I recently went through the same thing. Wanted to buy something better than the $400 in stock units at the box store. Did some research and ended up buying a Bosch 100 series. It fit my price range and I have been very happy with it and how quiet it is. I also enjoy that it does not have a heating element to dry the dishes, so now I can put plastics anywhere without worrying about damage to plastic storage containers.

I was probably 11 or 12? This would have been in the late 80's

I grew up with one of these in the living room of my dad's house. We had a 55 gallon drum of kerosene outside.

I don't know what my dad was thinking, I put fuel in it and lit it when I was home alone.