I ahve Kenmore Ultr-Wash as well. I believe it is actually just a Whirlpool. It breaks down annually. Latest part to go was the console assembly with the push buttons on it. Mostly just a pieve of plastic but they soak you for a replacement - over 100$. I won't buy a Kenmore or Whirlpool ever again.
Oct 14, 2010 Rating
first time user by: Anonymous
i just gave my my kitchenaid after 15 years without a service call.
this new delivered sears kenmore has taken an hour and half of wash time, no end in sight yet.
i hope after reading the other negative reviews it gets better. also have no idea without outside light controls (they are hidden under countertop when you close door) how much time is left or what cycle it is on.
already frustrated
Sep 28, 2010 Rating
Rusted Tines in racks by: Don H.
Dishwasher works great, but the tops of the tines that hold the plates and glasses in place are worn and have started rusting. Does anyone know of a substance or paint that can be put on them to protect what is left. I know that new trays can be purchases at a cost of over $100 each, but the only worn part that is exposed is the tips of the tines or dish holders.
Jul 15, 2009 Rating
Last Kenmore I'll buy by: Anonymous
I'm not sure why the previous commenter gave this dishwasher 5 stars; pretty sure she just didn't change the default, as she seems to feel the same way I do -- this is a lousy dishwasher.
1) My dishes come out dripping wet. Not just plastics, everything is sopping wet. I2 used the heat dry, but it makes no difference. Sears told me to use a rinse agent. I don't want the added chemicals; heat dry has always worked just fine on other washers I have owned. On the Ultra Wash, it is just a waste of energy.
2) Dishes come out dirty. For instance, butter doesn't come off. Funny, hot water takes it off in my sink, but a whole cycle in the Ultra Wash is futile.
3) As another commenter mentioned, the little clips are silly and hold almost nothing. Clearly the props used in the Sears showroom are built to make the buyer believe these do-dads would be helpful. They aren't.
4) This dishwasher is incredibly noisy. We set it to run in the middle of the night. If it is running when we are going to sleep, we can't get to sleep!
5) Smart wash is no different, results-wise, than a regular cycle.
I will never ever buy another Sears product. I don't know why Consumer Reports always gives them high marks. The last 3 purchases we have made (vacuum, range and dishwasher) are all mediocre at best.
Apr 14, 2009 Rating
No count down timer but a good machine by: Jeffrey Fry
The Kenmore ULTRA WASH Dishwasher is a nice, mid-priced, 24 inches wide, front load, built-in model. It is Energy Star qualified, and has earned Residential Appliance Certification from NSL International.
It has individual push buttons to select between Smart Wash, Pots & Pans, Normal, Light, and Fast wash cycles, or a Quick Rinse (only) cycle. Individual push buttons are also included to select Turbo Zone, High Temp, Sani Rinse, and Heated Dry wash cycle options. It also includes a selectable programmable delay start time of two, four, or six hours. A quick read of the comprehensive owner's manual, combined with simple push button operation, and LED status indicators, make this unit easy to operate.
One feature that it lacks, which we found very useful in our previous dishwasher, is a count down timer, indicating how many minutes remain before it would finish its operation. We are also not impressed with the optional small items no-flip clips. They are cumbersome to position, and didn't seem to hold small, lightweight items very securely. We don't use them, but instead use the clips from our old dishwasher.
This dishwasher's capacity is adequate for our needs, although we were able to load slightly more into our previous dishwasher, which was the same size. The adjustable racks seem to work well, although we haven't needed to change them from our initial settings. We really like the included silverware basket. The unit is quick and easy to load and unload.
We were initially disappointed with this unit's ULTRA WASH Soil Removal System, having tried several different high-quality brands of detergent. However, after switching to the new Quantum Electrasol Finish Powerball detergent, with Jet-Dry shine, this dishwasher gets even heavily soiled dishes clean, with no pre rinsing or scrubbing required.
Our Kenmore ULTRA WASH Dishwasher has preformed well, and has not needed any service in 2.5 years of operation.
