6 Dishwashers to Avoid in 2026

The dishwashers to avoid in 2026 aren’t unreliable bargain brands.

Many are made by Miele, Bosch, KitchenAid, Café, Thermador, and Fisher & Paykel, brands that also build some of the best dishwashers you can buy.

That’s why this list matters.

The issue usually isn’t reliability. It’s value.

At a certain point in most dishwasher lineups, the extra money stops improving cleaning performance and starts paying for upgraded trim, extra cycles, designer finishes, touchscreens, or a premium badge on a machine that performs almost the same as a less expensive model.

This article is about finding where that happens.

Every dishwasher on this list has a better-value alternative in the same brand lineup that delivers nearly identical performance for hundreds, sometimes thousands, less.

These recommendations aren’t based on internet speculation or user reviews alone.

They’re backed by 33,190 service calls logged in Yale Appliance’s 2025 service data, including more than 7,000 dishwashers tracked during their first year of ownership.

Many of these brands are highly reliable. But reliability alone doesn’t make a dishwasher a smart purchase.

A dishwasher can be dependable and still overpriced.

This guide will show you where the value starts to disappear and which models are worth buying instead.

What You'll Learn:

• Why the $4,099 Miele G7986 isn't worth $1,800 more than the G7186

• Where the real Bosch lineup actually begins (and why it's not the 100 Series)

• Which KitchenAid models add meaningful upgrades, and which don't

• Why Café and GE Profile are nearly identical inside

• The only time a Thermador dishwasher makes financial sense

• Why Fisher & Paykel's single-door dishwasher misses the point of the brand

• 2025 first-year service rates for every major brand

Let's dive in.

Quick Answers: Dishwashers to Avoid 2026

📌 Skip Ahead:

• The Reliability Numbers Behind These Picks
• 6 Dishwashers to Avoid in 2026
• What's the Pattern Across All 6 Dishwashers
• What You Should Do Next
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Key Takeaways

The Reliability Numbers Behind These Picks

⚡ Quick Answer: Every pick in this article is grounded in 33,190 service calls from our 2025 data. Miele leads at a 5.6% first-year service rate, the BSH family clusters between 7.7% and 8.1%, and the category average is 8.8%.

A leaking dishwasher is a big problem, and bigger when there's no service available to fix it. The brands below are ranked by their first-year service rate in our 2025 data, lowest (most reliable) to highest.

Our data covers Eastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod, Nantucket, Rhode Island, and Southern New Hampshire. 

Yale Appliance Service Team

That's 33,190 service calls and over 7,000 dishwashers tracked in their first 12 months of ownership. Here's how the brands sorted out.

Full Service Report (What the Numbers Mean)

The service rates below are based on a minimum of 150 units sold per brand and over 7,000 dishwashers tracked within the first 12 months. Lower is better.

A few things worth noticing:

• Miele is alone at the top. No other brand is under 7%.

• The Bosch family clusters tight. Bosch, Benchmark, and Thermador share a platform built in North Carolina, and the service rates show it: 7.7% to 8.1%. The differences are features and finish, not engineering.

• Café and Fisher & Paykel run higher than average. Both come up later in this article. We sell both, and there are good reasons people buy them. The data is just one input.

• Asko isn't on this list. We started carrying it again in 2025 after almost 30 years away from the brand. We don't have first-year data on the new generation yet.

🔍 Read more: The Most Reliable Dishwashers

6 Dishwashers to Avoid in 2026

1. The Miele G7986 at $4,099

⚡ Quick Answer: The Miele G7986 is the best dishwasher you can buy, but most households only run four cycles. The mid-tier G7186 delivers everything you'll actually use for $1,800 less.

The Miele G7986 is the best dishwasher you can buy. 

It has 15 cycle programs. The best racks in the category. Three spray arms. Full M Touch screen. Knock2Open. The industry-leading 37 dB sound level.

It also runs one of the two lowest first-year service rates of any dishwasher we sell at 5.6%.

It's a great machine. The problem is it costs $4,099 and you won't use what makes it great.

Why I Bought the Miele G7186, Not the G7986

I bought a Miele G7186, the mid-tier model, seven years ago. I run Pots & Pans, Normal, and Light. Maybe a quick wash if I'm in a hurry. Four cycles, total. That's it.

