So I rolled up my sleeves. I pulled out the bottom rack and discovered . You know that fine mesh filter at the bottom? Mine looked like a swamp creature had given birth there. Gray sludge, bits of broken glass, a macaroni noodle that had achieved sentience, and what I think was a grape stem. I scrubbed it for ten minutes. Reassembled. Ran a short cycle. Still standing water.
One tweezer extraction later, I reassembled everything, held my breath, and hit “start.” The dishwasher drained with a whoosh that was more satisfying than any sports victory.
At this point, I did what any rational person does: I watched 47 YouTube videos at 2 a.m. The consensus? The drain hose or the pump.
The $300 Lesson: Why You Should Never Ignore a Slow-Draining Dishwasher
It started subtly. A small puddle of murky water at the bottom of the tub after a full cycle. I’d wipe it up with a paper towel and think, “It’s probably nothing.” Then the dishes started coming out gritty. Glasses that should have sparkled looked like they’d been rinsed in a mud puddle. The final straw? A putrid, sulfurous smell that made me open the dishwasher and immediately gag.
★★☆☆☆ (two stars, because when it works, it’s great—but the maintenance is a beast)