The Average Lifespan Of A KitchenAid Dishwasher

KitchenAid is one of the most well-known and well-loved appliance brands positioned at the premium end of the market. Popularity doesn't necessarily equal longevity, but in the case of its dishwasher, the reputation is deserved. KitchenAid dishwashers are expected to last 10 to 14 years, which puts them among the longer-lasting brands. According to Consumer Reports, the average lifespan for these appliances is 10 years.

These figures are averages, and experiences will vary. Some KitchenAid dishwashers have been reported as lasting upwards of 20 years before finally giving up the ghost, while others have stopped working after just three years. But beyond looking at the time to complete failure, it's worth considering how reliable an appliance will be during its working life — and KitchenAid fares well here too.

In an independent study on dishwashers by JD Power that tracked issues reported in the first three years of ownership, KitchenAid emerged as the most reliable brand. Meaning it had the fewest reported problems per 100 appliances. A separate report recorded the number of callouts for repairs in the first year of ownership and found KitchenAid to be the third most reliable brand, after Miele and Bosch group dishwashers.

While the need for repairs or servicing isn't precisely the same as the point at which your dishwasher fails for good, it can give you a sense of how KitchenAid stacks up against competitor dishwasher brands. Reviews can also show what problems you might encounter and whether you can repair or prevent them yourself.

Issues with the spray arms or drainage pumps are common in the first five years, though fortunately both are easy fixes. In some cases, these parts may just require a cleaning rather than replacement. Cleaning the spray arms regularly is a dishwasher maintenance task that's easy to overlook, but it can prevent problems before they start.

Circulation pumps will also wear out over time and are unfortunately more expensive to replace than drainage pumps, even if you do the work yourself. Control boards are a less common failure, but can lead to dishes not drying, longer cycles, or a failure to start.

The KitchenAid warranty on dishwashers is just one year, so you'll need to weigh the cost of repairing versus replacing after this time. The consensus is that if the machine is less than eight years old and the cost to repair is less than half of a new dishwasher, it's worth repairing.