Thursday, December 11, 2025

Bosh and botheration, and Bosch

My dishwasher is eight years old and if it washed every day since it was bought, it could have washed a load of dishes nearly 3,000 times. Obviously when we were away from home, it wasn't used. Occasionally it missed a day because we had dined out, and rarely, it did two loads a day. Since Phyllis and Kosov moved in and I insisted they use the dishwasher rather than washing dishes under running water, it was probably averaging three loads every two days. 

It was a Bosch (note past tense, I'm building momentum) and one morning I rose to unusual pumping noises and displaying an E15 fault on the display panel. Google quickly told me it was water present in the base tray under the unit and a float mechanism, like one in your toilet cistern or horse trough, for reasons to prevent an overflow of water, had caused the fault. 

Turning it off and on again at the powerpoint did not help. Kosov emptied the dishwasher and washed its contents by hand. Next morning I arose and pressed the on switch, and thank goodness it switched on like normal. Just a minor glitch, and now fixed. 

About two weeks later, the day after I bought Rover, the iRobot, the same thing happened, but it didn't fix itself the following morning. We learnt it would work if we turned the inlet tap off it had finished washing, it would work again. That is clearly not going to work long term. I called an appliance repairer we had used before, a long time ago though, and no, they won't service Bosch appliances. 

I called Bosch, and arranged for a bloke repair technician to visit and repair. The cost was $200 for half an hour, plus parts, plus more if it took longer than half a hour. After pondering for a few hours and looking at prices for new dishwashers online, I decided to cancel the appointment and buy a new one. This is a rather unexpected expense, but what else can I do. 

The Good Guys had a cheap price for a replacement, also a Bosch and much the same as the old one, I was prepared to pay for delivery, removal of the old unit and installation, until I was told the delivery company would no longer take away old dishwashers as they leaked water on to the floor of their precious vans. I paid just for delivery. 

What I also learnt, which both the old and new dishwasher have, is the as I described float to cut water off if the float rises, but also that there is an electric wire running up the inside the outer casing of the inlet hose, to a cut off valve where the hose connects to the tap.

The machine was delivered around 5pm last Sunday. I was is no mood at that hour to deal with it so, it messily sat in the 'eatery' until the next day when Kosov installed it under my instruction. 

It is not an exciting appliance, just doing the job the old did. But it has completed the transformation of the kitchen from white goods to stainless steel; fridge, microwave and now dishwasher, all in twelve months. 

Jass helps to remove the plastic wrapping on the new dishwasher.


After unwrapping, the dishwasher sat there overnight.


Compared to hand washing, whatever the ratings, it uses less power and water. 


Jas viewed the installation of the new machine from a place of temporary comfort.


Voila! Well done me and Kosov. 

But we now have the old unit to get rid of. My bedroom is ahead and while Phyllis' and Kosov's door to the left is ajar. Jass can enter if she wants, but prefers to just guard the room. 

31 comments:

  1. The dishwasher is gorgeous and Jass is a little cutie. I like the looks of stainless and have it in my kitchen, but white, at least for me, seemed so much easier to clean.

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    1. Sandra, maybe a little old fashions with a dial, but it is simple to use. There are lots of options, but you find them by pressing and holding the dial in for a few seconds.

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  2. Well done you and Kosov. I have a vanity that needs installing. Are you available?
    Is there is junk removal business in Melbourne? Or large item pick up?

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    1. Pixie, I'll wait until your weather improves, and I'll be right on to it.

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  3. It never occurred to me to wonder. So how are these things handled? Do you have scrappers? Here it would be picked up for free by any number of people with a truck who would haul to the junkyard to make a few dollars.

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    1. Our building has around ten what we call hard rubbish collection a year, operated by the local council, but we have just missed the last for the year, so we will take it to would would have been called a tip or dump, but now called the Resource Recovery Centre. It will fit into the back of the car with the rear seat backs down, but I can't be lifting too much so Phyllis and Kosov will take it and there won't be a seat in the car for me.

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  4. Congrats on the successful installation of the new dishwasher. Ours is now quite advanced in years and becoming a little temperamental. I am dreading the faff of trying to squeeze a replacement into the gap under the sink.

