Tell me about dishwashers with Zeolith® mineral drying material

[Radian]

We're now in the market for a new dishwasher after the old one blew up a whole day before the new fridge arrived 🙄

Some of the good old Bosch/Neff/Siemens/Gaggenau models are offering this thing called Zeolith

 

 

Colour me intruiged. Can't seem to find  much info about it, like if it's a consumable vital to the operation of the appliance and how much energy it saves etc.

 

Also, all dishwashers seem to go for this additional cutlery tray on the top now. I'm wondering what that does for the maximum height of plates on the bottom rack. We've got 28cm dinner plates and from previous experience know that not all dishwashers have sufficient height. A pretty important parameter but not one that's widely publicised. And it seems like a bit of a faff laying dirty cutlery in a tray as apposed to dropping it in a basket. Anyone care to share some user experience here?

[SteamyTea]

Is this the chemical reaction that stores energy, at room temperature, when it absorbs water, then releases it when it is dried, with a relatively small amount of energy input.

 

People were pissing thier panties in anticipationa decade ago.

Probably why we all have a small box of zeolite mineral in the useful draw to heat the house.

 

https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/130523-zeolite-thermal-storage-retains-heat-indefinitely-absorbs-four-times-more-heat-than-water

 

 

[Russdl]

3 hours ago, Radian said:

Anyone care to share some user experience here?

Yes. 
 

Get the one with a cutlery tray at the top. 
 

It takes up next to no space compared to the cutlery bucket in the bottom draw, you’ll not know it’s there, big plates will still fit in - as will everything else

Edited August 20, 2022 by Russdl
More detail

[Gone West]

We have always had Miele dishwashers that have always had a cutlery tray at the top. We wouldn't choose any brand other than Miele for washing machines and dishwashers.

[joe90]

10 hours ago, SteamyTea said:

Is this the chemical reaction that stores energy, at room temperature, when it absorbs water, then releases it when it is dried, with a relatively small amount of energy input.

 

People were pissing thier panties in anticipationa decade ago.

Probably why we all have a small box of zeolite mineral in the useful draw to heat the house.

 

https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/130523-zeolite-thermal-storage-retains-heat-indefinitely-absorbs-four-times-more-heat-than-water

 

 

That was 2012, obviously it did not take off 🤷‍♂️

[MJNewton]

Our dishwasher came with both a cutlery tray and basket so we spent a few months trying each separately, and both at the same for a while! We’ve settled on just using the basket (tray now removed) as it took up less space and was quicker/easier to load/unload. It particularly helped height wise as our largest plates are 29cm diameter and these along with some of our larger trays are much easier to accommodate.  We have the upper basket on its highest setting so that impacts space for tall glasses above with the tray in. For what it’s worth we didn’t notice any differences in cleaning/drying performance between the two.

Edited August 20, 2022 by MJNewton

[Jilly]

Our new dishwasher has the tray thing and I love it, cutlery is properly separated and so gets a better individual clean imo,  and you can pick up to put away by the handles easily. There's plenty of room for our big plates at the bottom and we have extra space because of the lack of basket.

 

As a side benefit, there's no risk to children, pets etc from tripping and falling onto knives or forks, which are held very stiffly upright by the basket. Yes, that's a thing. 

[Adsibob]

10 hours ago, Russdl said:

Yes. 
 

Get the one with a cutlery tray at the top. 
 

It takes up next to no space compared to the cutlery bucket in the bottom draw, you’ll not know it’s there, big plates will still fit in - as will everything else

We have a Bosch with one of these cutlery trays. I didn’t even realise that’s how it would be when I ordered it. It was a “Which Best Buy” and I read the reviews and none of them mentioned this. SWMBO absolutely hates it. I think it’s ok. On the whole, it is much more space efficient, and cleans the cutlery better, but it takes a while to get used to. SWMBO hates it because she says it takes much longer to fill and empty the dishwasher. Maybe she has a point, but if you plant the cutlery in zones (forks in one area, knives in another etc) is already sorted for you when you empty it. I find plates are fine, but it does limit the height of glassware on the top drawer. We bought some glasses and had to return them because they don’t fit. They weren’t very tall, just slightly tall.

[SteamyTea]

42 minutes ago, joe90 said:

That was 2012, obviously it did not take off 🤷‍♂️

Exactly.

Think of all the excitement about 'thin film PV.

Scientific progression is paid for by people that don't understand it, thankfully.

 

 

 

 

[Radian]

Cutlery tray sounds borderline with our 28cm plates and tall glasses. Would be nice to have the option...

 

23 minutes ago, MJNewton said:

Our dishwasher came with both a cutlery tray and basket

 

What make was it if you don't mind me asking?

 

The big debate going on here now is the temperature of the water supply. Given the price of electricity, a hot water feed is looking like a no-brainer to me. With a gas system boiler and 160L HW cylinder, it should be at least three times less expensive than heating the water with direct electric. In the summer, the PV divert to HW might provide enough energy for the cycle without touching the gas if the timing is right. Of course, In the summer the PV could also power the dishwasher heater for the cycle if the cold feed was used but not in the winter. Now to find which machines can accept a hot feed.

[SteamyTea]

37 minutes ago, Radian said:

With a gas system boiler and 160L HW cylinder, it should be at least three times less expensive than heating the water with direct electric

How long does it take hot water to come out the pipe?

 

Alternatively.

Use less 'stuff' when cooking and wash up in the sink.

