Bosch Dishwasher - Evolution 500 Stainless Steel Review

A couple of years ago our contractor supplied GE Dishwasher was going through its death throes.  We had been nursing it along for awhile, but it was now on life support.  We certainly had little to complain about.  This machine of modest cost had just passed its 20th anniversary.  Not bad for a "contractor special".

But What to Buy?

During the course of any month, I read and rate hundreds of reviews on Kitchen Aplliances for another site.  Aside from a modest stipend, what I gain though is a general impression of which manufacturers are producing the best appliances.  So, when it came time to lay down some serious money on a new dishwasher it didn't take us long to zero in on Bosch as our manufacturer of choice.

Some Requirements

Even though we are only a family of three, we generate an awful lot of dishes, flatware and pots & pans that need cleaning everyday.  I sometimes take a lot of heat for this from the lovely Veronica, but I detest using paper or plastic plates and cups.  I wish I could claim this as my "Green" contribution, but the truth is I have always detested their use.  We have very nice dinnerware, china, flatware and glasses.  I spend a good deal of time planning what I intend to cook for the family and then preparing it.  Damned if I'm going to be eating it off paper or plastic!  So we knew we needed a large capacity dishwasher.  We chose the Bosch Evolution 500 SHE45M05UC.

A Word About Capacity

You tool guys out there of course know that a 2X4 really doesn't measure 2" X 4" right?  Well it's the same with dishwashers.  A 14 place setting dishwasher doesn't really hold 14 place settings.  It's just larger than a 12 place setting dishwasher (which of course doesn't really hold....you get the idea.)

Features

Rather than reciting features like individual cycles, trust that your $1,000 is going to buy you enough of them.  But some rather key feature are:

Silent Operation - At 51db this model is dead calm quiet.  Bosch pulls out all the stops when it comes to sound damping.

Adjustable Nylon Tines -  These tines can be raised or lowered to accomodate your load.  Since they are made of nylon rather than platic coated wire there's no opportunity for rust through.

Condensation Drying - This is a biggie.  There's no interior heating element used for drying, so no more melted Tupper & Glad Ware.  Super heated water is used in the final rinse and it condenses on the rapidly cooling stainless steel interior.  This saves electricity.

Modular Silverware Basket -  The flatware basket on this model can be separated in two and can be placed anywhere in the machine to maximize space.  Sounds trivial I know but trust me it really helps when you're trying to stuff a roasting pan in there.

Tall Tub - Adjustable Racks - This is a tall tub design.  There is a great deal of room between lower and upper racks.  It handles oversized platters well in addition the odd lobster pot.  The Top rack can be raised and lowered as needed.  This comes in handy when washing valuable stemware.

Weaknesses

Aside from a degree of child-proofing when selecting the auto wash cycle.  This washer could be accidentally opened by a toddler during operation.  Not an issue here, but I could see where it might be for some families.

This particular model is finished in stainless steel.  Superb looking when clean, but it's a fingerprint magnet.  Additionally, some design experts are predicting that stainless steel is this decade's avocado green.

My Viewpoint

In the roughly 2 years we've owned this Bosch it has performed in stellar manner.  Its energy efficiency has been noted in lower utility bills.  The pots, dishes and flatwear are cleaned without the need for pre-rinsing and the drying cycle really dries.

A nice plus is that despite the German name, Bosch Dishwashers are manufactured here in the US.  I highly recommend this dishwasher.

Rudi