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    1. JayCee, under the sink sounds challenging. Ours is 600mm x 600mm x height 815mm. That is as standard size. Is yours smaller?

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    2. I suppose I should have said under the draining board section of the sink. It is a standard size but the space is tight.

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  5. It seems the new dishwasher has completed your stainless-steel upgrade neatly, and, given Bosch’s habit of incentivising Good Guys sales staff, your replacement choice was as pragmatic as it was predictable.

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    1. It has made me all stainless steel Roentare, even though that was not my intention.

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  6. Our last Bosch dishwasher lasted for 15 years, never had to call anyone to fix it until it died . Dishwasher goes on every day We are true believers in Bosch and their after sales service but we also only buy through Harvey Norman who have great customer service.Stainless steel lifts the tone of the kitchen so yours will be glittering now

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    1. I doubt there was much wrong with our old one but the cost of the repair person just made buying a new one common sense. I don't like Harvey Norman, or rather its owner, so I no longer buy there.

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  7. I think you have had the year of the appliances! A robot vacuum as well as all the stainless bling.
    I want to say it's exciting but really we just replace them and they do the job and we are pretty unexcited after the bright newness gets a splash on it.
    I'm sure Jas got a great deal of enjoyment from it

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    1. Kylie, it would be close to twelve months since it began with the fridge. I don't like things getting old and shabby. I can't do much about me getting old, except make my life comfortable.

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  8. So nice to have a feline helper! Jass is beautiful, Andrew. I love her markings and expression.

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  9. There must be some way to empty the water from a dishwasher so it doesn't leak in the trucks. Isn't there some sort of plug like washing machines have, to empty standing water and access the filter to clean it? Failing that the old washer could be wheeled outside and upended to drain the water before they load it into the truck. How will you dispose of the old one?

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    1. Of course River. We drained the unit and the hoses clip to a bracket at the top of the back of the unit. Maybe not all have that. Phyllis and Kosov are supposed to take it to the 'Resource Recovery Centre' today. We used to call it the tip.

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    2. I doubt if it is really about the water in the trucks. It's just cost-shedding by those who should be best to take on the task of disposing of the wreckage thoughtfully. Regardless of who's responsible there's probably a bit of an eco-crime going on here.

      https://www.removepaywall.com/search?url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/the-40-year-old-dishwasher-and-other-kitchen-miracles-20251116-p5nftq.html

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    3. Interesting MC. I will have to ask my sister, who at the moment is swanning around Germany, about my mother's dishwasher. It was very old and when it broke down, she used it for storage. I suggest 20 years plus, but I'm not really sure. It was taken away today, to the the council recycling centre, where I am sure it will be properly dealt with.

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  10. I find Bosch appliances very reliable. I have a small kitchen now but I found space for a smaller Bosch dishwasher which I am hoping will last for many years to come.

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    1. Fun60, I'm pleased you have your priorities right.

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  11. I remember my old cat when he was alive what a sticky beak he was, anything new he was sniffing it out as well as climbing it.
    That rather stingy of the company that delivers not taking your old one away, that's a big of a problem.
    We have Bosch that we bought this year after the other one wouldn't go but he had had it for 10 years.

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    1. Margaret, yes they always have to investigate new things, then they often ignore them.
      Ten years sounds good to me.

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  12. Somehow, it's always pleasing to have a new appliance, or is that just me?

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    1. JB, I think it is relief that you won't have to bother with it again for years.

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  13. Our dishwasher quit working properly while my husband was in hospital. I acted like a grown-up and called a reliable repairman but he only repairs clothes washers and dryers. ~sigh~ Anyway, this new one is much better, though we can't complain about getting so many years from the old one.

    The delivery guys were impressed how long it lasted. Oh, and they not only installed the new but took the old away. I wish you the best in the disposal. Ugh...

    Jass, you are quite the helper. lol Best wishes!

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    1. I think ten years is a reasonable innings for a dishwasher. I've never had this removal issue before. I kind of wish I'd gone elsewhere but I am not a great consumer in that regard.

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    2. I forgot to sign in. Oops. And I understand your shopping habits. Change is never easy.

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  14. I want a dishwasher so badly! The one here has never worked since I moved in, so have to wash everything by hand. I like your new one. The stainless steel look is very chic.

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