retrorussell

Absolute necessity for us.  My wife and I both cook, so the volume of pots, pans, dishes, etc. that we generate in a single day would be difficult to keep up with by hand.  Our kitchen also has what I can only describe as a somewhat crap layout, so not having a drying rack on the counter next to the sink is a huge plus.

What we did find was that in order for this specific model of appliance to do a decent job, it's absolutely necessary to use the prewash function - basically, add a soap pac to the usual spot, but also fill the prewash container with gel dishwashing soap.  Doing that pretty much eliminates the need to rewash items that don't get clean with just the pacs alone.

Also, as @thanatos mentioned, the Technology Connections episode on dishwashers is actually well worth a watch:

I love my Dishwasher!  Don't know what I'd do without it.  I'll sometimes throw in some pre-wash soap or even splash some vinegar around before using.  They say it prevents water spots,...Not that mine ever has those.  I just rinse a dish after using, or throw it in the sink...And once I fill and use my Dishwasher every dish comes out beyond sparkling clean,  almost without exception.

In fact,  my friend's mom sometimes makes me veggie lasagna and when I'm done the glass pan always looks...Thrashed! like it could never be cleaned,  but a couple of hours in my dishwasher, and it looks brand new and crystal clear!

Thanks for the suggestions folks.  I almost never have this issue; I don't get spots ever, but once in a great while it just doesn't remove food chunks.  I make sure to rinse the dishes really well before putting them in.  An hour might not be long enough sometimes I guess.  I hope Cascade is one of the better pod brands; that's what I'm using.  I'll look at the video and link; thanks very much!