Kiwis clueless about their dishwashers

According to our recent survey results, some New Zealanders are a little confused about how to get the most out of their dishwashers.

The survey showed one in three Kiwis don’t know how to perform basic maintenance on their dishwasher to ensure it operates at its best. That proportion was even higher for Gen Y’s with one in two saying they are not sure how to maintain their dishwasher.

Almost half (43%) only run their dishwasher on a single cycle setting, and 18% admitted they don’t understand their dishwasher’s cycle options.

When we compared customer satisfaction with dishwasher machines, Bosch came out as the squeaky clean victor when compared to LG, Westinghouse, Fisher & Paykel and Simpson.

Bosch received our most satisfied customers award for dishwashers, 2012.

Looking at our five star recipients:

• Bosch received five star ratings for overall satisfaction, performance, reliability, noise and warranty and service; while
• LG received five stars for their value for money, performance and internal layout.

The survey was unusually revealing and even taught us, here at Canstar Blue, a thing or two about cleaning.

While only one third of younger New Zealanders understood their machine’s cycle settings, 47% felt confident enough to try and wash more unusual objects in their dishwasher such as sponges, toothbrushes and shoes.

Canstar Blue commissions Colmar Brunton Australia to survey 2,500 New Zealand consumers across a range of categories every few months to measure and track customer satisfaction. The outcomes reported are the results from dishwasher customers within the survey group – in this case, 564 people. To qualify, the customer must have purchased and used a dishwasher in the last 3 years. Brands must receive at least 30 responses to be included.

Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands that received three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10.

Overall satisfaction

Award-winner Bosch received five stars for overall customer satisfaction in our survey, and was followed by four star recipient LG. Westinghouse, Fisher & Paykel and Simpson each received three stars for this criterion.

Value for money

A dishwasher can be a big investment, so finding a product that’s good value for money is important. LG trounced the competition with a five star rating for value for money; followed by Bosch, Westinghouse and Simpson with four stars. Fisher & Paykel achieved a three star rating for their value for money.

Performance

Customers of both LG and Bosch were most satisfied with their dishwasher’s performance, earning each brand five stars for this criterion. The two were followed by four star recipients Westinghouse, Fisher & Paykel and Simpson.

Reliability

Since most dishwashers are used every day, a more reliable brand can be an attractive option for most customers. Bosch came out on top for the reliability of their dishwashers, earning them five stars for this criterion. They were followed by four star recipients LG and Westinghouse with four stars each, then Fisher & Paykel and Simpson with three.

Noise

Bosch received five stars for the noise levels of their dishwasher, followed by four star recipient LG. Hot on their trail was Westinghouse, Fisher & Paykel and Simpson with three stars each.

Internal layout

For the internal layout of their dishwasher machines, LG achieved a top rating of five stars for this criterion, followed by Bosch with four. Westinghouse, Fisher & Paykel and Simpson each received three stars for their internal layout.

Warranty and service

For a five star warranty, Bosch could not be beaten, with a top rating for this criteria. LG received four stars for their warranty; followed by Westinghouse, Fisher & Paykel and Simpson.