You can go to Kitchenaid's website and compare the models. Are you looking to get the KUDS50CVSS or the KUDS50FVSS? Same with the 40, either CVSS or FVSS?

From what I can tell the 50's have an extra cycle, the 50CVSS has a straight two arm wash type and the other models have a four arm. The 50CVSS also does not have a hard food disposer but I believe a filter instead making it quieter. The 50FVSS is the only one with the third rack out of the 40 and 50 models.

The KDS40CVSS also has the controls on the front panel and the others are integrated including the 40FVSS.

Hope that helps.

Yes, thanks for your help. Does the four arm clean any better than the two arm? I've read that the food disposer lets you put in dishes without scraping first. I don't care so much about how quiet it is, I care more about cleaning and if the louder one with a disposer cleans better I would prefer that. I also haven't decided if I like the silverware tray.

I believe the two arm is supposed to better but not sure why, the two arm 50CVSS with the filter is the more expensive "fancier" model so I'm assuming two arm is better for some reason. I wish the Kitchenaid website was better at explaining their features, lol.

I think that your better choice with what features are important to you would be one of the 40's, would you prefer the controls on the front or intergated?

I just ordered the KUDE70CVSS - it does have the cutlery tray and I got the one with the controls on the front.
I was really torn between integrated and front display - but I think I do look at what stage the dishes are in.

I read a lot of reviews and I had a Kitchenaid in the past, so that's why I stuck with this brand.

I have KA's KUDE70 integrated SS model (I think its the FVSS). If I had this to do over, I'd get a paneled Miele.

What I've noticed is that when the DW door is fully opened, I touch the top front of this door to close it -- its difficult to reach the actual handle, when the door is open and parallel to the floor. That means fingerprints accumulate along the top of the door, above the handle. They annoy me.

So paneling is a good idea (as Gary argued so well in a different thread about integrated vs. visible controls), and because the Miele DWs don't stick out as far, they would be my choice if I had to do this over again.

OTOH, I'm very happy with the cleaning abilities of my KA 70 model. Its also very quiet -- sounds kind of like its raining, which I'm used to here in Oregon. I'm unsure how the various 40 and 50 models compare with the integrated 70 SS model I have.

From what I remember (that can be a Dangerous Thing) from my research, the 70 was the quietest - around 40db, but did not have a blower or a food disposer. The 40 series was around 50 db, but had those features.

I believe the 40 series scored very well with Consumer Reports.

We ordered the KUDS40 with the front controls, but it is not installed yet. We heard a few negatives about hidden top controls being too close to the steam vent and therefore having some trouble.

Mike

WE bought the 50VSS version about a year ago and ahve been very pleased with all aspects. The controls ar ehidden on top and that will be a preference thing. We tend to start a load and walk away. Noise levels are quite quiet.. hard to hear when it first starts up. It does have a built in disposal. The pot scrubber also works very well. This model for us was the perfect balance between cost and performance. No complaints.