I'm tired of my built-in Frigidaire that doesn't wash well (belongs to landlord, isn't going anywhere), so I thought about a countertop. However, this 18" Kenmore is cheaper. Anyone know about these and might recognize it? If these do a good job, I could just use it on the same tap as my portable washer until I move and it would fit in the corner.
18" Kenmore portable
- Thread starter davek
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I've Got One!
Though the pictured item is either an earlier model or more deluxe.
Purchased in late 1990's ours is the Kenmore (rebaged Frigidaire) 18" portable and it does a decent enough job. Long as dishes are reasonably scraped, enough hot water and a good detergent things come out fine. Improper or over loading, along with perhaps not cleaning off dishes of things such as oatmeal, rice and so forth can result in yibbles being left on items in the top rack (cups, mugs, etc).
Simple tower design, capacity is "OK" for perhaps two person houehold, unless of course you intend to run the thing more than once a day. We run ours every other day or so, depending upon when it is full.
On the bright side unit is old enough to use lots of water, and since the controls are mechnical you can "create" cycles on your own.
I say go for it.
Though the pictured item is either an earlier model or more deluxe.
Purchased in late 1990's ours is the Kenmore (rebaged Frigidaire) 18" portable and it does a decent enough job. Long as dishes are reasonably scraped, enough hot water and a good detergent things come out fine. Improper or over loading, along with perhaps not cleaning off dishes of things such as oatmeal, rice and so forth can result in yibbles being left on items in the top rack (cups, mugs, etc).
Simple tower design, capacity is "OK" for perhaps two person houehold, unless of course you intend to run the thing more than once a day. We run ours every other day or so, depending upon when it is full.
On the bright side unit is old enough to use lots of water, and since the controls are mechnical you can "create" cycles on your own.
I say go for it.
18" DISHWASHERS
If you are going to get a portable get a 24' machine, I have never seen or used an 18' machine thats worth a damn. Currently KM WP GE and Frigidare are all the same and made in China and about all I can say good about them is I guess its better than no dishwasher. But just about the worst 24" machines will do a better job and hold so much more.
If you are going to get a portable get a 24' machine, I have never seen or used an 18' machine thats worth a damn. Currently KM WP GE and Frigidare are all the same and made in China and about all I can say good about them is I guess its better than no dishwasher. But just about the worst 24" machines will do a better job and hold so much more.
I already have the worst 24" machine-the dreaded Frigidaire. That makes me hesitant about thinking that the pictured 18" would be better if Frigidaire built it. My current one has a lower spray arm and a tower in the middle- no upper arms at all. It just does a bad job.
I know what you mean about this being one that actually uses water, though. I'm going to go have a look at it first, ask about it, and it's still a maybe.
If you'd said it was really a Whirlpool or GE, I'd probably do it. I just don't think much of Frigidaire's stuff due to this dishwasher that's built into my cabinet.
I know what you mean about this being one that actually uses water, though. I'm going to go have a look at it first, ask about it, and it's still a maybe.
If you'd said it was really a Whirlpool or GE, I'd probably do it. I just don't think much of Frigidaire's stuff due to this dishwasher that's built into my cabinet.
stevet
Well-known member
Why not yank out the built in...
and get yourself a machine that you will be happy with? Take the old one and put it somewhere for safe keeping and reinstall it when you move and take the new one with you. Not an unheard of concept. I am even sure that you will find some decent machines of your liking on your local Craigslist.
Why should you want to suffer with something that doesn't work only to be replace by something else that will do a lackluster job, just as combo 52 already mentioned?
and get yourself a machine that you will be happy with? Take the old one and put it somewhere for safe keeping and reinstall it when you move and take the new one with you. Not an unheard of concept. I am even sure that you will find some decent machines of your liking on your local Craigslist.
Why should you want to suffer with something that doesn't work only to be replace by something else that will do a lackluster job, just as combo 52 already mentioned?
Actually Was Surprised Myself
Having done all the research, everything one read about Frigidare dishwashers did not make for a good choice. Being as that may, a 24" model was not going to work, and only Frigidare made 18" models at that time (Danby now offers one as well, but we're not on that right now), so went with the rebaged "Kenmore" from Sears.com as it was on sale.
My unit is made in the United States,not China and the only way one can tell it was made by Frigidare is by the model code. Can't remember the numbers off hand, and as the unit is running cannot look them up, but *think* it starts with "110". Can find out the truth after unloading the unit tomorrow morning.
