9mos later Update: Still working great, still worth every penny. No leakage, I use this thing maybe 5-6 times per week. Water/energy efficient as well. Do take the time to clean it monthly -- the filters, the door, and the hoses too. Will help make sure your dishes keep smelling fresh. Doesn't hurt to run an empty load with some dishwasher cleaner every couple of months either.
**Original Review**
I've been fortunate to live in an apartment that I love for a few years now, and one of the only drawbacks to this place is the lack of dishwasher. It's a luxury I was willing to go without for the sake of a great living space. Now I do kind of enjoy washing dishes to an extent, I find it to be meditative and satisfying, but it's a big consumer of time. Especially so when my partner and I both work full time, and often eat late dinners between 8-10pm and just don't feel like doing chores afterwards, so things can pile up.
There are a lot of similar units closer to the $200 price range, but most of them were brands I'd never heard of, didn't have any LED displays, and a lot are just on the boring side aesthetically. We decided it was worth a little more to go with a brand we knew we liked, the display, and something that wasn't all white or all black. Very glad we did!
We've had this thing for about 6 weeks so far, and we use it probably about 5 times per week. Our kitchen has never been cleaner, and without any sort of planning my partner and I have naturally worked on a 50/50 split of running the wash because it's so easy. Let me tell you -- we still marvel regularly at what a life upgrade this has been. So much time back, cleaner kitchen, less stress around chores, and the cleanest dishes we've ever had. I am pretty meticulous about cleaning dishes thoroughly, and I have been impressed with the wash quality.
Now I'll give some practical tips for anyone who has one of these or is in the market:
- These countertop units are definitely on the heavy side, especially if you're a smaller person. So I highly recommend having either a dedicated counter spot for it, or getting a wheeled cart where you can tuck the unit below and move it into place as needed. This is coming from a pretty large dude who has been a manual laborer on more than one occasion.
- The hose that connects to the sink needs a little attention after each wash cycle to make sure it's fully drained. We usually put a large mixing bowl onto the floor, then angle the hoses as needed to let gravity do its thing until there's no more water leaking out. Talking maybe 1-2mins of work at most.
- I've read reports of leakage from these units. We did spot a leak, but it was connected to my point above. Moving the hoses around while draining meant that the connection on the back of the unit loosened up a bit, and some water dripped out from there. Now every time I drain the hoses, I simply check the connection as well and tighten if needed, and no leaking ever since.
- I've tested out various levels of rinsing dishes, and overall I'd say that minimal rinsing is required for most things. I do a quick pass under the sink for anything that is heavily soiled, especially if it's got onions or other foods that tend to really stick. More than rinsing, I think it's important to make sure that the way you're loading the washer isn't blocking the things that are heavily soiled. The instructions give some general pointers on spacing, and while I still manage to cram more into this thing than is suggested, I make sure that anything real dirty has enough space for water to comfortably flow around it.
- Larger plates may not fit in this thing, at least not in the plate rack. I believe the 10-10.5" range is ideal. If your plates are larger you might need to wash them in a smaller load and angle them into place. Have done this once or twice and the end result was still a nice clean set of dishes.
Hands down one of the best purchases I've made in the past 5 years.
| Item Weight | 46.2 Pounds |
|---|---|
| Voltage | 110 Volts |
| Cycle Options | Intensive, Normal, Rapid |
| Style | Dishwasher |
| Display Type | Led Display |
| Option Cycles | 7 |
| Brand Name | Black + Decker |
| Model Info | BCD6W |
| Item Weight | 46.2 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 21.5 x 21.7 x 17.2 inches |
| Item model number | BCD6W |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Part Number | BCD6W |
| Special Features | Child Lock,Delay Start |
| Material Type | Metal |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
