Kenmore 2214785 Dishwasher Review

The SmartWash cycle reads how much soil is in the water and adjusts water temperature, pressure and cycle time to match. That sensor is what separates this machine from a bare-bones builder-grade dishwasher: you load it, pick the cycle and let it decide how hard to work.

Sani Rinse is UL certified and runs hot, and the High Temp option raises the wash water temperature. For households washing baby bottles, cutting boards or anything that touched raw meat, that extra heat is the reason to choose this machine over a plain one.

UltraWash uses two pressurized spray arms and a three-stage filter that captures fine particles.

The MoreSpace upper rack has two height positions, lifts, lowers and comes out entirely, and a cutlery basket is included. That buys you room for tall stock pots in the lower rack and stemware above, without rearranging the whole load.

Heated Dry and Delay Start cover the two conveniences people actually use every day: dry dishes at the end of a cycle and a wash that runs when you want it to.

The machine is ENERGY STAR certified and rated at 240 kWh per year on 120 V. The flush-front design, pocket handle and fingerprint-resistant stainless finish give a clean look in a standard 24-inch opening.

Noise is the headline limitation. At 54 dBA, this is a loud machine by modern built-in standards, where the quiet end of the market sits well below that figure. In plain terms, 54 dBA is about the level of a normal conversation or steady rain: fine behind a closed door or in a separate kitchen, noticeable in an open-plan living space. Buyer feedback on noise is split, with some finding it quiet and others finding it loud, so plan around the rating rather than the reviews.

There is no third rack, so cutlery goes in the basket. Large families and people who run the machine daily tend to miss a third rack; lighter users usually will not.

The tub is a hybrid: the door and liner are stainless, and the tub base is plastic. That makes it lighter and less heat-retentive than an all-stainless tub, which is a materials fact rather than a fault.

The cycle list is modest: Normal, Heavy Duty, Eco Wash, Express Wash and the sensor-driven SmartWash, with Delay Start, Heated Dry, High Temp and Sani Rinse as options. There are no specialty cycles beyond those.

There are no smart features: no Wi-Fi, no app, no remote start. Controls are push buttons on the front with a cycle status indicator.

At 12 place settings, capacity sits below what most full-size built-ins offer today. It is enough for a typical household and tight for a big one.

The warranty is one year on the appliance.

Buyers on Amazon are mixed on overall quality and divided on noise, and a minority are unhappy with value. The star spread is polarized, with a large block of five-star ratings and a notable block of one-star ratings.

The 23.6-inch width and 33.7-inch height are the machine's dimensions. The machine weighs 69 lb. The 240 kWh figure is the machine's annual energy rating.

Will it fit?

Check the cabinet opening against the 23.6-inch width, 22.6-inch depth and 33.7-inch height. The machine runs on 120 V.

Cycles in practice

Normal handles mixed daily loads, Heavy Duty takes pots and baked-on pans, Eco Wash suits light soil and efficiency, and Express Wash gives a fast turnaround. SmartWash is the one to pick when you would rather the machine decide how much work the load needs.

Use the adjustable upper rack's two positions for tall items below and glasses above. The three-stage filter and the soil sensor handle the rest.

Select Heated Dry when plastics are in the load. Sani Rinse covers bottles and boards, and High Temp helps with greasy loads.