If appearances count for something when buying a dishwasher, then the KitchenAid KDPE234GPS wins points for its sleek, stainless steel interior. KitchenAid has been a leading name in the kitchen appliance market in America since 1919, so you’d be buying from a brand known for reliability and quality. They’ve even added a PrintShield finish to the stainless steel framework, so you’ll have no annoying surface marks or fingerprints.
Dimensions: 24 x 34 x 24 inches
Control location: Top hidden controls
Noise rating: 46 dBA
Holds: 14 place settings
Racks: 3
Cycles: 5
Energy Star Certified: Yes
Extras: 3rd rack adds 35% more loading capacity
Warranty: 1 year
But it’s what’s inside which really offers value for money. This dishwasher’s spacious interior unusually has an additional third rack, along with the standard folding tines and cutlery basket you’d expect in most dishwashers. This additional room allows you to clean up to 14 place settings at one time, or give you additional space for big pots and pans and long cooking tools.
The controls give you the option of 5 different wash and rinse cycles to suit your needs. You can select any of Express Wash, Normal, ProWash, Rinse Only, and Touch. In addition, you’ll benefit from a number of program options, including sanitizing for high-temperature bacteria reduction. This is a good option for heavily soiled dishes or occasional deep cleaning. This dishwasher also comes with the option to harness the heat generated for drying instead of washing. Choose from a heated dry, or the energy-saving no-heat dry program.
These features and its reasonable price point make the KitchenAid KDPE234GPS one of the best dishwashers in our roundup.
KitchenAid KDPE234GPS Dishwasher: Features
Considering it’s not a high-spec model, the KitchenAid KDPE234GPS dishwasher does offer a number of innovative features.
Notable ones include the ProWash option and Express Wash Cycle to add convenience. The ProWash determines the ideal cycle for the soil level, and adjusts in real-time to get better cleaning results. And if you don’t have hours to spare or have only lightly soiled items, the Express Wash is ideal for cleaning in less time.
Another handy feature is the 8-hour delay start that enables you to preset the dishwasher to run while you’re at work or sleeping at night.
KitchenAid KDPE234GPS Dishwasher: Design
Designed in a sturdy stainless steel tub with top controls and pocket handle, this model has a quality finish and looks more expensive. Equally, the stainless steel interior is stain and odor resistant and designed to keep in the heat to improve drying performance. This also comes in black but expect to pay more.
Flexible loading options provides ample space for up to 14 place settings, with a third level rack to increase space by 35%. The SatinGlide Max Rails make it more smooth and durable when pulling out a rack with a heavy load. This also adds a premium quality to the finish.
The most impressive of all however, is the PrintShield finish that ensures surfaces are completely fingerprint-proof and smudge resistant. This is ideal for households with small children, and will cut out the elbow grease!
KitchenAid KDPE234GPS Dishwasher: Performance
The KitchenAid KDPE234GPS dishwasher performs just as well as its competitors. Even the toughest of food stains left on dishes or utensils came out completely spotless with no residue.
The top controls are simple to operate, and the range of settings gives you more flexibility. The versatile loading options are handy for large families, and the third level rack provides more space for a heavy load.
The ProWash setting is particularly useful for adjusting the cycle to match the soil level, which is more energy efficient.
Bear in mind, cycles can take a long time, with the Normal wash taking two hours, and Heavy Wash/Dry setting taking about three hours. However, the saving grace is the Express Wash that efficiently washes in just one hour. If you need a machine to speficially tackle hard water, check out the Bosch 300 Series (SHXM63WS5N).
At 46dBA, this model is incredibly quiet which is ideal for a quiet evening indoors or if you want to have a conversation.
KitchenAid KDPE234GPS Dishwasher: User Reviews
The great cleaning results and sparkling dishes and glassware impressed the majority of buyers for the KitchenAid KDPE234GPS. Although, many have said the washing cycles are too long and they prefer the Express Wash for a quick, one-hour cycle.
Users liked the attractive look of the stainless steel design, and the fact that it was so quiet you could hardly hear when once it’s on.
The spacious and flexible interior was another winner with one user saying the handy third level rack was ideal to wash baby bottles.
Perhaps the feature that most impressed was the fingerprint-proof and smudge surface, which proved popular among families with young children. Great results and good value for money were also highlighted.
Should you buy the KitchenAid KDPE234GPS Dishwasher?
The reasons to buy the KitchenAid KDPE234GPS add up quite quickly when you consider the specification and the inexpensive price. It’s a model that compares favorably against higher-end models with its features and has been highly rated for design quality, flexible load options, and a range of functions and programs to suit your needs.
The KitchenAid KDPE234GPS can clean heavily soiled loads or just give dishes a light rinse as required, with the Express Wash cycling running for under an hour. If your busy lifestyle means you’d like to quickly unload and put away, then you can set the dishwasher to heat dry after cleaning too.
The different length wash cycles, the ability to heat dry dishes, and the flexible, spacious interior make this a great performer for busy households and families. Switch on this machine and there’ll be sparkling clean dishes waiting on the inside, but if you want something a little different, check out our recommendations below.
If this product isn't for you
Dishwashers come in all shapes and sizes, so if the KitchenAid KDPE234GPS isn’t for you, then maybe one of our 3 suggestions below will better suit your lifestyle.
Like the KitchenAid, the Frigidaire Gallery FGID2466QF dishwasher has the capacity for 14 place settings, but has some different ‘smart features’. The ‘DishSense’ function uses artificial intelligence to detect how soiled your dishes are, then selects the correct cycle to make them sparkling clean. With a range of washing and drying cycles, and the ability to store your temperature preferences, this could be the personalized product you need.
Our top choice for smaller spaces is the GE PDT145SGLWW dishwasher. It comes in at just 18 x 34 x 22.5 inches but is a powerful little machine, offering a hard food dispenser to prevent long-term clogging, and sanitize option for reducing bacteria. It’s sleek, delivers top-quality cleaning, and has all the space you need for couples or smaller households.
At the higher end of the market, the Miele Classic Plus G 4228 SCU AM is a great option for large families and entertaining. It has the capacity to load in 16 place settings, and handy AutoSensor technology. Potentially energy saving, this feature will adjust the water temperature and consumption according to the level of soiling detected on your dishes.