Again, this unit cleans quite well and aside from the a door spring going last year, hasn't given one lick of trouble. It does the job, kind of loudly, but it does the job
IMHO my unit is streets ahead in build quality compared to the offering by Sears today.
Having done all the research, everything one read about Frigidare dishwashers did not make for a good choice. Being as that may, a 24" model was not going to work, and only Frigidare made 18" models at that time (Danby now offers one as well, but we're not on that right now), so went with the rebaged "Kenmore" from Sears.com as it was on sale.
My unit is made in the United States,not China and the only way one can tell it was made by Frigidare is by the model code. Can't remember the numbers off hand, and as the unit is running cannot look them up, but *think* it starts with "110". Can find out the truth after unloading the unit tomorrow morning.
Again, this unit cleans quite well and aside from the a door spring going last year, hasn't given one lick of trouble. It does the job, kind of loudly, but it does the job
IMHO my unit is streets ahead in build quality compared to the offering by Sears today.
Just Took A Peek
*587* is the start of the model number on mine.
*587* is the start of the model number on mine.
18" DISHWASHERS
The only company that ever made 18" dishwashers in the US was D&M witch rolled into frigidare. D&M started making 18" machines in the 1970s for Sears and many others. The 18" machines never faired very well they took an already poor quality machine and used the same detergent dispenser and heating element in it. This caused detergent to be so over used because of the over sized dispenser and the heater just destroyed the lower rack if someone dared to use heated dry. Then they went to the plastic tub machine which was deeper front to back but the wash arms couldn't reach the dishes in the front or back. The later ones of these had really cheap main motors and they are expensive to fix, if something gets lodged in the pump it rips the plastic shaft extension off the motor and you have to replace the whole assembly. The current Chinese models have SS tanks and a filter system like most European machines. They went back to the shallow tank so water distribution should be better but they are impossible to work on with out pulling the machine out and parts are expensive and hard to get.
The only company that ever made 18" dishwashers in the US was D&M witch rolled into frigidare. D&M started making 18" machines in the 1970s for Sears and many others. The 18" machines never faired very well they took an already poor quality machine and used the same detergent dispenser and heating element in it. This caused detergent to be so over used because of the over sized dispenser and the heater just destroyed the lower rack if someone dared to use heated dry. Then they went to the plastic tub machine which was deeper front to back but the wash arms couldn't reach the dishes in the front or back. The later ones of these had really cheap main motors and they are expensive to fix, if something gets lodged in the pump it rips the plastic shaft extension off the motor and you have to replace the whole assembly. The current Chinese models have SS tanks and a filter system like most European machines. They went back to the shallow tank so water distribution should be better but they are impossible to work on with out pulling the machine out and parts are expensive and hard to get.
gmmcnair
Well-known member
Like Launderess....
....I have one too. Give it good detergent, properly scrape your dishes, and plenty of hot water and it does very well.
I bought it in November 2002 and it's been used daily with not a service call. The worst thing I've had happen is a wheel pop off the bottom rack which took 30 seconds to fix.
They're definitely an old D&M design....makes cycle sounds just like the vintage Kenmores. And, I had a Frigidaire built in at the last place I lived....it is heads and tails about that piece of dreck!
....I have one too. Give it good detergent, properly scrape your dishes, and plenty of hot water and it does very well.
I bought it in November 2002 and it's been used daily with not a service call. The worst thing I've had happen is a wheel pop off the bottom rack which took 30 seconds to fix.
They're definitely an old D&M design....makes cycle sounds just like the vintage Kenmores. And, I had a Frigidaire built in at the last place I lived....it is heads and tails about that piece of dreck!
Does it have at least two spray arms? I think that's the problem with my current Frigidaire-it has only that lower spray arm and then an inadequate spray tower to cover everything else. I've had it leave behind a streak of ketchup on a dish that was wet when the cycle was started. They shouldn't have ever built this dishwasher, and they should really be ashamed if they are still building it. I suspect they are.
Friends of mine have a Danby 18 incher and its a very good machine. Even though its Chinese made it does a very good job. To me its a Miele knockoff. It has a water softener and hidden water heater. It washes as well as my Miele and even though its not as quiet as my Miele. But it uses both wash arms at the same time and moves quite a bit of water. It does hold alot for its size.
