Yes, we have been gambling on Samsung. But the apparent value of their appliances, combined with an impressive commitment to sales knowledge and service (at least in the Montreal area) have made the offer quite compelling. We felt that this machine was similar in quality to the best, (which in my opinion is Miele) that cost $1000 more, but actually had better performance features.
We are also aware of the mistakes that Samsung made with their first generation of dishwashers, manufactured by Maytag (Whirlpool) and the number of people who were disappointed in the reliability of these machines. Because we hesitated before buying the relatively unknown (to north America) Blomberg due mainly to a lack of information, I can certainly see how difficult it must be to come into a very competitive market where a psychological price barrier and consumer knowledgability might mean a compromise.
To start off, the DMR77 is not built by Maytag. Our unit was built in China, and I speculate that it is most likely built by Haier to Samsung specs and with Samsung electronics. Haier is considered a low-end price point brand here in Montreal, but they do manufacture "higher end" dishwashers in this price range, and available elsewhere. This is not a judgment on the quality of Haier, but it is hard to believe that a dishwasher that costs only $250 brand new can be any good (but it might be).
The apparent build quality of this dishwasher is impressive. First of all, there are no stray bits hanging off the sides, back or bottom of the machine, as plastic shrouds cover virtually everything underneath a very thin sound deadening layer. Connections for the inlet hose and drain are overbuilt. The tub is of very high quality stainless, and it appears that considerable effort has been made to maximize interior space. The door is of very heavy and rigid construction and closes like a german car door, which gives an impression of solidity and precision.
From a design perspective, the machine looks like a hybrid between a european and north American dishwasher. For example, this machine uses condenser drying, but also has a food grinder and an adjustable two-tier top rack very similar in design to a Maytag. The trade-off by having a grinder is that the machine is a bit louder (3 db more than the quietest Bosch or Asko).
I prefer this design to the Asko, which has a fixed stainless tube that routes water to the top rack, effectively making it non-adjustable not to mention a (slight) loss of interior space.
Installation, as with most dishwashers was fairly easy. However this machine is really at the limit for size, and I ended up having to drill new holes for water and drain in order to get the machine to fit properly under the counter. After the first trial installation, and finding it not that much quieter than the outgoing Kenmore, I decided it was probably a good idea to replace the previous plastic inlet hose with a new braided stainless one and also to cover up a few gaps with weatherstrip and add some sound deadening on the hard ceramic floor.
Once installed (the 3rd time) and properly leveled, we can safely say that the machine is pretty damn quiet! The machine is rated at 49 dB, which as I mentioned is not the quietest, and subjectively it does not appear to be that much quieter than our old Kenmore when next to the machine while it is running. However when out of the kitchen, it is not possible to tell it is running at all. With the Kenmore we would often find ourselves turning up the television in the living room, even though subjectively it seemed quiet. Having said that, if you must have the quietest machine, you might want one without a grinder as this seems to be source of a lot of noise.
We are still not completely used to loading the machine, but are quite impressed at its capacity. We use a 12 place setting service for everyday use, and run out of dishes before the machine is full. This means that there is plenty of room for coffee cups, assorted plastic containers and other cooking utensils. Samsung also thoughtully provides adjustability for most of the rack tines, and it is even possible to remove completely the two lower rack inserts. There are also a myriad of little clips to hold things down like spatulas and other items that might blow around during a wash cycle. To give an idea of the size of the tub, a 16 quart stock pot fits easily on the lower rack without interfering with the sprayer (with the upper rack in the high position). For this we give the versatility of the machine high marks.
Running the machine is very straightforward. As with our range, the dishwasher uses a "hidden" flat static touch panel, and there are no protruding buttons or mechanical switches. The lack of tactile feedback is compensated by musical beeps whenever a function is selected.
