Guapo (Oct 22, 2020)

trc65 said:


> Have a 22 year old Kitchen aid dishwasher that started to leak. Door seal and lower door seal will be about $60 in parts, and my labor. Is it worth it to repair or will this just be the first of many repairs and throwing good money after bad?


Thankfully a dishwasher is one of the less expensive kitchen appliances, but still, no fun to deal with appliances starting to give out. If you like the dishwasher and you’re happy with it, I would repair it. If you do decide to replace the dishwasher, all of the appliance stores (Lowe’s, Home Depot, Best Buy, Nebraska Furniture Mart) have their best sale of the year on their appliances right after thanksgiving.

Reactions: Like 1


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## TimR (Oct 22, 2020)

Well, if you do replace it, you could do what I did with my sisters DW when it gave out...convert it into a kiln!

Reactions: Like 2


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## trc65 (Oct 22, 2020)

Trust me, that will happen when the washer is replaced, but I'm trying real hard not to let that affect the immediate decision.

Reactions: Great Post 1


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## Wildthings (Oct 22, 2020)

If everything else seems to be good I would do the seals. If something else then goes......to the kiln!!

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2


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## Nature Man (Oct 23, 2020)

If you are planning to stay in your house for the next few years, I would replace with a Bosch. They are exceptionally quiet and performance is outstanding! Chuck

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2 | Great Post 1


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## Herb G. (Oct 23, 2020)

I got a Bosch d/w on sale at Lowes a couple years ago. It was normally $1200 or so, I got it on a close out, scratch & dinged, etc.
I got it for less than $300 after all the discounts. It's been a good d/w so far.

Reactions: Like 1


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## woodtickgreg (Oct 23, 2020)

That is an old American made kitchen aid, a good one, I would repair it. A door seal is a minor thing. I would also check the latch and hinges to make sure everything is tight. New dishwashers are most imported and garbage now. I've heard good things about the Bosch brand but man is it expensive, and so are the parts for them. Fix the kitchen aid, imo.

Reactions: Like 3 | Agree 3


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## Tom Smart (Oct 23, 2020)

Some appliances have been hard to come by lately. Anyone tried to buy a refrigerator or freezer? I don’t know if dishwashers are as scarce but availability might influence a decision.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Steve in VA (Oct 23, 2020)

For just the door seal, I'd repair it. I did the door seal on ours 2-3 years ago and haven't thought about it until now.

What you have is probably substantially better than a new one. Maybe not as efficient, but don't expect a new one to last half as long as yours has.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## sprucegum (Oct 23, 2020)

As others have said old american made kitchenaid appliances are better than anything you will get today. We left behind 30 year old Jen air and kitchenaid appliances when moved and I know our new ones will not be running in 30 years.

Reactions: Like 2


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## ripjack13 (Oct 23, 2020)

I give all my appliances 3 strikes. after that it's up to the wife if she wants a new one. But since it is an old one, it would be worth it to fix it at least once. specially an easy fix like the seal.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Mike1950 (Oct 23, 2020)

I would replace. My mother and I just had this discussion. she is 90. I said I would chip in to help buy new washer to replace 25 year old one. she said no- I want to fix it. I said ok. she had someone fix it. 5 months later -sunday night- something else broke. she woke up to 1 inch of water in basement. wow was she crabby.... Now new washer $500 deductible - invasion of her privacy and her insurance undoubtedly will go up. That was one helluva good choice....

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## barry richardson (Oct 23, 2020)

22 year old? I would replace it, only a matter of time till other components start to die, We bought a Bosch from Lowes as a replacement a few years ago, it crapped out after a couple of years, maybe it was a lemon, I don't know, but I can't really recommend them. replaced that with a Kitchen aid and so far we love it, quiet and gets stuff really clean...

Reactions: Like 3


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## sprucegum (Oct 23, 2020)

barry richardson said:


> 22 year old? I would replace it, only a matter of time till other components start to die, We bought a Bosch from Lowes as a replacement a few years ago, it crapped out after a couple of years, maybe it was a lemon, I don't know, but I can't really recommend them. replaced that with a Kitchen aid and so far we love it, quiet and gets stuff really clean...


When we bought appliances for the new house last year I was really interested in Bosch partly because I like the Bosch tools that I own. Reading reviews I found quite a few poor reviews so we went mostly with Whirlpool and Kitchen aid. Both the same company just different lines with Kitchen aid being the high end. Happy so far but a year and a half isn't much of a trial. I would still probably do the sixty dollar gasket, might go a day might last 10 years. If you had to pay a service man it would be a loosing deal but I would gamble $60 and an hour of my time.

