How to buy a good used dishwasher?

I need a dishwasher, and am considering buying a used one. Lots of people in my area do fancy kitchen remodels and sell their old appliances.

What should I look for when buying a used dishwasher? I would only get something at most two or three years old, what should I especially look for to make sure it's not a lemon?

Check Consumer Reports for the top rated dishwashers and the reliability rates. I can tell you to stay away from GE profiles. Our builder put them in all 37 homes in my subdivision and very few neighbors still have them except for those who do not use a dishwasher at all.

Also, check with the second hand appliance stores in your area. Around here, that is where many of the dishwashers that are removed in remodels wind up. They recondition them, fix anything that is wrong with them and even offer warranties.

Here is a problem. I have bought 2 house that already had dishwashers in them. When they sit for a long time without use - the rubber gaskets etc in the get dry rot. I would just go to Sears and buy a cheap one. A lot of the times Sears will have 1 year no interest etc.

The main thing to check are the seals. The seals tend to dry out when a person uses the drying cycle on it a lot. I tend to prefer Maytags. They hold up for years.

Kenmore, Bosch, and Frigidare make good ones (there are others as well) decide what color you want it to be and check:

Your local newspaper classifieds
Craigslist dot com
local ad paper
also, let your friends know (friends know friends who know friends who know friends and so on)

When you find one you like, have a service tech. check it out. They won't charge you much, but it will save you a lot down the line.

Don't buy it in the produce department.