Danby DDW496W Countertop Dishwasher

by Danby

Product Features

• 4 standard place settings
• Mechanical controls
• Quick connect to any kitchen tap
• 4 wash cycles (pre-rinse, short wash, normal wash, saniwash)
• Sani-wash feature increases water temperature to 158(degree)F (70(degree)C)

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 56 pounds
• ASIN: B000FFS0V6
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (60 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #101,607 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining)
  • #90 in Home Improvement > Appliances > Dishwashers

Product Description

Countertop Dishwasher

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

186 of 186 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Changed my life! - UPDATED!!, November 26, 2007

By 

N. Vines "Envynyc" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Danby DDW496W Countertop Dishwasher

I've waited nearly a year to review this product so that I could better speak to it's durability over time. I have to say, I was a bit wary of buying this because of some of the negative reviews, but I'm so glad I did!

I live in New York City and have never had a dishwasher. My kitchen sink was always chock full of last nights dinner plates, utensils, pans, etc. I absolutely hate to hand wash dishes. Every time I'd visit a friend who had a dishwasher, I'd salivate just thinking how great it would be to have one of my own. So, I put the Danby 496W on my wish list last year and received it in mid-December. To date, I've had NO problems whatsoever. It runs like a dream, hasn't leaked, and cleans amazingly well. I was so psyched to use my new dishwasher that I literally washed every single thing I owned the first day I had it. Does this sound extreme, well, if you're someone who'd rather insert bamboo spikes under your fingernails than hand wash dishes, than you understand my elation.

I do think you have to be careful when you use it so that you don't have some of the problems others have had:

TIPS

1. Clean out the food screen each time your run the dishwasher.
2. Run the hot water first to get it really hot before connecting the dishwasher.
3. As soon as your cycle is done, crack the door open so dishes can dry quickly. This will also help save your window's seal and it will be less likely to leak!
4. Clean out the dishwasher once per month. I pour two cups of white vinegar into the bottom of my empty dishwasher (make sure to do this after water has filled the machine, just before the cycle starts) and then run it through the longest cycle. It will help dissolve any buildup and will keep your dishwasher running well.
5. Be careful how you load the dishwasher. As another reviewer said, if you have a dishes or utensils in certain places, they will hang down too low and the spinner arm will hit them and not work properly. This isn't that complicated, you figure out how to best load it by trial and error. It's amazing how much you can cram in this and still get a sparkling clean load! For example, I've put six 10.5 inch dinner plates, 4 salad plates, 3 bowls, 4 mugs, two 10-inch knives, two wooden spoons.
6. Let's be honest, the 'cup' rack/shelf on the upper left side of the dishwasher is useless for cups. I've found it very useful for washing small bowls (i.e. cereal bowls). This frees up more room for mugs in the bottom rack.
7. Once you've got your dishwasher fully loaded, slide utensils like long chef's knives, wooden spoons, etc. in between your other dishes so that they are lying on their sides. Just make sure that they aren't hanging down too low!
8. I find that powdered detergent works better than gel detergent. I have no idea why, but I really thing it cleans better. Make sure to use detergent that contains enzymes as they help dissolve leftover food from your plates and utensils.

UPDATE!
Just wanted to circle back to let everyone know that my Danby is STILL going strong after two years. I've had zero problems with it and continue to love it!

YEAR THREE UPDATE - December 2009

Today was the THIRD anniversary of my beloved Danby dishwasher. Still running perfectly. I will try and post a video showing how it runs and how much you can fit in it. Glad people are finding the tips helpful!

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Measure your plates..., December 26, 2006

By 

Gavin Peters (Cambridge, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

My wife just gave me one of these units for Christmas. I think it's great, it sits where our dish rack was, and get the dishes quite clean. Since our
hot water tank is three floors below us, the sani-wash feature insures we
actually use hot water for our dishes, too. I like this unit a lot.

I have just one problem: my dinner plates, while big (10.5"), aren't huge, but they don't easily load into it. I'm writing Danby to see what they say, but I think I'll end up having to modify the loading rack so my dishes both load, and don't interfere with the rotating arm. If your plates are as big as mine, you'll be fine but have trouble loading the machine. If they're bigger than mine, this machine might not be for you.

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gets the job done, November 27, 2006

By 

bellydancegurl (Nebraska, United States) - See all my reviews

I've had my dishwasher for a short period of time, but am very pleased with it. I have a very small apartment kitchen and was sick and tired of doing dishes by hand. This is perfect for a small household. I like that it has a sani-boost option - push the button and it kicks the water up to 160 degrees - so I know my dishes are definately getting clean.

I've heard some complaints about this item - that it doesn't hold up over the long term (about one year is what I read on epinions), that it gets the dishes too hot, etc. I can't address the long term issue, but will say yes, the dishes are very hot when the wash cycle is done - but just pop the door open and let them cool a bit if they're too hot to handle.

It only has a few wash cycles, and no dry cycle - but my gosh after doing dishes by hand for 3 years I'm just THRILLED with my new dishwasher - it's quiet, efficient and has enough features for the average apartment dweller. AND it's a very compact item - in a small apartment that's a huge plus! I would definately recommend this product, and would definately buy another one if I ever needed to replace it.