Miele G7186 Cycles I Actually Use

• Normal. What runs 80% of the time. Standard mixed loads, everyday dishes.

• Pots & Pans. Higher temperature, longer wash, more water. For baked-on food and greasy cookware.

• Light/China. Lower temperature, gentler wash. For delicate glassware and lightly soiled dishes.

• QuickIntenseWash. 58 minutes, full clean. For when you need dishes back tonight.

That's the cycle list any household needs. The G7186 has nine cycles total. I use four of them.

Miele G7186 Cycles I Never Run

Auto (sensor-driven, picks for you), SaniWash (sanitize cycle, useful if you have a baby or someone sick in the house), ExtraQuiet (slower, even quieter), Eco (energy saving), and Rinse Only (pre-rinse before a full wash later).

They exist on the G7186 too. They just don't get used in my house.

Miele G7986 Cycles You Don't Get on the G7186

Glass (extra-gentle for stemware), Beverages (for bottles and tall glasses), Hygiene (longer sanitize), Gentle (delicate ceramics), TurboSpeed (full wash even faster than QuickIntenseWash), and a few preset specialty modes.

If you host large dinners with a stemware collection, the Glass cycle earns its place. If you don't, it doesn't.

Miele G7986 vs G7186: Side-by-Side Comparison

What's Actually the Same

Three-level wash system. Identical on both models. Three spray arms working upper, middle, and lower simultaneously.

Miele Clean Dry. Identical on both. Cool air enters from the bottom of the dishwasher and mixes with the hot, steamy air inside.

The steam condenses into water and drains away. At the end of the cycle, the door pops open automatically to release any remaining steam and finish drying.

Every Miele does this. No fan, no heating element, no spotting on glassware.

AutoDos dispenser. Identical on both. The PowerDisk inside the door dispenses the right amount of detergent based on cycle and soil level. One disk lasts about 20 loads. You don't pour, measure, or guess.

What's Slightly Different

Racks. The G7986 uses the MaxiComfort system: smoother glide, more refined cutlery space, better lighting. The G7186 uses ExtraComfort, with the same 3D MultiFlex tray and same core adjustability. The difference is fit and finish, not function.

Quietness. 5 dB on paper. 42 dB is already inaudible. I open mine during the wash cycle sometimes because I don't realize it's running.

What You're Really Paying For

Six extra cycles, a touch screen instead of buttons, smoother rack glides, and the ability to open the door by knocking on it.

If those features matter to you, buy the G7986. It's a magnificent machine. If you run four cycles like I do, the G7186 gives you everything you'll use for a lot less.

Miele G7986 vs. G7186 Warranty

The G7986 includes 5 years.

The G7186 includes 2 years standard. You can buy a 5-year extension on the G7186 for $250 to $300, and on any dishwasher in this price range, that's worth doing if a real service company stands behind it.

A warranty is only as good as the technician who answers the phone. Miele doesn't have its own service in most parts of the country. We do, on every Miele we sell.

That's the pattern. The other five comparisons work the same way.

2. The Bosch 100 Series at $649 to $729

⚡ Quick Answer: Bosch sells a stripped-down 100 Series dishwasher, but it doesn't deliver the real Bosch experience. For the same money or just $200 more, you can buy something better.

Bosch offers a single 100 Series dishwasher, the SHE41CM5N, available in different handle styles and finishes.

For $729, you get a full stainless tub and a 48 dB sound rating. It doesn't include RackMatic, and the door feels lighter than the rest of the Bosch line.

What You Lose Without RackMatic

The 100 doesn't have RackMatic, the nine-position adjustable upper rack that defines the rest of the Bosch lineup.

RackMatic lets you raise the top rack, lower it, or shift it side-to-side to fit tall wine glasses, mixing bowls, or oversized platters in the same load.

The 100 gives you one fixed height.

Bosch 100 Noise and Build

You will hear this dishwasher. At 48 dB, it's louder than the 300, 500, 800, and Benchmark series, all of which run quieter. The door also feels lighter than the rest of the Bosch line.

Who the Bosch 100 Is Actually For

The 100 Series exists for developers and builders who want the brand name at a lower price. If you're buying a Bosch dishwasher for your own kitchen, this model wasn't designed for you.

