Product review (5 stars): Machine is now better than new!
I had a 3 year old Maytag that started washing very poorly. Also, there were always lemon pits and the like caught in the spouts, thus clogging them.  After tearing apart the machine several times to no avail, I looked up some info and found out that dishwashers have these macerator units. I took it apart and sure enough, the blades were completely destroyed and the mesh part had a hole in it.  Basically, the blades haven't been chopping for ages.  I ordered this part, which fit perfectly and now, only $15 later, it washes better than when it was new. I have a feeling it got broken pretty soon after we got the unit. As another reviewer pointed out, there is a flaw in the design of some machines where these knives are kind of loose and keep striking the walls of the compartment that holds them. This leads to early failure. However, knowing that this is all it takes to fix it makes me feel better.