Pot washers work for minimum wage in the catering industry.

Why we have polishers, rather than dish washers, they are cheaper to buy, run, maintain and are a lot faster.

[MJNewton]

1 hour ago, Radian said:

What make was it if you don't mind me asking?

Not at all, even when I admit to it being a Blomberg (LDV42244) which is basically Beko’s ‘premium’ arm which in practice means that whilst they share many of the same internal parts (so spares are dirt cheap) it has slightly different styling and comes with a 5yr parts+labour guarantee (10yrs for the pump). It cost a fair bit less than many more premium brands and yet was better in many respects on paper eg all metal cavity unlike the cost-cutting-yet-prone-to-leaking metal-plastic hybrids from the likes of Bosch, an inverter motor and also quieter than most which for our open plan arrangement was critical.

Edited August 20, 2022 by MJNewton

[joe90]

1 hour ago, SteamyTea said:

Use less 'stuff' when cooking

I have just pre ordered Jamie Oliver’s one pan cooking book 👍 less washing up and less energy cooking 🤷‍♂️

[SteamyTea]

12 minutes ago, joe90 said:

I have just pre ordered Jamie Oliver’s one pan cooking book

Been doing that for decades, and I get paid for it.

 

 

[joe90]

1 minute ago, SteamyTea said:

Been doing that for decades, and I get paid for it.

 

 

You should have written a book!

[SteamyTea]

I did, with an old college friend, was only a joke book though.

We did 5 recipies that were all mince based, and the left over mince tayed in the pan til the next day's ingredience were added.

Shall have to ask her if she still has a copy of it.

Edited August 20, 2022 by SteamyTea

[joe90]

Similar to slow cookers and even less fuel used, just top it up every couple of days (I am not fussy what I eat).

Edited August 20, 2022 by joe90

[Radian]

3 hours ago, SteamyTea said:

How long does it take hot water to come out the pipe?

 

 

A while, but the first part any cycle I've seen with our old machine is a rinse for which the heater isn't switched on.

 

2 hours ago, MJNewton said:

Not at all, even when I admit to it being a Blomberg (LDV42244) which is basically Beko’s ‘premium’ arm which in practice means that whilst they share many of the same internal parts (so spares are dirt cheap) it has slightly different styling and comes with a 5yr parts+labour guarantee (10yrs for the pump). It cost a fair bit less than many more premium brands and yet was better in many respects on paper eg all metal cavity unlike the cost-cutting-yet-prone-to-leaking metal-plastic hybrids from the likes of Bosch, an inverter motor and also quieter than most which for our open plan arrangement was critical.

 

Sounds like a very reasonable choice there. A 5yr guarantee is impressive!

[Simplysimon]

7 hours ago, Gone West said:

We have always had Miele dishwashers that have always had a cutlery tray at the top. We wouldn't choose any brand other than Miele for washing machines and dishwashers.

+1 we bought our dishwasher from comet auctions (scratch and dent) long before they went bust, it's still going strong and as has been stated sorting the cutlery into sections means you can pick up each section in one go and put it into the drawer.

[Gone West]

1 minute ago, Simplysimon said:

comet

Blimey I had forgotten all about Comet, that was some time ago. I like their long guarantees, sometimes they have offers where it can be increased to ten years, although we've never had anything go wrong as far as I can remember.

[MikeSharp01]

5 hours ago, Radian said:

Cutlery tray sounds borderline with our 28cm plates and tall glasses. Would be nice to have the option...

Keep the basket from your old one and try both. We would not go back to basket as the top self idea is great. As above, load the tray in groups throw the serving spoons / carving knives etc in the other side and Bosch its all done ready to be taken out and put into its various places. 

[MJNewton]

1 hour ago, Radian said:

Sounds like a very reasonable choice there. A 5yr guarantee is impressive!

Increasingly important these days for peace of mind in my view - I'm sure many a premium brand these days are trading off the back of historical quality. I'm sure there are plenty of cases of people saying 'My last so-and-so from brand X lasted 20 years so I'm definitely getting another', not realising that the only thing in common now is the name and logo - ownership, design and manufacture have completely changed. Of course there are always consumer protection laws to fall back on but I'd much rather just get the manufacturer out with a van full of parts and get any issue sorted out directly without a fight. 

[MJNewton]

6 hours ago, Radian said:

Cutlery tray sounds borderline with our 28cm plates and tall glasses.

I measured ours in a shop to make sure. Our plates are part of a Villeroy & Boch set so we didn't want to replace them with something different (smaller). You could always take a plate in if you didn't mind risking the funny looks! 

[Radian]

Oh there's another factor to consider now. Most manufacturers have two model heights to choose from with the standard being for countertops roughly 800mm and higher (measured between floor and underside) and a XXL model for countertops with 865mm height available underneath. My countertop has 870mm available underneath. Well, at the front at least. 😬

 

The extra volume might get around the reduction in space due to the upper cutlery tray which now seems to be standard across all makes. Unfortunately XXL models seem to be thin on the ground at the moment. Miele do one that's relatively more available but also relatively less affordable.

[Radian]

Ended up buying a Miele. The XXL Neff was a touch too tall to be a guaranteed fit under the countertop without yanking up the floor tiles. The Miele XXL is about 20mm less tall so fits comfortably. Got to hand it to RDO Kitchen appliances who delivered next day and price matched a lower price we found online. They also supplied our fridge last week and price matched that as well.