It has taken a bit of time to figure out optimal cycles to use. This machine has 6 cycles (Normal, Heavy, Delicate, Rinse, Quick and Smart Auto) with 3 options (Sanitize, Half Load and Delay Start). With our old Kenmore we found that the Quick or Econo cycle worked fine when we rinsed the dishes and it was relatively quick at 38 minutes, but Quick on the Samsung takes 1 hour, and the dishes came out wet! A look in the manual explained that the Quick cycle was the same as the normal but skips the dry cycle. Half load is limited to the upper rack, but it is not obvious how to arrange both plates, glasses cups and cutlery on the upper rack. We were also amazed at punching in Smart Auto and seeing 3 hours (!) showing up on the display! (This is a maximum, fortunately). For now Smart Auto, with its soil sensor, appears to work.
Because we are trying to save water, we are trying to break old habits and not rinse dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. I will now use the 10 minute rinse cycle after meals as it should take less water. However the dishwasher does tend to get smelly after leaving dirty dishes for more than a couple of days, so we may have to rethink the half load strategy and use the machine more frequently. This may not be a problem so much during the winter months.
This machine would have been disappointing if it didn't get the dishes clean, and it does an admirable job. We found that we do have to be careful about placement to make sure that surfaces come into contact with the spray arms as some residue can remain if we place things on top of the upper rack shelves. We have even tried lasagna baked on pyrex using the heavy cycle on the lower rack, and it removed everything. It is even good enough to get rid of stuck on bread dough from my Bosch mixer bowl, which I no longer have to hand wash. The glass test came out perfect, with no spots, film or apparent etching (using a rinse aid is essential).
What is really impressive about this machine is that it uses virtually NO soap. The manual says to use 15 gr (a tablespoon!) for a normal or smart wash, and an extra 10 gr (2 tsp) for the prewash in the heavy cycle. Because we calculated total cost of ownership, the soap cost more than offset the cost of additional water and slightly more electrictiy that this machine uses (when compared to a higher-end Bosch or Asko). This is no small consideration if you have hard or moderately hard water like we do. What I found interesting is the machine cleans without ANY soap...I found this out when a cutting board blocked the soap door from opening! I suspect that using soap is not really for its detergent properties but for sanitization. Yes the machine cleans that well.
Drying performance is good, but not as good as a heat and fan assisted machine and it does take longer. However this is the price of energy efficiency, eh? I think fan assist on this machine is a fair compromise to machines that don't have them (e.g. most European machines).
Positives
- Large capacity
- Uses extremely little soap
- Effective grinder/filtration (no filter to clean)
- Versatile loading
- Build quality
- Dual displays
- Effective soil sensor (Smart Auto)
- Might be difficult to install in tight spaces
- Quick cycle dishes come out wet (useless)
- No indicator light for end of cycle ("End" warning turns off after 5 minutes)
- Not the quietest, nor the most efficient (but a realistic compromise)
46 comments:
what did you use for sound deadening on the ceramic floor under the dishwasher?
I put a fiberglass batt in a green garbage bag. The trick is to remove most of the air, then seal the bag closed with packing tape.
This is similar to the sound deadening blanket used on Whirlpool dishwashers, and where I got the idea.
I would like to know if you are still happy with the Samsung Dishwasher since your review in July.
Any comments since the install?
thanks.
We are still happy with the dishwasher. There are a few things, however.
This dishwasher, like many european designs, really can pack in a lot of dishes. Separating tines for plates are really close together, and sometimes getting everything to fit can be a bit like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. If you are used to a more "open" design, this could be a bit frustrating.
It took a while to get used to long wash cycles (sometimes 3 hours).
For the most part, it is not necessary to rinse dishes, but we were beginning to get bits of crud left on plates and glasses. It is imperative to keep the rinse aid dispenser full, and that the volume setting is optimized.
Make sure everything comes into contact with a spray arm! There are two little "shelves" on the upper rack, and when we put cappucino cups on them, they don't get fully clean.
Be careful about cutlery impeding the rotation of the middle spray arm, especially when the upper rack is in the lower position. Things like knives can stop the spray arm, and this can impede wash performance. I always check that the spray arms can rotate freely before closing the door.
Having said that, we are managing to put things in the dishwasher that we never would have put in the old Kenmore, like my Bosch Universal mixer bowl, cookie sheets and a 12 quart stock pot. Even my tall blender jar can fit on the upper rack in the lower position. Wash performance is generally excellent, with only a few things not getting perfectly clean (like baked lasagna on a Corningware casserole).