Bosch 100 Alternatives at Similar Money

KitchenAid 200 Series at around $750: All stainless tub. 39 dB, well under the 44 dB quietness standard. KitchenAid recently dropped the price, and at $779 it's the best dishwasher under $1,000 you can buy.

The wash is excellent, the third rack is useful, and the build feels like a real machine.

Bosch 300 Series at around $999: All-metal tub. RackMatic. 44 dB. This is what people mean when they say "Bosch." If you came in for a Bosch, this is where the brand actually starts.

For about the same money as the 100, you get a quieter, better-built KitchenAid. For $200 more, you get the actual Bosch experience.

3. The KitchenAid 700 Series KDTS724 at $1,394+

⚡ Quick Answer: KitchenAid's lineup peaks in the middle. The 700 Series adds only a light and premium rack finishes over the 600, while the 400 Series delivers the best balance of features and value.

KitchenAid is a lot like Miele, just in reverse. The best models live in the middle of the line.

What you don't need is the KitchenAid 700 series, available in several finishes and handle styles. 

The 700 Series adds two things over the 600:

• Interior LED lighting. A light that turns on when you open the door.

• Premium rack finishes. Cosmetic upgrades to the rack appearance.

That's it. Same wash. Same dry. Same 360° Max Jets. Same 44 dB. Same FreeFlex third rack. Same Clean Water Wash. Same ProDry fan.

A dishwasher is supposed to clean dishes.

The 700 cleans them exactly the same way the 600 does, for about $200 more.

KitchenAid 600 vs 700 Series: Cycle Comparison

The 600 gives you the seven cycles any household uses. The 700 adds four more you probably won't.

KitchenAid 400 vs 600 Series: What's the Difference

The 600 Series at around $1,198 gets you everything in the 400 plus three things:

• ProDry fan system, standard. Built-in fan, not optional. Speeds drying, reduces water spots on plastics.

• Extended heat cycle. Second heat boost during drying.

• Larger usable tub. More capacity for entertaining or large families.

If you wash a lot of plastics, the 600 earns its $200 upcharge over the 400. If you don't mind towel-drying the occasional Tupperware lid, save the $200 and stay with the 400.

The 400 series has the same four-level wash, the same 360° Max Jets, the same 50 wash jets, the same FreeFlex Third Rack, and the same Clean Water Wash System.

ProDry is available as an option, not standard. It's the wash and dry of the 600, minus the built-in fan.

KitchenAid 200 vs 400 Series: What's the Difference

The 400 Series at around $999 adds four things over the 200:

• Four-level wash with 360° Max Jets. The 200 has three-level wash with 30+ jets. The 400 has four-level wash with 50 jets.

• FreeFlex Third Rack. The 200 gives you a shallow utensil tray. The 400 gives you a deeper rack with adjustable dividers, plus room for mugs, ramekins, and small bowls.

• Clean Water Wash System. Continuous filtration through the cycle on the 400. The 200 uses standard triple filtration.

• Optional ProDry fan. Available on the 400, not on the 200.

The 200 Series starts at $749. It gives you an all-stainless interior, 39 dB on the top-control model, a third rack for silverware, the ProWash sensor cycle, triple filtration, and 30+ wash jets across three wash arms.

It cleans dishes well. The 400 cleans them with more flexibility and better drying.

The 400 is where KitchenAid earns its 8.2% service rate, well below the 8.8% category average.

The KitchenAid Avoid Summary

• Always skip: the 700 Series. You're paying for a light and a finish.

• Possibly skip: the 600 Series. If you don't mind towel-drying plastics, save the $200 and go to the 400.

• Buy: the 400 Series. Best balance of features and value.

• Or: the 200 Series. If your budget is tighter, the basics are well done.

4. Café Dishwashers at $1,124+

⚡ Quick Answer: Café and Profile are the same dishwasher inside. Going Profile saves you up to $755 depending on the trim, and all you lose are matte finishes and accent hardware, which only earn their place if you're buying the full Café suite.

Café and GE Profile share a platform.

The Café dishwasher line runs from $1,124 to $1,754. The CDT888P4VW2 at $1,754 is the matte-finish, accent-hardware version, and it's where the Café premium gets steepest.

The Profile line covers $999 to $1,399 for the same wash, the same drying, and the same hard food grinder.

