Baumatic BFD64SS Dishwasher Review
From freestanding to built-in and even slim line models, Baumatic dishwashers have a tantalising choice of features and functions designed to reduce time, save energy and provide optimum convenience. The following review is on the Baumatic BFD64SS freestanding dishwasher.
Luxurious design:
The BFD64SS Dishwasher from Bosch has a very high tech design giving an absolute hi end look. The stainless steel finish of the dishwasher has a unique look. Being a freestanding dishwasher, it is quite compact, having its dimensions as, 850 x 600 x 600mm (H x W x D) mm. The parts inside the dishwasher include upper basket, spray arms, lower basket, water softener, main filter, detergent dispenser, cup shelf, cutlery basket, coarse filter, rinse aid dispenser, drain pipe connector and the inlet pipe connector respectively. The heating element has been concealed in order to avoid any accidents.
The control panel:
The control panel of the Baumatic BFD64SS Stainless Steel dishwasher has an array of controls that are designed logically and intuitively. They include the power button, the power indicating LED, wash programs, half load LED, half load button, delay start button, program indicator and a program selection button. There is a small display indicator available that displays information such as, salt required, the wash program selected, the rinse aid that is required, the half load wash program selected, delay start time set, the type of wash program selected and finally, the fault codes.
Installation and set-up:
The entire installation process of the BFD64SS dishwasher is very easy and all the instructions with picture descriptions will be given in the instruction manual in a very easy to understand manner. After installing Baumatic BFD64SS, before using it for the first time, you will have to fill the water softener with one liter of tap water and then fill it with specialist dishwasher salt, once this is done, set the water softener level. Fill the rinse aid dispenser and then set the rinse aid dosage.
Place settings:
The availability of around 14 place settings favours extra loading of bigger items such as pots and casserole dishes apart from your ordinary cutlery and crockery. It is two more than, most of the full sized models found in the market. But you will have to keep in mind that the upper rack has limited space and is cramped. The maximum height of the dishes that can be placed in the upper basket with the upper basket raised is 19cm and with the upper basket lowered, it is 24cm. And the maximum height of the dishes with the upper basket raised is 30cm and with the upper basket lowered, it is 25cm.
The washing programs:
The washing program available include Three in one, strong, normal, economy, rinse, glass and soak. The three in one wash program is the one that takes the maximum time of 161 minutes. This program is normally used for soiled pots, plates, glasses and pans and is used when using three in one tablets. Strong program takes a total of 139 minutes and is used specially for heavily soiled pots, casserole dishes and pans. The normal cycle is for the normally soiled pots, plates, glasses and pans and takes about 150 minutes to complete. The economy cycle is used for the lightly soiled glasses, bowls and pans and this cycle takes only 95 minutes to complete. The rinse program is used for the dishes that need to be rinsed and dried alone which takes a total of 76 minutes. As the name indicates, the glass program is for the lightly soiled glasses and one thing that is very important to be noted is that, before using this program, make sure that the glasses are suitable for washing in a dishwasher. Soak program is to be used only if the items are loaded a period of time before the main wash cycle is repeated which takes only 8 minutes.
We feel that the main wash function is very slow taking about 158 minutes. Baumatic BFD64SS has four wash temperatures that include 40°C, 45°C, 50°C, 60°C.
Electronic aqua stop, Delay wash and Half load:
The aquastop feature of BFD64SS Slimline dishwasher avoids the drastic effects of flooding by blocking and sealing the inlet valves at the times of leakage. You can utilize the timer option of this wash device for engaging this wash machine at a time of your convenience. It is possible to delay the start of the wash program for up to a maximum of 24 hours. This gives you a chance to take advantage of the cheap night time electricity. The half load option means that the lower spray arm does not run. You should only load items in the upper basket when using the half load option. This option saves a great deal of water and energy from getting wasted as it cuts short the energy usage and the water consumption in proportion to the size of the load.
Filters:
Baumatic BFD64SS is fitted with three levels of filtering, these are located in the base of the dishwasher for ease of access. The three filters include main filter, coarse filter and fine filter. Food and soil particles are trapped by the main filter and pulverised by a special jet on the lower spray arm. This debris is then washed down the drain. Larger items such as pieces of bone or glass, which could clog the drain are trapped by the coarse filter. The fine filter holds soil and food residue in the sump area and prevents it from being redeposited on the dishes during a wash cycle. The filter must be cleaned regularly after each wash for the best performance.
Performance:
Having talked about all the features of Baumatic BFD64SS dishwasher, lets see how it performs. The overall performance can be said to be as average but the washing and drying in particular leave more watermarks than any other dishwasher in the current market.
Silent and energy efficient:
Baumatic BFD64SS freestanding dishwasher operates very silently at 49db that enables the dishwasher to be used even during the night times. The silent operation of BFD64SS has been made possible by its highly insulated construction. Having an AAA efficiency label, the electricity consumption is very low, which is a great news.
Verdict:
Baumatic BFD64SS freestanding dishwasher has a very luxurious appearance and is loaded with a lot of features that is normally demanded by a good dishwasher. Being energy efficient and a silent operator, it is a great addition to any kitchen.
Baumatic BFD64SS freestanding dishwasher comes with complete five years warranty for parts and two years for labour.
Baumatic BFD64SS Dishwasher - Technical Specification Table
| Manufacturer | Baumatic |
| Model Name | Baumatic BFD64SS |
| Dishwasher type | Freestanding |
| Form factor | Portable |
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 850 x 600 x 600mm |
| Colours/Finish available | Stainless steel |
| Number of place settings | 14 |
| Number of wash programs | 7 |
| Number of dish drawers | Two |
| Height adjustable upper basket | Yes |
| Delay timer | Yes |
| Wash time with normal program | 2 hours 38 minutes |
| Special cycles | Three in one, strong, economy, rinse, glass and soak |
| Drying system | Turbo drying |
| Rinse Aid Dispenser | Yes |
| Food Grinder or Disposal | Yes |
| Water Softener Dispenser | Yes |
| Adjustable Racks | Yes |
| Baskets | Yes |
| Encapsulated Heaters | Yes |
| Anti-flood devices | Yes |
| Energy Efficiency rating | A |
| Wash Performance rating | A |
| Dry Performance rating | A |
| Noise Level | 49 dB |
| Water Consumption | 16 liters |
| Energy Consumption | 1.05 kWh |
| Warranty | Five years for parts and two years for labour. |