Absolutely no reliability problems to report to date. Along with the Samsung washer/dryer, we have seen a significant drop in our energy/water consumption (roughly $25-30 per month, with relatively cheap electricity rates here in Quebec).
Thanks for the quick reply!
I have a 22 year old Whirlpool still running pretty good... but who knows for how long!
Right now there are sales here in Florida (Lowes has it for $763 with Free installation,- down from MSRP: $998 + 119 Installation)... so I thought may be I should get it now, before my old dishwasher fails.
Thanks again for the comments!
If you have a 22 year old machine, it most likely uses 4 to 6 times as much energy, as well as lot more water and soap. If you run your dishwasher 4-5 times a week you will see a significant reduction in your energy and water bill, that could run up to $20 per month (I calculated around $10 in our case). Your new dishwasher would pay for itself in 3-4 years in energy savings alone. And the Samsung is not the most energy or water efficient.
For me it still comes down to price. Since prices are dropping on everything you might find something cheaper in a Bosch or Whirlpool that is comparable (they still make really good dishwashers, esp. KitchenAid).
Dollar for dollar, I'd still go for the Samsung, but would not hesitate to go with a KitchenAid if it was significantly cheaper. In Montreal the Samsung has not dropped in price much, but we've seen great deals on Whirlpool and KitchenAid.
We have had our unit for about 6 months now. generally very happy but i just noticed that bits of plastic have been flying off the interior. The culprit is the top basket holder bracket. its grey plastic and has 6 "tabs" that help hold the basket in place. One side has 4 tabs broken and the other has 2. I will be calling samsung service and let you know what happens.
RE DMR57
Not sure it is appropriate to post in this section, since my Samsung is the lower priced DMR57, which I purchased less than a year ago at Lowes here in New york. Anyway, it stopped working a few weeks ago, and the panel problem code suggested there was a drainage problem (though the hose was not leaking).
Anyway, the service people came out and said it was either the pump or the circuit board malfunctioning.
After waiting, I received a call from Samsung (in NJ), telling me the parts are on back-order, with no known date for arrival. This was pretty shocking, since this is a new model. When I told them this, they said not to worry, they are contacting Lowe's, and that I will receive a new washer at no cost...and more surprisingly, I can chose another brand if I don't want another Samsung ! That's a first for sure, and I've been around a long time.
Does this make sense to you? Not to me, unless they've had so many problems with this model that their vendors are up in arms...and don't even get me started on trying to get through to someone in charge of Customer Service at Samsung's HQ in NJ.
The comments about the ease of accidentally starting the dishwasher by brushing against the front panel buttons are true. Its almost a joke around our house.
jaller888:
With our last machine (Kenmore-Whirlpool) we had this problem after about 4 years. We were told that the type and amount of soap as well as water quality (hardness) can eat away at plastic parts.
If you know your water is hard and you have to use a lot of soap or use liquid soap, this might be the culprit.
You can find out your water hardness from your municipality (if you are supplied) or can get a simple well water test done (often at your neighborhood pharmacy). If your water is hard, you can use a water softener salt and always use powdered dishwasher detergent.
Robert:
I don't have any experience with the DMR57 as it is not the same machine at all as the DMR77.
I think the issue is that Samsung sources their manufacturing (just like everyone else these days) so reliability and durability can vary from model to model as they are not necessarily made by the same company. The DMR77 is made in China (most likely by Haier) and older Samsungs that were notoriously bad were made by Maytag in north America.
Unfortunately bad experiences like yours can cheapen the value of a brand.
Please let us know your ongoing experience. We don't have Leows yet in Quebec, but I am very impressed with your experience with them.
Caution: there is a BASKET ADJUSTER on each side of the upper rack which are badly designed and will fail... held in place by 6 plastic tabs, the lower 2 tabs will fail with standard loading and your upper rack will loosen up and fall. These adjusters can be held in place with nylon Zip-Ties (as mine are), but they makes adjusting the rack difficult. these adjusters are $13 each and should be covered by warranty, but are nationally back ordered. I'm trying to get some replacements now.
