Danby DDW396W Countertop Dishwasher

Hardworking machine, but you have to take care of it

By Treat  May 24, 2009

Pros: Great time saver, energy & water efficiency

Cons: Lasts about 3 years under heavy use

I've owned 2 of these (DDW396W with spring loaded dial for cycle control, not the newer digital type.) It beats the heck out of hand washing(!) is VERY energy efficient (268kWh/yr.) and uses less water than hand washing. We catch the runoff water... in the sink to pre-soak the next load of dirty dishes. This is a hard-working little unit, we used it 3 times a day for years (family of 4), and it's held up pretty well considering the abuse it's taken (It's really NOT intended for such heavy usage.) First one 2005 model went 3 years with no problems, until the drain pump gave out. Lesson learned: don't forget to turn on the water faucet before you run your machine! Too many mistakes like this are hard on the pump. Local repair shop said parts were not available anywhere, so we bought a 2nd one, kept the 1st for parts. (Edgestar/Koldfront makes a strikingly similar machine, have e-mailed them to see if they are made by Danby, parts may be interchangeable,...) 2nd one developed the leak others are describing (slight dribble from window, larger leak from right front corner). Cause: the window seal failed, maybe the lower door seal too. Never had any cracks in the door ever develop, but I'm betting window leaks and door crack may be from overloading the machine and forcing the door closed one too many times. I resealed the window with high temp sealant, raised the front legs of the machine about an inch higher than the rear...and it's working so far. My sprayer arm only stops spinning if there's something blocking it--rearranging the offending dish/fork always does the trick. (If the machine doesn't make its usual rhythmic chunka chunka sound, the arm is probably blocked.) You have to rinse the (easily removable) drain screen after each wash and occasionally clear the lower screen underneath of lint/gunk (2x a month.) If you have hard water and the heating element turns white, or your machine gets gunky, use some LEMI SHINE to remove lime deposits (sold by Target, made for dishwashers, works GREAT!) Read more Less