If you're buying a Café range, fridge, and hood, the dishwasher matching is real value. Visual continuity in a kitchen designed around a single appliance suite is worth something.

If you're not, the Profile gives you the same dishwasher for less money.

Café vs Profile: Side-by-Side Comparison

What's Identical Inside the Café and Profile

The interiors are the same dishwasher.

• Same silverware sprays. Dedicated jets in the third rack that target the inside of utensils.

• Same bottle washes. Tall jets at the rear of the upper rack designed for water bottles, vases, and tall stemware.

• Same third rack. Adjustable, with the same configuration on both models.

• Same hard food grinder at the bottom. Unique to GE dishwashers. Most premium brands switched to filter-only systems years ago, which means you're cleaning a filter every few weeks. GE kept the grinder. Food particles get pulverized and washed out. Less maintenance, no filter to scrub.

Where Profile Pulls Ahead

• Quieter operation. Most current Profile models run 39 to 44 dB. Most Café models run 42 to 45 dB.

• Microban on racks and handle. Profile adds an antimicrobial surface treatment to the racks and the door handle. In winter when colds are moving through a household, that small distinction means less cross-contamination when multiple people are loading and unloading.

• Up to $755 less. Same dishwasher, money back in your pocket or in the rest of the kitchen, depending on the trims you compare.

When the Café Actually Makes Sense

If you're committing to the full Café suite, the dishwasher matching is part of what you're buying.

The matte finishes and hardware accents look intentional in a kitchen designed around them. They look isolated in a kitchen that doesn't have the rest of the line.

The Café dishwasher is a finish decision, not a wash decision. Buy it when you're buying the kitchen, not when you're buying the dishwasher.

What to Buy Instead

GE Profile at $999 to $1,399. Same wash, same dry, same racks, same hard food grinder. Quieter. Microban treatment on handle and racks. Up to $755 less.

5. Thermador Dishwashers (with one exception) at $1,399+

⚡ Quick Answer: Thermador dishwashers are Bosch 300s with a different badge and a $400 to $500 markup. The only time to buy one is free, through Thermador's package promotion.

Never buy a Thermador dishwasher as a standalone purchase.

The whole Thermador dishwasher line is on the avoid list, with one exception we'll get to.

Is the Thermador a Good Dishwasher?

It's a fine dishwasher. The Emerald Series, like the DWHD640 models, and the rest of the line are the Bosch 300 in different clothing.

The Thermador dishwasher line is built on the Bosch 300 platform. Both are made by BSH at the same North Carolina plant. Same wash. Same dry. Same internal engineering. Different exterior styling and a different badge.

The Bosch 300 sells for $899 to $999. The Thermador starts at $1,399. You're paying $400 to $500 extra for the Thermador handle and finish.

The One Time You Should Buy a Thermador Dishwasher

Thermador runs a "one-two-free" package promotion. Buy a Thermador Pro Range and a Thermador refrigerator, get the dishwasher free.

If you're committing to the full Thermador package, take the free dishwasher.

It's the Bosch 300 in a Thermador jacket. You're getting a $999 machine for free.

That's a great deal.

The trap is buying the Thermador dishwasher standalone, or pairing it with a non-Thermador kitchen.

Thermador vs Bosch 300: The Same Dishwasher, $500 More

If you're not in the package promotion, the Thermador is $400 to $500 more than the Bosch 300 for an identical dishwasher in different clothing.

The styling and handle differences are real but small. The Thermador badge on the door and the handle shape don't change how clean your dishes get.

Even replacing an existing Thermador dishwasher to keep your kitchen visually consistent is a stretch at this price gap.

I'd buy a pocket-handle dishwasher with no Thermador badging before I'd pay $500 more for features the engineering team behind both machines decided weren't necessary.

What You're Actually Paying For

The Thermador runs slightly louder (3 dB) than the Bosch 300. The price gap is $400 to $500.

If you can hear 3 dB, the Bosch is quieter. If you care about a 0.3% difference in reliability, the Bosch is technically better. Neither difference is worth $500.

What to Buy Instead of a Thermador Dishwasher

• Bosch 300 Series at $899 to $999: Same machine. Quieter. Available now. $400 to $500 less.