Reactions: Like 3 | Agree 1 | Great Post 1


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## trc65 (Oct 23, 2020)

Thanks everyone for taking time to share your thoughts!

I think what we are going to do right now is live with the leak while we wait for sales, and research replacements. It is not gushing out, last night I'd guess it was only about a 1/4 cup that leaked. Of course, leaks can always get worse quick, but right now, a hand towel contains the water.

When someone asked if anything else was wrong, I thought no, but was then reminded that the plastic on the racks is missing in a lot of spots and causing rust stains on some dishes - another repair that would take a lot of time.

If it totally pukes before we get a replacement, no big deal, we only run it about twice a week anyway, and I don't mind hand washing.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Oct 23, 2020)

I'm in the same boat. DW leaked a little two times. Last time as soon as I started it, about a quart in 30 seconds. Been hand washing until I can go get one. Sucks because I've been washing a lot of jars for apple butter. Washed a bunch today for pumpkin butter on Wednesday. Plus it's hunting season!

Reactions: Like 2


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## Mike Hill (Oct 23, 2020)

My dishwasher wears a dress. I can't replace or fix her!

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Funny 7 | +Karma 1


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## trc65 (Oct 23, 2020)

While I was outside today, a Bosch that is in stock at Lowe's was chosen. Now just need to decide to get it now or wait for a sale. In the meantime, got to clean a spot in my shop for my new mini-kiln.

Reactions: Like 2 | Funny 1


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## Mike1950 (Oct 23, 2020)

trc65 said:


> While I was outside today, a Bosch that is in stock at Lowe's was chosen. Now just need to decide to get it now or wait for a sale. In the meantime, got to clean a spot in my shop for my new mini-kiln.


Sounds like home. " dear you know that dishwaher you were on fence about replacing ? No worries I decided for ya.......

Reactions: Agree 2 | Funny 1


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## trc65 (Nov 7, 2020)

Woohoo! I have a new dishwasher kiln! Well, at least a carcass. Got to do a little reading on vents, but plan is to put an incandescent bulb in the bottom and run it off a cheap thermostat.

Oh, yeah, also just finished installing a new Bosch dishwasher. Boy do these operate quietly!

Reactions: Like 2 | Way Cool 1 | +Karma 1


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## JerseyHighlander (Nov 7, 2020)

My occupation the past nearly 20 years has been building inspection, mostly within the real-estate world. Prior to that many more years in the building/contracting trades. I've inspected a couple thousand houses, Installed, run & evaluated many appliances. That old Kitchen-Aid Dishwasher is an indistructable tank that built the reputation the company has been riding the past couple decades. Every time I find one still running in a house, I tell the client; don't get rid of it no matter what. Fix it till you can't get parts for it anymore. If you see one out at the curb, take it to use for parts. 
Bosch HAD a very good reputation, then they sent their manufacturing over to China and there was a notable change. I personally would not buy one. Most run great when new, I've not seen them last very long.
That said, when it was no longer possible to repair our old washing machine, (My wife thought she'd never see a new one in her lifetime) I drew on my experience and bit down hard while I opened my wallet & bought a Miele. It's still made in Germany. It's built like an aircraft engine and going on ten years later has not had one single problem. Both my electric and water bill went down significantly. It will outlast three of the cheaper brands. Still makes me happy every time I look at it and when I move, I'm taking it with me. Since then, it's the only appliance I will buy.

Reactions: Like 3 | Informative 2


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## janamacon (Aug 9, 2022)

My dishwasher had been making a funny noise every time I used it for the last few weeks, so I finally decided to take action. I first looked up what might be wrong on my phone while standing in front of the dishwasher. "Maybe it's not draining," I thought to myself. So I unplugged the dishwasher and waited a few minutes before plugging it back in and running a cycle. Water was all over the floor when the cycle finished—not a good sign! What did I do next? Like any other self-respecting millennial with access to Google, I went online and read reviews of various repair companies in my area—it didn't take long to find one that seemed legit. (admin edited out spam)


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## Nature Man (Aug 9, 2022)

janamacon said:


> My dishwasher had been making a funny noise every time I used it for the last few weeks, so I finally decided to take action.


To stop washing dishes?

Reactions: Funny 7


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## TimR (Aug 9, 2022)

Depending on age and availability of things like control boards might make replacement a good call. Look up sites like ereplacements.com to see if service parts show obsolescence. 
if you do replace, you can make a mini kiln using 40-100W incandescent bulbs. Worked well for me if you have any questions let me know


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