Review of Maytag MDB8859AWS Jetclean Plus Dishwasher | Stainless Steel Dishwasher Reviews

The Maytag stainless steel 24” dishwasher MDB8859AWS is similar to the MDB8959AWS model except that it lacks a few features and the price is slightly cheaper. Similar to the MDB8959AWS unit, the Maytag MDB8859AWS is Energy Star qualified and features a 100% stainless steel tub interior to resist rust and retain heat as well as to reduce noise. The Maytag MDB8859AWS unit is a high performance stainless steel dishwasher that features sophisticated control and has a sleek stainless steel front for a premium look.

In terms of appearance, like the MDB8959AWS model, the Maytag MDB8859AWS has a clean look on the front with all the controls hidden on the top of the door. The dishwasher has a single, horizontal handle across and an easy pull down door. The premium look of the stainless steel door certainly makes the dishwasher stand outs in any kitchen. It doesn’t matter if your kitchen is of the old country style or the ultra modern style, the Maytag MDB8859AWS will absolutely fit seamlessly in any of them.

Maytag MDB8859AWS Stainless Steel Dishwasher

The Maytag MDB8859AWS model has 5 wash cycles but lacks the InstaWash cycle which is available in other higher end models. This is also one of the differences between the MDB8859AWS and MDB8959AWS model. The InstaWash cycle is for quickly washing pre-rinsed glasses and dishes in 30 minutes. This feature is useful if you have a lot of pre-rinsed lightly soiled glasses and dishes that only need to be washed quickly. It’s especially useful when there is a party going on in your house where large number of glasses and dishes need to be washed continuously.

In addition to the 5 wash cycles, there are 5 wash options that come equipped in the Maytag MDB8859AWS. The wash options such as steam clean and heat dry are available and the number of wash option is the same as the MDB8959AWS model. My opinion is that if you don’t need the InstaWash cycle, the Maytag MDB8859AWS unit is probably your best bet since it’s as good as other higher end model in terms of cleaning dirty dishes.

Maytag MDB8859AWS Wash Cycles and Options

In terms of performance, the Maytag MDB8859AWS is extremely efficient in removing heavily soiled dishes and glassware. The combination of powerful jets, steam clean and flexible racks makes it one of the most powerful dishwashers. Moreover, it has a thermal-drying option that adds heat to the drying time and results in less water left behind. It features the SteamClean option, using high-heat steam and a high performance rinse to reduce spots on glassware.

Other standard features that are available in the Maytag MDB8859AWS unit are adjustable upper rack, convertible tines in the lower rack, 14 place settings, 2-4-6 hour delay start option and split & fit silverware basket. The adjustable fold flat tines in the upper rack are especially useful in fitting odd-shaped items as well as large bowls into the dishwasher.

MDB8859AWS Cup Shelf

Maytag MDB8859AWS Split Basket
MDB8859AWS Split Basket

One feature the MDB8859AWS unit is lacking is the Silverware Blast which is specifically designed to focus cleaning power on silverware. This can be a set back for the MDB8859AWS model if you have a lot of silverware to clean or they are mostly heavily soiled. This feature is available in the MDB8959AWS unit. The thing about the Silverware Blast is that the food particles and wastes that stick to silverware can be easily washed off without having to manually rinse them.

On the minus side, the only thing that I would complain about the Maytag MDB8859AWS is the lack of a built-in food disposal. This unit is lacking the food disposal which makes the removal of food waste and particle needs to be manually done before loading the dishes into the dishwasher. On the other hand, if this proves to be too much of a work for you, you can connect the dishwasher to an external food disposal.

All in all, the Maytag MDB8859AWS stainless steel dishwasher is an attractive dishwasher that is competitively priced as there are many extra features I haven’t found on more expensive models. The good performance coupled with the sleek design makes the Maytag MDB8859AWS one of my favorites.

Pros: Attractively and competitively priced with other high end models that have similar features, adjustable racks and extremely good performance in cleaning heavily soiled dishes and silverware.

Cons: The lack of built-in food disposal requires manual cleaning of food waste and particles before loading dishes into the dishwasher.

Summary of Maytag MDB8959AWS 24” Stainless Steel Dishwasher