Josephine Cochrane built the dishwasher she wanted

Josephine Cochrane wanted a machine that cleaned dishes faster than hand washing without chipping them. She measured each dish and designed wire racks that held them in place while water sprayed from below.

She worked with a mechanic to build it and received U.S. Patent 355,139 in 1886. Her machines were shown at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, and her company eventually became part of what is now KitchenAid.

The lesson: you don't need to build everything yourself. Know exactly what your invention must do, then find the right people. Vault Forge's Resources page lists prototype and manufacturing companies you can hire.