Something else to consider is the placement of the detergent dispenser. you can not place a tall item in the left front of the lower rack or it will block the dispenser door from opening. When I load dishwasher in a way that will block this door, the resolve is to simply dump the detergent into the bottom of the dishwasher. I've started using detergent tablets and I'm having better luck when the detergent door is blocked.
Note: I've had this installed for about 6 months and it runs at least once each day, using sterilize (high heat) option.
Further note: a friend recently bought the Electrolux equivalent dishwasher which is notably quieter, and appears to be engineered better, (if you can stand the gold handle ends, I'm recommending it over the Samsung).
Zimtekcom:
You make some very good points, especially tall items that tend to block the detergent dispenser. This is a typical problem with many dishwashers (Kenmore/ Whirlpool, for example). For us it has happened more than once that a pan or cutting board blocked the door and cleaning was affected.
It is important to check before closing the door that nothing blocks the doors as well as checking that tall items on the racks don't block the upper spray arms.
I would discourage putting all of the detergent in the bottom of the dishwasher. All of the soap will be used in the pre-rinse cycle (or cycles, check the manual) and this will affect cleaning performance. The detergent door is timed for the wash cycle which could be the 2nd or 3rd water change.
I did point out in my review that the Samsung DMR77 is not the quietest dishwasher. European dishwashers (Electrolux, Miele, Bosch, Blomberg, Asko) typically lack a grinder (and a drying fan) which has a direct impact on noise levels. For us having a north American style food grinder was an important consideration for us.
As far as the rack adjusters, I have yet to see a dishwasher with an adjustable top rack that has survived more than a couple of years. Our DMR77 is still less than a year old and we have not experienced any problems with the interior parts (keeping our fingers crossed!)
After 3 months... I am having second thoughts about buying this product.
I am resigned to using the light quick wash with sanitize ( otherwise dishes stay wet and with spots when dried.)
In order to use the quick wash I also have to wash the dishes by hand first!
I also bought a Samsung French door Refrigerator (unfortunately)... it makes all kind of crackling sounds... and Samsung says that is normal!
Never again another SAMSUNG of any kind!!!
Tao:
I agree that some of the cycles on the DMR77 are pretty useless, especially Quick Wash, which does not have a dry cycle.
We have found that the Smart Auto cycle gives the best results.
jaller888 and zimtekcom:
Two of the clips holding the upper rack adjusters on our machine snapped off on the left side just last week. We will get this fixed under the free annual inspection by Sears. Lets hope they have the parts in stock! So far I used a ziptie as you suggested.
Just a bit of info.
I purchased my DMR77lhs from Lows in Ca. in April 2008. As others have posted some plastic parts have chipped off and ended up in my garbage disposal. Well, since if was getting close to the end of the warrantee, we called to have it looked at. Well they have just told me that they are going to replace the entire machine. I have just started this process so I will believe it when I see it. However, it appears others have had the same resolution.
I generally dont post on products, because without statistics its difficult to rely upon comments from customers who are dissatisfied with a particular line.
However, in this case, I want to relate my experiences with both the Samsung 57 and the 77.
I bought a model 57 in spring 2008 and it failed around Christmas 2008. I wont relate the problems, because the bottom line was that Samsung called me and said they had no idea when replacement parts (pump and/or LCD control panel) would be available.
They told me to go back to Lowe's here in NYC, and basically pick any D/W (any manufacturer) I wanted.
So I picked the Samsung 77 which is about $200 more.
After waiting a few weeks to get delivery scheduled, Lowes called and said Samsung could not give any dates for a model 77 replacement.
So now theyre giving me a Bosch (I chose it, I could have anything I wanted).
I may be misreading this, but its the first time any one (let alone two large firms, including the manufacturer and the retailer) have gladly referred me to their competitors.
Caveat Emptor
Rick and Robert:
I can only speculate that there must be a supply issue with the OEM in China that manufactured these dishwashers.
As we come up to our anniversary date, I will post the results of our pending service call with Sears.
I am curious if this is more a testament to Leow's excellent service or Samsung's. We don't have Leow's here in Quebec (yet) but I've heard many good things about this retailer.
