Bosch built its dishwasher reputation on German-made tanks that ran silent for fifteen years, but the current Benchmark line is a different machine wearing the same badge. Control boards fail within two years, racks slide like they're fighting you, and warranty repairs stretch into six-week waits while you hand-wash. The 800 series still cleans beautifully and runs quieter than your refrigerator, but you're gambling on whether you get a survivor or join the chorus of buyers wondering what happened to the brand they remembered. If the premium price reflects the old Bosch, shop elsewhere; if you're paying for current reality and accept the service lottery, the cleaning performance and third rack still deliver.
This is the dishwasher you buy once and never replace, the kitchen appliance equivalent of a mechanical watch that gets passed down. It cleans baked-on casserole without pre-rinsing, runs quieter than your refrigerator, and the AutoOpen drying leaves glassware spotless. You'll pay two to three times what a Bosch costs, and if you live outside a major metro, finding a technician when the circulation pump eventually fails means long waits and expensive parts. Buy it if you're staying put for 15 years and have local service access, or if you simply want the best and can budget for the repair reality. Otherwise, Bosch delivers most of the magic at half the cost.