Bosch 500 Series SHX65T55UC Dishwasher Review

You don't realize just how important a dishwasher is until yours breaks down. In my case, I just happened to be nearby as our old dishwasher decided to pee all over the floor during it's post-rinse cycle. It was old and had a good life, and peeing all over the place is how many of us go out so it was time for a new one.

Research

I hadn't planned on buying a dishwasher so what would normally be tons of research became a scramble. A few hours later and I had it narrowed down so now it was off to a local store to see what they had. In my case, I just had a great experience getting a new TV through a warranty claim at a local Best Buy (see Samsung UNJS8500 Review) so they earned my future business.

I liked the Bosch brand of dishwashers since I had one in another house before and these were at the top of my research list. I gravitated towards the Bosch 500 Series since it seemed to be the best of all worlds. Meaning, stainless steal tub, three racks, super quiet, and reasonable price. The higher end Bosch series just couldn't be justified so I went middle of the road, relatively speaking at least.

The Bosch 500 series was highly rated both in third party reviews as well as the Best Buy site where, at least at the time, it was the most highly rated dishwasher they sold. Period. Good enough for me.

Features

The model number of the Bosch 500 series I chose is SHX65T55UC and is stainless steal. Like all things stainless, touch it and you'll leave a finger print. So it's not the best choice for practicality but I think it's the best looking choice.

The cost of the SHX65T55UC was a reasonable $855 from a local Best Buy store that happened to have it on sale. They also offered free delivery and installation for Bosch branded dishwasher. There was another $50 worth of a "parts kit" needed for the hoses and power cord. So around $900 total. Not pocket change, but this isn't an item where I want the cheapest of the cheap.

I like that the controls are hidden on the top of the door. I love that there is no child lock. Those are incredibly annoying and my last Bosch, that had the lock, always felt like the door was going to brake when I opened it. I've got kids and I've never been concerned that they'll somehow fall in or get into sharp knives, but you may feel differently and want a child locking unit.

When it comes to features I could list the various cycles, sanitizing options, and other marketing propaganda non-sense. But it's just that, non-sense. What you want in a dishwasher are these three things:

1. A stainless steal tub inside.

2. A quiet running model.

3. One that has long running cycles.

See, it's a dishwasher so all it does is fling water and soap around inside. Do that long enough and the dishes come clean. It's as simple as that. Those 48 various cleaning cycles are pointless because you'll only ever put it on "normal" or "auto" and be done with it. Adjustable racks, special rinse inserts, and customized dish holders are all wastes of money so don't pay extra for non-sense.

As for that stainless tub, these are quieter than plastic tubs so it's a good upgrade. As for a quiet running model, that's a no-brainer. Nobody wants to here the dishwasher running for a couple of hours each day.

Speaking of quiet, that doesn't mean you need the quietest model available either. The sound level will be rated in decibels, abbreviated as dB or dBA. Either way, lower is better. The Bosch 500 is rated at 44dBA which is very quiet. The next models up are only a couple of dBA quieter but you pay a lot more for that. At 44dBA I can't even tell when the unit is running and have to put my hand on it to tell. During certain cycles you can hear it but only if very close, and even then it's amazingly quiet. At no times have I found it distracting, much less noticeable.

If you're upgrading from an older unit with a plastic tub you'll be blown away at how quiet a stainless tub is. It's so quiet that they put a red light on the bottom that shines on your floor. If your floor is red you know it's running, if not it's done running. Neat!

Conclusion

If you're looking for a high end dishwasher that is super quiet, cleans well, and doesn't break the bank then take a look at the Bosch 500 series. They're highly rated, well built, and clean the dishes just like you'd expect them to. It's not the cheapest option out there but still a very good value for the money. You can even buy it online at BestBuy.com.

Want another tip? Skip the Jet Dry additive and use white vinegar instead, it does the same job of keeping your dishes spot free without the chemicals and at a fraction of the cost.

Bosch 500 Series Shx65t55uc Dishwasher Review

Research

Features

Conclusion