A dishwasher is one of those appliances that is the ultimate in modern convenience and makes you wonder why you spent so much time letting your hands prune from manually washing dishes. Dishwashers are a great solution and practically a heaven-sent for large families and frequent entertainers, especially during holidays where pots, pans, and dishes are piled sky-high when it’s all over. But these helpful kitchen appliances don’t last forever.
Wondering how long do dishwashers last? Our experts have the answers you’re looking for below on dishwasher lifespans, tips for extending their longevity, and signs that it’s time for a new dishwasher!
Take a Peek:
Average Life Span of a Dishwasher
Best Tips for Extending Your Dishwasher’s Life
Signs it Might be Time to Replace Dishwasher
How Long Do Dishwashers Last?
Did you know the average lifespan of a dishwasher is about 10 years? If you are lucky, it can even last up to 12 years — but not trouble-free, of course. Several factors can impact the durability of your appliance, including the brand, model, maintenance, and rate of use. Below we’ll cover the life expectancy of dishwashers and how to make them last as long as possible.
Average Life Span of a Dishwasher
Most manufacturers produce dishwashers with a lifespan of a decade on average before users need to buy a replacement. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t dishwashers capable of functioning for much longer. Not many brands can brag about designing and producing the longest-lasting dishwasher with a lifespan of at least 20 years. So, if your main priority is durability, the following guideline may help start your dishwasher search:
- 10 years: Bosch, KitchenAid, Samsung
- 10+ years: Frigidaire, Beko, LG
- 20+ years: Miele
Best Tips for Extending Your Dishwasher’s Life
Like most kitchen and household appliances, extending your dishwasher’s life expectancy comes down to routine maintenance, so here are some things you can do to make sure your appliance lasts as long as possible.
Keep Filter Clean
Whether your dishwasher has a manual or self-cleaning filter (check your manufacturer’s guide), you can help out by scraping any hard stuck-on foods and scraps off before loading them to prevent damage and clogging in the filter.
Keep Door Seal Clean
The door seal will collect dirt, residue, food particles, and debris over time, and this buildup can cause odors and be a potential breeding ground for mold. Cleaning the door seals regularly with a soapy wet rag or a towel soaked in white vinegar can counteract mold growth and odors.
Routinely Check Spray Arms
Check your spray arms and nozzles for holes every few months to make sure they are clean and unhindered. Food particles caught in the nozzle or arm will affect the spray patterns, so it’s best to remove the debris gently without making the hole larger.
Remove Hard Water Build Up
If you live in an area with hard water, you can expect to find cloudy mineral films, buildup, rack wheel resistance, and discoloration in your dishwasher ― and potentially on your dishes. A great cleaning tip to remove this buildup is running a monthly cycle with dishwasher cleaners like Affresh or Finish for their citric acid base. Or, if you have a dishwasher with a water-softening system, you can use a regeneration salt that’ll improve cleaning and thwart any spotting and clouding inside your dishwasher.
Clean Dishwasher
Every few months, we recommend pouring a cup of white distilled vinegar into your dishwasher and running an empty cycle to get rid of the tiny food debris stuck in the crevices of the dishwashing machine.
Professional Service
We suggest you hire a professional technician for repairs if you suspect a bigger problem or strange noises are coming from your appliance. Getting an extended warranty for your dishwasher can also ensure regular maintenance service visits to preserve your dishwasher’s life expectancy.
Signs it Might be Time to Replace Your Dishwasher
Maintenance care can only do so much, even if you have the longest-lasting dishwasher. And although it’s not easy to accept that your appliance is dying, it may be time to call it quits and start your search for a replacement if you’ve witnessed any of these warning signs below:
Not Cleaning
If your dishes still look as dirty as when you loaded them, still wet even after the dry cycle, it’s no longer doing its job. If improper loading, overloading, or using the wrong soap isn’t the issue, it may be a mechanical problem like a heating element failure, which means it’s time for a new dishwasher.
Humming
If your dishwasher has been humming or making any other strange or loud noises, this may be a sign that something is stuck or broken in your dishwasher, like a busted motor.
Leaking
Although this is more likely to happen to models as the drains and pipes wear down from age; if your dishwasher has sprung a leak and there is no sign of where it’s coming from, it’s time to call in a plumber and start looking for a new dishwasher.
Why Trust Us?
As Virginia’s largest independent appliance dealer since 1988, we, as a locally owned and operated retail company, go far above and beyond to fulfil our customers’ appliance needs for the best price possible. Our shoppers are more than just a sale; our appliance experts are committed to providing the ultimate customer experience that shoppers can trust and believe.
“What sets us apart from our competitors is our huge selection of every major brand, our everyday low prices, we service what we sell and that we are locally owned and operate with real people to talk to.”
– Rob Nicholson, President of East Coast Appliance.
Buy Dishwashers at East Coast Appliance
Here at East Coast Appliance, we have happily provided our Virginian locals with high-quality, brand-name appliances and housewares, all for a fair price! Take home reliable, long-lasting dishwashers from Frigidaire, Bosch, Miele, and any other brands we have to offer that ensure ultimate cleaning performance, the latest features, and durability. Discover some of our resilient and feature-loaded dishwashers from famous brands online today or visit us in person to explore our showrooms in Norfolk, Richmond, Virginia Beach, Fredericksburg, Newport News, and Chesapeake.