I don't pretend that anything is inferior just because it's from China. It appears that they often have inferior quality control, and they do still have some problems with materials. That said, a modern plant in China that's run by people who care and which has good designs can build an excellent product. Some plants in China are probably better than anything in the world, others are probably far worse than you'd guess from the products. They're a few years away from it, but once China's labor gets expensive enough that it's cheaper to design quality in than use customers for quality inspectors they can proudly take their place at the table.
That said, I would always rather buy American, even if that means buying used.
That said, I would always rather buy American, even if that means buying used.
No Upper Spray Arm
At least on mine, just the tower.
However will say (yet) again, properly loaded, using good detergent and hot water (always use the heated wash but rarely heated dry), it gets the job done.
Only put glasses and cups on the upper rack, with the occasional overflow of saucer or odd bowl. Anything that requires serious cleaning goes on the bottom rack.
Have placed dirty saucepans, and even my Corningware microwave oven "grill" in this unit and they have come out clean. Well aside from sometimes the odd bit of burnt on goo, but we can forgive that as even some full sized dishwashers with two or more spray arms leave the odd bit here and there.
If one had the choice would have gone with a full sized portable at the time. But that wasn't an option. Am always on the lookout for a vintage top loading portable in good nick, but until then......
At least on mine, just the tower.
However will say (yet) again, properly loaded, using good detergent and hot water (always use the heated wash but rarely heated dry), it gets the job done.
Only put glasses and cups on the upper rack, with the occasional overflow of saucer or odd bowl. Anything that requires serious cleaning goes on the bottom rack.
Have placed dirty saucepans, and even my Corningware microwave oven "grill" in this unit and they have come out clean. Well aside from sometimes the odd bit of burnt on goo, but we can forgive that as even some full sized dishwashers with two or more spray arms leave the odd bit here and there.
If one had the choice would have gone with a full sized portable at the time. But that wasn't an option. Am always on the lookout for a vintage top loading portable in good nick, but until then......
supersurgilator
Well-known member
I think the biggest problem with the Frigidaires is how they alternate between the bottom and upper arm washing. FOr some reason, according to the user manuals that I have downloaded, they don't run simultaneously. Could be something to conserve water or something.
The 18 inchers (45cm) are often coveted by those that think a 24 incher (60cm) is too large. THEN you realize how ridiuclously small the 18 incher is if you want to wash automaticaly the occasional pot or pan.
That, and a huge siverware rack and a cut-out for the wash arm extension and the damned things hold NOTHING!
Do yourself a favor. Buy the least expensive 24 incher you can that will keep you happy. Intall it and forget it. It is not worth the hassle to pull out your machine and add another (perhaps the original) when you leave.
If you are so picky that the lanlord's machine is not good enough (you could run it twice for each load) then spend your money with a smile on and be prepared to abandon the machine you install when you leave. It is just that simple.
Perhaps sell the LL's machine on flea-pay to help cover your costs. If he ever asks, just say it died. End of story.
The idea of storing a machine or having a duplicate in a small apartment is the beginning of very bad habits just to save a few hunded dollars.
Those living in (small) rentals should not be collecting bulky items; especially if that act is causing OTHERS to have to store YOUR sh--!
Have what you need, and need what you have. Not more!
That, and a huge siverware rack and a cut-out for the wash arm extension and the damned things hold NOTHING!
Do yourself a favor. Buy the least expensive 24 incher you can that will keep you happy. Intall it and forget it. It is not worth the hassle to pull out your machine and add another (perhaps the original) when you leave.
If you are so picky that the lanlord's machine is not good enough (you could run it twice for each load) then spend your money with a smile on and be prepared to abandon the machine you install when you leave. It is just that simple.
Perhaps sell the LL's machine on flea-pay to help cover your costs. If he ever asks, just say it died. End of story.
The idea of storing a machine or having a duplicate in a small apartment is the beginning of very bad habits just to save a few hunded dollars.
Those living in (small) rentals should not be collecting bulky items; especially if that act is causing OTHERS to have to store YOUR sh--!
Have what you need, and need what you have. Not more!
One thing with the Frigidaire that uses the alternating arms is that the pump behind those arms is rather small...it moves just 12 gallons a minute. It works on the idea of high temp, low pressure to wash. The 18 inchers have a 1/3 hp motor and move alot more water and they are not quiet by any means. If I read the specs right there is about 50 gallons of water going thru the tower and arm. With the 18 inch machines there really isnt a filter in them.
