Bosch 800 Series dishwasher problems
The short answer
213 of the 854 Bosch 800 Series reviews we read describe something breaking. The problem reported most is won't start (36 reports). Its 4.5-star store rating drops to about 3.9 when we leave out reviews written for free products. It uses 240 kWh a year and 3.2 gallons a cycle.
- Reviews describing a breakdown
- 213 of the 854 we read
- Most common problem
- Won't start (36 owners)
- Star rating without free-product reviews
- 3.9 (the store shows 4.5)
- What owners like most
- Quiet
We read extra 1- and 2-star reviews for this series, so these numbers show what people complain about, not how likely the dishwasher is to break.
Star rating, with and without reviews written for free products
Store rating Without free-product reviews
- 800 Series
From 5,172 reviews. The second value is our estimate.
Show as a table
| Series | Store rating | Without free-product reviews |
|---|---|---|
| 800 Series | 4.5 | 3.9 |
3,703 of 5,172 (estimate).
Promotional reviews are written in exchange for a free or discounted dishwasher, usually soon after it's installed. They aren't fake, but they rate higher and come too early to say much about reliability. How we estimate this.
Problems owners report
- Won't start on the 800 Series 36 17%
- Display or buttons not working on the 800 Series 28 13%
- Not drying on the 800 Series 27 13%
- Not draining on the 800 Series 17 8%
- Not cleaning on the 800 Series 16 8%
- Leaking on the 800 Series 15 7%
- Door problems on the 800 Series 10 5%
- Other problems (fewer than 10 reports each) 15 7%
- Didn't say which problem 49 23%
Each problem with 10 or more reports has its own page. Shares are of breakdown reports, not of all dishwashers.
Show as a table
| Item | Owners | Share of 213 |
|---|---|---|
| Won't start on the 800 Series | 36 | 17% |
| Display or buttons not working on the 800 Series | 28 | 13% |
| Not drying on the 800 Series | 27 | 13% |
| Not draining on the 800 Series | 17 | 8% |
| Not cleaning on the 800 Series | 16 | 8% |
| Leaking on the 800 Series | 15 | 7% |
| Door problems on the 800 Series | 10 | 5% |
| Other problems (fewer than 10 reports each) | 15 | 7% |
| Didn't say which problem | 49 | 23% |
Parts owners blame most
Energy and water
- 240kWh a year (federal limit 307)
- 3.2gallons a cycle (federal limit 5)
- 16place settings
Official figures every manufacturer files with the US Department of Energy, the same numbers as the yellow EnergyGuide label. Every model in the series is on the current ENERGY STAR certified list.
Safety recalls
None of the 22 US dishwasher recalls in the Consumer Product Safety Commission's database lists model numbers SHP78CM2N, SHP78CM4N, SHP78CM5N, SHP78CM6N, SHV78CM3N or SHX78CM5N (checked October 5, 2026). Some recalls only cover certain serial numbers, so it's still worth checking yours at cpsc.gov/Recalls.
When things go wrong
31 of 148.
- 29 owners say a technician came and it still wasn't fixed.
- 15 owners got the dishwasher replaced or their money back.
Also reported, but not counted above
- 30 problems owners blame on delivery, installation or the store rather than the dishwasher.
- 92 failures described in promotional reviews. They're real reports, but we leave all promotional reviews out of failure counts.
Owners reporting no problems so far
26 owners say theirs is working fine and say how long they've had it. Another 335 say it's working fine without saying for how long.
What owners like
The main thing 424 owners praise, from reviews that don't describe a failure.
Complaints about the design (not breakdowns)
From 1,126 reviews that criticize how the dishwasher works rather than describe it breaking.
Models in the 800 Series
The same machine sold in different finishes. Reports for every model are counted together.
Common questions
What problems do Bosch 800 Series owners report most?
Won't start (36), display or buttons not working (28) and not drying (27), out of 854 owner reviews we read.
Is the Bosch 800 Series reliable?
Reviews can't give an exact failure rate. What we can count: 213 of the 854 Bosch 800 Series reviews we read describe something breaking, and 31 of the 148 who said when had problems right out of the box.
What is the Bosch 800 Series star rating without reviews from free-product promotions?
About 3.9 stars, compared with the 4.5 shown at Home Depot. We estimate about 3,703 of its 5,172 reviews were written in exchange for a free or discounted dishwasher.
How much energy and water does the Bosch 800 Series use?
240 kWh a year and 3.2 gallons a cycle, per the official US Department of Energy filing. The federal limits are 307 kWh and 5 gallons.