Every time I visit Lowe's, I stop by a section where they have the returns on display for Sale... and I always find 2-3 Samsung77(out of a total of Returned 3-4 Dishwashers as well as Samsung Front loaders Washers... the sheer numbers speaks louder than any review)
It goes to show that these Samsungs are way below average.
I wish I have done the same within a month of purchase ; with no questions asked... Now I have to wait for my unit to fail and hopefully have it replaced with a reliable brand!
Hello all
We bought the DMR77LHS 4 months ago.
Ive been noticing water on the sides(all 3 sides)and bottom of the tub, at the end of the cycle.
I start the machine in the night,open it in the morning, after about 9 to 10 hours.
Film of water in the bottom and water droplets on the sides( like condensation)
The dishes are dry . It is the water in the tub that's bothering me. Ihad Bosch and neff dishwashers before.I never had water in the tub especially when I open it after that long hours( say 9 hours after starting the cycle)
Service team from samsung took apart the machine( it worries me)and they say the connections are all set right.
Samsung team-customer service re not that helpful in explaining why this happens.
Service team says they had never come across this type of complaint and they say may be the heating element is in the door panel (like a tube running from above the tablet holder) to the bottom of the door)and not efficient to dry the tub.
I also use the tablet (3 in 1) . Hope it is alright to use it .
I appreciate all your help.
Meg:
While I am not a technician nor a spokesperson for Samsung I can offer the following suggestions:
1. Check that the drain hose is not kinked or obstructed.
2. Make sure that your sink drain (where the dishwasher drain dumps) is not sluggish and flowing freely.
3. There is a very brief pump action at the end of the drying cycle (only a few seconds). It is meant to clear the condensed water that accumulates on the bottom of the dishwasher. You should make sure that this is working.
I hope you will repost and let everyone know how you finally resolved your issue.
I just had the 77 installed today. Now I am feeling regret after finding your post. I found it because after running my first load on normal, the plastics on top rack were still we and there was some water on walls inside. I find machine VERY quiet compared to our previous 6-year-old GE model. I upgraded because I wanted stainless and I wanted to have a quiet, worry-free machine since we run almost every day. Hope I didn't make a mistake. Also bought from Lowe's.
lifehaschoices:
Since you are coming from an older machine, you may want to give any newer design a bit longer to adjust. We have pretty much reached the limit of performance on new dishwasher designs and there is a price to pay for increased capacity and energy/water efficiency.
To make sure your dishes come out dry, you might have to experiment with your rinse aid setting (don't even think about using those 3 in 1 tabs). Make sure you are using powder and not liquid detergent (yes it makes a difference).
Keep in mind the 1/2 load and quick modes do not have a dry cycle. Make sure you use the Normal, Heavy or Smart Auto modes. Usually waiting at least 1/2 hour before opening the door also helps.
Regardless, most poly-plastic items will come out wet, as they do not retain heat long enough to promote effective evaporation.
Given Lowe's excellent customer service, you should be able to return the unit if you aren't satisfied.
I have done two more loads and once used auto setting with sanitize and once normal with sanitize. Both times I still have wet plastics and wet sides of inside of tub. I use rinse aid set on 2 and also used a liquid with rinse aid included. What is the reason to use powder? In my old GE, everything was always dry with the exception of those things with a dip or area that could catch excessive water. Any suggested machines if I do replace? I was looking at this one and a Kitchenaide in the store.
I know I'm being obsessive about this, but I want to know that I am happy with this 77 right away so I can return if I need to. I just did another load with POWDER detergent and upped the rinse aid output setting to 3. Still very wet plastics. Very wet. Not just a drop or two. It doesn't seem to be as hot inside as my old GE, which I'm sure is more efficient. I'm not sure I can make the sacrifice. I cook a lot and like to have dishes done and put away right away. What do I need to look for in another dishwasher to help ensure that the dishes are dry? Thank you.
lifehaschoices:
Like I said previously, plastics will always come out wet in condenser type (European) style dishwashers. Bosch, Asko, Miele, Blomberg machines utilize condenser drying so you will have the same problem.
If having plastic items coming out dry is more important to you, (we just wipe them off, its cheaper), consider getting a late model higher-end GE, Whirpool or KitchenAid (my top pick) with forced-air drying. Keep in mind an American style dishwasher will not be as energy or water efficient as a European design.