• Or take the free Thermador: If you're already buying the Pro Range and the refrigerator, the dishwasher is essentially $0. Take it.

6. The Fisher & Paykel Single-Door Dishwasher DW24UNT4X2 at $1,949

⚡ Quick Answer: The Fisher & Paykel single-door dishwasher costs $1,949 and includes none of what made Fisher & Paykel interesting in the first place. Almost every dishwasher in this article is cheaper and better.

To end this article, a dishwasher that makes absolutely no sense.

Why the Fisher & Paykel DishDrawer Earned Its Reputation

Fisher & Paykel went outside the standard dishwasher door 25 years ago.

The DishDrawer was unique. Cool. Different. It appealed to older buyers who didn't want to bend down. It appealed to designers looking for something distinctive in a kitchen.

It appealed to small households that ran half-loads. The DishDrawer line, single and double, is still a clever, useful product for those buyers.

That's the Fisher & Paykel story. Drawers, not doors.

What Changed: The Single-Door Fisher & Paykel Built-In

Fisher & Paykel now sells a regular built-in dishwasher. Standard tub. Standard door. Looks like every other dishwasher on the market.

It has none of what made Fisher & Paykel interesting in the first place. The drawer concept is gone. So is the reason to consider Fisher & Paykel.

Is the Fisher & Paykel Single-Door Dishwasher Worth $1,949?

No.

It doesn't have good racks. It doesn't have AutoDos. It doesn't have a notable drying system. It doesn't have features anywhere near what $1,949 should buy.

To put $1,949 in context, here's what else is available at or near that price:

The Bosch Benchmark gets you CrystalDry drying for $100 more. The Miele G7186 gets you AutoDos and the auto-opening door for $400 more.

The Fisher & Paykel single-door gets you a standard dishwasher with a Fisher & Paykel badge.

What to Buy Instead of an Fisher & Paykel Single-Door

• The Fisher & Paykel DishDrawer (single or double). If you wanted Fisher & Paykel for the drawer concept, buy the actual drawer. The DishDrawer line is still a legitimate product for households that don't bend easily or run frequent half-loads.

• Bosch Benchmark at $1,999. $100 more, vastly more dishwasher.

• Miele G7186 at $2,300. $400 more, the best-cleaning mid-tier dishwasher in the category.

• Or any of the dishwashers recommended in this article. GE Profile at $999 to $1,399. KitchenAid 200 Series at $749 to $1,199. KitchenAid 400 Series at $999 to $1,199. Bosch 300 Series at $899 to $999. Every one of them is cheaper than the Fisher & Paykel single-door, and every one of them is a better dishwasher.

Categorically, under no conditions should you buy the single-door Fisher & Paykel built-in dishwasher. Unless they give it to you for free. Even then, be skeptical.

What's the Pattern Across All Six Dishwashers?

⚡ Quick Answer: Every avoid-list model charges extra for cycles, badges, or finishes that don't make dishes cleaner. The best value usually lives in the middle of each brand's lineup.

Six dishwashers. One lesson.

Based on 33,190 service calls in 2025, 8.8% of dishwashers will need service in the first year  of ownership. That's the category average. Some brands run higher. Some brands run lower.

The dishwasher to actually avoid isn't on the list above. It's any dishwasher that doesn't have service available in your area.

Past that hurdle, the rest of the buying decision gets simpler.

You're paying for cycles you won't use, badges you don't need, finishes that match other appliances, or imitations of features that exist cheaper on the original. You're not paying for cleaner dishes.

Pick the features you actually want. Skip the ones you don't. The sweet spots in this category live in the middle of each brand's lineup, not the top.

What Should You Do Next?

⚡ Quick Answer: Download our free Dishwasher Buyer's Guide for more detail on every model in this article, plus brands not covered here. Yale Appliance delivers, installs, and services every dishwasher we sell across Greater Boston, Cape Cod, Nantucket, Rhode Island, and Southern New Hampshire.

If you're planning a kitchen in Greater Boston, Cape Cod, Nantucket, Rhode Island, or Southern New Hampshire:

Download the free Dishwasher Buying Guide. It covers every model in this article in more detail, plus brands not in this post.

We stock, deliver, install, and service every dishwasher we sell. Ready to deliver within 48 hours from Boston to the Cape.