Silence and style at a premium with the Signature dishwasher from LG
Part of the launch of a new premium brand of appliances from LG, the Signature Dishwasher touts sleek looks and a very quiet sound rating.
Today at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas, LG introduced a spiffy-looking premium dishwasher as part of its new upper echelon appliance brand -- Signature. The Signature Kitchen Suite Fully Integrated Dishwasher, Model number UPDF9904ST, will have a $1,700 MSRP, remote monitoring via LG's SmartThinQ app, and a sleek look complete with a handle that swivels and touch controls.
Confusing things a bit are the LG Signature appliances the company introduced at CES. LG clarified the difference by not putting the LG branding on these new Signature appliances, but launching them under their own brand. A company representative drew a comparison to Lexus and Toyota.
Other than smarts and a fancy name, LG isn't doing a lot to help this new Signature dishwasher stand out from the rest of its models. It has plenty of features:
- SmartRack system for easier loading
- TurboSteam to help eliminate the need for pre-rinsing
- TurboWash with a multi-motion wash arm that spins and sprays water in multiple directions for supposedly better coverage
- 40-decibel sound level
- The smarts allow you to connect your dishwasher to your Wi-Fi network and use the SmartThingQ app to check the status of your current wash cycle.
- You'll also be able to use the app to connect to Signature's Concierge service for maintenance.
The SmartRack system isn't new.
But the $1,200 LG LDT9965BD that we recently reviewed has the SmartRack, the TurboSteam, and performed very well at cleaning, scoring an awesome 90 percent on our rigorous tests. It's rated at 42 decibels.
The new Signature UPDF9904ST might end up being a great appliance when it hits retailers later this year, and the concierge service is a nice touch, but I have trouble believing that basic smarts and a new name will make it worth an extra $500. If it ordered detergent for you like Whirlpool's upcoming dishwasher, that would help convince me.
To be fair, the $1,700 MSRP isn't completely outlandish, as several manufacturers have their premium branded units at or above that price and the Signature line is meant to compete with the likes of Viking and Wolf. For example, the GE Monogram ZDT870SPFSS costs $1,900 and the Kenmore Elite 14833 runs $1,600.
For the design-oriented, then, the new Signature UPDF9904ST might make sense, even if it doesn't do anything functionally amazing.