Random Royalty
Thanks for the reply.
The first two suggestions in your reply has been checked over and over by the installer aswellas the service tech from samsung.
I do not have any problem with the hose.
When samsung service men dismantled the parts I am sure they are aware of the fact about the drying pump action .
They did not mention anything about it.
It will be of great help if the users here could let me know
if there are no problem with hose,is it normal to have the condensed water in the bottom and the sides of the tub.
I was told by the service people that it is normal because that is the price you pay for buying energy efficient appliance. I am not fully satisfied with the answer.
So I'll be able to contact samsung again if you could let me know whether your dishwasher has condensed water on the sides and a film of water at the bottom of the tub ,when you open it after 9 to 10 hours. I use auto ,sanitize cycles more often.
Thanks
Meg:
We do get a lot of steam if we open the door immediately after the complete cycle has finished. If we open the door a few hours later, there is no steam but some condensation immediately appears on the sides and bottom as a thin film. This usually evaporates immediately. After 8 hours or so, there does seem to be less condensation. This has never been a concern as some residual condensation is expected for this type of machine.
I would be concerned that the rinse water is not hot enough or the sides/bottom not cool enough for condensation to form. If you are in an environment that is naturally humid this could affect performance.
I suggest that you find someone in your area that has a Bosch or Asko (condenser drying) and compare notes.
Update on my DMR77. Only problem was plastic parts from the rack ended up in the disposal.
SamSung authorized the new unit. Lowe's set up a delivery with a third party delivery service.
All went well, except i had to pull out the old one and install the new one. I thought i should not have to have any expense for a defective product, but Lowe's and Samsung would not budge. No big deal, but really i should not have had to do the work.
Rick:
My own feeling is count your blessings. However it might be worth it to read the fine print of your warranty, especially if you bought an extended service contract from Lowe's.
I have had the Samsung DMR77 for about 6 months now .Bowls placed on the top rack on the right side at the back do not get clean .The top rack spacing is too tight and yesterday found the upper rack adjustment bracket with a broken attachment tab .I also have drying issues.I bought this machine because it is quiet and energy efficient ,but can not recommend it .
Can anyone tell me if this model being reviewed (DMR77LHS) is the same basic model as the DMR78AHS? I just bought the latter and am waiting for it to be delivered. Thanks!
@laura C:
From what I can tell by comparing the manuals, the DMR78 has an extra dry cycle when you use the sanitize option, and a few programs seem to have slightly shorter minimums.
I hope they improved the top rack adjusting clips, but judging by the illustrations they look identical. (At least there is a 5 year warranty on the racks and interior nylon parts)
After 6 months of using this unworthy dishwasher, i came to the conclusion that it is a piece of JUNK. No if or buts!
Some of my search confirmed what I long suspected: That this crappy thing is made by Maytag.
http://applianceguru.com/forum9/3353.html
I will forever stay away from all Samsung products.
@Tao:
First of all, you linked to an applianceguru post that is 4 years old! Yes, the original Samsung dishwashers were made by Maytag, and they were notoriously bad.
As I stated in my review, the DMR77 is made in China (most likely made by Haier), and to my knowledge Whirlpool/Maytag do not have manufacturing nor import machines from Asia.
I understand you may be unhappy with your dishwasher, but if you are going to get any kind of satisfaction from Samsung or the dealer where you bought your machine, you are definitely not going about it the right way.
I am not expecting to get any satisfaction from dealer/samsung ... but to warn others about this crappy appliance!
I will probably put up with it for 5years; the time my extended warranty runs out... and hope it will cost them in repairs more than what i originally paid for!... and that would be enough of a satisfaction!
@Tao
Honestly, you sound like the spoiled child that wasn't happy with his Christmas present and tries to punish his parents by holding his breath.
If you are not satisfied with the performance of the machine, you need to communicate to Samsung (and the dealer) that you might have a lemon.
This is based on the fact that there are no discussions of serious design flaws (aside from the plastic rack clips, which is a minor flaw in my opinion) anywhere on the major appliance blogs. In other words, out of the 1000s of these dishwashers sold, the vast majority of people are satisfied.
