You can’t blame Samsung for looking for killer innovations that will differentiate its dishwashers from those of its rivals. Last year Consumer Reports tested a Samsung dishwasher with “Storm Wash,” an option that it claimed rained down extra water on stubborn food debris—yet ran for only 2 to 3 minutes of the machine’s 140-minute cycle. Now we’re in the process of testing the Samsung Chef Collection DW80H9970US, $1,450, a machine we first saw at CES 2014 that touts a “WaterWall” that Samsung says results in cleaner dishes.
As with the Storm Wash setting on the $800 Samsung DW80F800UWS, we put an action camcorder inside the dishwasher to confirm the WaterWall as we first observed it through a transparent case. Two bars run the width of the tub. The rear one remains fixed with its jets aimed forward toward the second, which runs back and forth on tracks. Because the moving bar is angled, water bounces straight up to form a moving sheet of water. Samsung says the process results in more even, thorough washing.
But wait, there’s more. A feature called Zone Boost cuts off the left or right half of the WaterWall’s jets. This devotes more water pressure to one side for heavily soiled items—or less for delicate items on the opposite side. We also like that the third rack is a removable, flexible silicon liner you can lift by two handles to remove silverware all at once instead of one item at a time.
We’ll let you know if the WaterWall in the Samsung Chef Collection DW80H9970US made any difference as we complete our tests of this and other new models. But there’s one caveat for the brand overall: In our repair histories, based on subscriber surveys, Samsung has been the most repair-prone brand of dishwasher.
Looking for a new dishwasher? Our dishwasher Ratings of almost 180 models include more than 40 that we’ve recommended. Among them are the Bosch Ascenta SHX3AR7[5]UC, a CR Best Buy at $730, and the Kenmore Elite 12783, $1,200. Before you begin shopping, check out our dishwasher buying guide.
—Ed Perratore (@EdPerratore on Twitter)
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