Americana (model ADW1100NWW)

I have been using an Americana (model ADW1100NWW) dishwaser for the past 3 years. Although this is not a high-end appliance, it has several desirable features.

It somehow combines a relatively small exterior size with a fairly roomy interior, great for my small kitchen. For my family of 3, it takes a few days to fill it up with dishes and other washables. That said, it is not large enough to put in more than a coupe of pots or pans. I find the arrangement of the racks to be very good, allowing me to fit tons of stuff in there in a good arrangement so that everything gets washed well.

The wash options are to have a hot prewash, normal wash, and then a heated dry cycle. I always do normal wash only, with no heated drying. I find that to get my dishes perfectly clean most every time, and only rarely have to re-wash something.

Another plus is that this is an energy star washer, so you do get a more efficient appliance with this one. The negative about the washing is that it is very loud. My house is not large, and if the dishwasher is on and I'm in the living room watching television, I will have to turn up the volume substantially to hear. For that reason alone, I probably would not buy this dishwasher again if I had more money to spend when upgrading a kitchen.

However, for a very low-cost dishwasher ($219 at home depot last time I noticed), it is a good buy.