Of course these machines are too new to arrive at a long-term reliability and durability opinion, and who knows in 2 or 3 years, some hidden defects or flaws may surface. This is always the risk one takes with any consumer product. We just hope that if it happens, Samsung will do the right thing and fix it.
Update since last post. Took about 6 weeks to get parts from Samsung :( Uggh! The new basket adjusters arrived, and found something odd. One of the adjusters had noticably thicker plastic on the tabs than the other! Perhaps this is why some fail and some don't. I will be calling Samsung to make them aware of the issue and perhaps get another adjuster of equal quality to the thicker-tabbed one.
BTW we are starting to get an intermittent code "9E" so we are going to get service in for that as well.
Really regretting not getting the Bosch now :(
@jaller888:
Thanks for that update. We are coming around 1 year and due for our annual free service from Sears. When the tech comes we will mention the rack adjuster. I also received a 9E error code once, but after opening and closing the door it cleared and has not recurred.
Since the Bosch (and Kitchen Aid) machines have come down in price I question if these machines are not a better option, however I find the recent Bosch recall a bit disconcerting. I don't think Bosch machines are as good as they used to be, especially on the low end. Kitchen Aid machines appear to be overbuilt but not necessarily robust, however their service is legendary.
I'd appreciate it if you would post the results of your intermittent 9E error code...good luck with that!
@Random Royalty:
So far the 9E code appeared twice but not again for a week or so. I will keep you posted with any updates.
Also, thanks very much for starting this thread and your posts, it has been a great source of information!
Cheers
Just bought the DMR 78 and put it in tonight. I read everones comments here and still like my purchase. It seems to be very quite. I have a newer home with wood laminate floors. The new home came with a Frigidaire dishwasher. We went thru 3 of them in the past 4 years...of course now the warranty is up so its out of my pocket. Anyways..as I said before we bought the Samsung 78 model from Lowes(had a 20% off weekend so I got it around $700) and hope this one will be part of the family for a while. Installation was not bad. Tell me why you think we should run the dry verses the liquid? Any other good tips?
@David:
Thanks for your post, you are the first person to report on the updated DMR78.
As far as detergent goes, liquids tend to gum things up over time and can cause premature failure of the soil sensors (among other things).
Powder is also more economical, and easier to measure.
I have DMR57 since March 2008. BTW, I looked at it side-by-side with DMR77, and it was almost identical. There is also a label “made in China” on it, so it is probably not the old Maytag-made one. I had two warranty repairs last year - the main electronic board had to be changed twice, because the machine was turning on by itself with the screen displaying some crazy codes, not mentioned in the manual. That wasn’t a pleasant experience at all, but now I have a new problem: approximately once a week, the dishwasher turns off displaying “LE” fault code (leak) and in a couple days goes back on. I took it out and found no trace of any leak under it, so I assume this is another electronic glitch. Samsung gladly informed me that my warranty has elapsed and they don’t want to know anything about me or my dishwasher.
If anybody has similar experience and/or hint what to do, it’ll be greatly appreciated. And my advice to everybody – stay away from Samsung. To be fair, I have to add that it would be a fine dishwasher if it worked – roomy and quiet.
First of all, I'm glad to see that this thread is still alive. I first read it in January 09 when we were shopping for a dishwasher. Choosing the Samsung was pretty much a no-brainer because we had already bought Smasung's matching top of the line refrigerator, convection oven and microwave. We've lived with the DMR77 for several months now and it has truly been a love-hate relationship.
Things we like: absolutely beautiful stainless steel finish (nicer than any other SS appliances we looked at); stylish dual LED displays; outstanding programability; energy saving design; dead silent operation; matches our other Samsung appliances perfectly.
Things we hate: Dish rack tines are spaced too closely together to fit most normal sized dishes. We usually have to stack dinner plates in every other space, all facing the same direction,to get them to fit. Coffee cups barely fit the spaces in the upper rack. Also, the dishwash is very deep and we have to practically crawl inside to load the rearmost area with dishes and silverware.
Other nits: The dishwasher is supposed to dry using heat reflected from the stainless side walls instead of using a heat cycle. Great idea, lousy execution. Our cups and dishes are always wet when we unload the dishwasher in the morning. And seeing the dishwasher run up to 3-plus hours is ridiculous. I don't care how energy efficient it's supposed to be, that's a long time to be running a major appliance.
My biggest complaint is the dishwasher starts to smell bad inside after just a few hours even though we completely rinse our dishes and cups. We're talking lightly soiled coffee cups and sandwich plates, not crudded up pans and dishes. We used to leave these same dishes in our old washer up to a week with no odor but the Samsung usually smells bad after just one day. Running the 11 minute quick rinse usually dispells the smell but is a waste of electricity. We live in Arizona where we routinely experience triple digit temps and the dishwasher is on a wall that gets a lot of sun so that could be one possible source of the odor. (Or old machine was black, not stainless, so I'm guessing the reflective wall design is contributing to the problem.) It's not a horrible foul type of smell, just a light but disagreeable odor of dirty dishes, but it is very disappointing to have to deal with this in a $1,000 machine. (I plan to install a sun block behind the machine and will follow up if it makes a difference).
The DMR77, like our Samsung Quatro refrigerator, has some odd and even infuriating quirks, but we're basically willing to overlook them because the applicances look like a millon bucks and never fail to elicit compliments from visiting guests. Beautiful, beautiful stuff but just be prepared to suffer for your art.
@sam sungfan:
Thank you for your lengthy comment, I'm sure the readers of the blog will appreciate it. I do have a few comments and suggestions, however.
1. Dish rack tines and usability
I agree that tines are really close. This is a feature of "european" designs like the Asko or Blomberg (and a common complaint about them). Generally I think this is for capacity bragging rights (14 place settings!!).
The trick is to mesh your plates. At the back of the lower rack you place dinnerplates in one direction, and bread plates in the other. They will "mesh" together and support each other.
I really don't have problems with cups, the top rack has enough variations for 4 different size cups and the deeper section can even hold my blender jar standing up without hitting the top!
Also the racks pull out fully, with the bottom rack coming completely out onto the door when it is open. There should be no problem at all accessing the "deeper" recesses.
2. Wet dishes
I am surprised that in relatively dry Arizona you are getting wet dishes. In relatively humid Montreal, everything except plastic comes out bone dry.
Maybe the dishwasher is not draining properly and leaving enough water in the bottom to affect evaporation.
3. Odor
This is definitely coming from wetness, not so much heat. The easiest way to get rid of odor is to run a cup of vinegar in an empty machine. Also wipe down the seals (and where the seals contact on the door and frame edges) with a rag soaked in vinegar.
Maybe change detergent, or run a "sanitize" cycle to see if it makes a difference.
4. The 10 minute rinse cycle is definitely more water and energy efficient than pre-rinsing your dishes in the sink before putting them in the machine!
Random Royalty,
Thanks for your reply. Just a couple of follow-up comments… True, the DMR77 can accommodate a huge amount of dishes. Personally, I would trade a bit of capacity for more flexible loading. Yes, we have learned how to place dishes in the Samsung without having them flop around, but come on… loading a dishwasher shouldn’t be rocket science! This has been a major source of frustration since the day we got this machine.
In fairness I must mention that the dishwasher is located right where our kitchen counter makes a 90 degree bend… so we can only load the machine from the left hand side. This means we have to do some stretching to fill the far right rack slots and silverware holder. But I still think the closely spaced rack and shape of the tines is a poor design.
Wet dishes… to clarify, most dishes and silverware come out dry. But we always have to dry the bottoms of coffee cups or any other concave surface that can retain water. Our old machine had a drying cycle that reduced or eliminated the need to hand dry.
About the ongoing minor odor problem… I’ll try your suggestions and report what happens.
As you read these comments keep in mind that we are VERY fussy consumers with high expectations. The DMR77 has proved to be a reliable and high performance dishwashing machine, but it does have design quirks that will delight some and infuriate others depending on your needs and expectations. For me it has been a love/hate relationship, but it looks so good with our other Samsung appliances (which are GREAT) that I’m willing to overlook any shortcomings.
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