1975 Model Dishwasher Ratings from Consumer Reports

[reactor]

Haven't been on the site for awhile, busy with consulting work. However, I came upon a 1975 Westinghouse Continental 500 dishwasher, 1975 model for sale on FB Marketplace. This was the last year of production by the Westinghouse Corporation.

Before purchasing the dishwasher, I checked it out on Consumer Reports in a back issue. Westinghouse came in dead last.

The dishwasher is non-functional, per owner. She indicated it smokes when turned on. I was going to buy it and send the motor out to be rewound, if it proved to be the smoking culprit. After reading Consumer Reports review, I decide to pass, ha.

I thought others might be interested in the 1975 model ratings for all the machines, so I jotted them down. The overall scores for the 1975 model dishwashers are below.

Enjoy.

GROUP ONE

In order of "estimated quality, with overall washing performance as the chief criterion." (Consumer Reports words in quotes.)

1.) Maytag WU400--Overall washing performance, "well above average"
Repair Record, "average"
My notes: reverse rack

2.) Kitchen-Aid KDI-17-- Overall washing performance, "above average"
Repair Record, "better than average"

3.) Kitchen-Aid KD-17--Overall Washing performance, "slightly above average"
My notes: These KA'S were Hobart manufactured

4.) General Electric GSD461--Overall Washing performance, "slightly above average"
Repair Record, "better than average"

5.) General Electric GSD250--Overall Washing performance, "slightly above average"
Repair record, "better than average"
My notes: received Consumer Reports' "A Best Buy"
designation/award.

GROUP TWO

All the following had washing performance below those in Group One. Ranked "in order of estimated quality." All below have "AVERAGE" washing ability per CU.

6.) Whirlpool SAU500--Repair record, "Somewhat better than average"
My notes: 1.) CU indicated the Whirlpools did
not dispose of lasagna noodles as the others
were able to and filter required extensive
cleaning. 2.) These were pre power-module.
3.) CU indicated this was the "quietest" model
of all dishwashers tested.

7.) Waste King Universal. 878-200--Repair Record, "somewhat worse than average."

8.) Whirlpool SAU325--see Whirlpool above

9.) Sears Kenmore 7213 and 7211--Repair Record, "average"
My notes: Both have roto-racks. CU indicated
the rotating racks made loading, "somewhat
more convenient."

10.) Tappan 61-1151--repair record, "somewhat worse than average"
My notes: D&M built. NOT the Reversa-Jet which
had been discontinued

GROUP THREE

Consumer Reports rated the two Westinghouse dishwashers in a separate group being indicated as "judged lower in overall quality than those preceding."

11.) Westinghouse SU500--overall washing ability, "slightly below average"
repair record, "somewhat worse than average"

12.) Westinghouse SU400--overall washing ability, "well below average"

My notes: Both the above Westinghouse units use racks
without rollers, but instead utilize "slides." CU
indicated these were "difficult" to move and were "poorly
constructed." CU indicated both Westinghouse dishwashers
arrived with manufacturing defects.

GROUP FOUR

Consumer Reports ranked the three following as "NOT ACCEPTABLE" as door latches could be closed with door open, activating machine and cause potential scalding of a person or child. They did not test them any further.

Frigidaire DW3DUU
Frigidaire DW3IUU
Wards Signature 942





[this post was last edited: 8/10/2023-21:24]

 

[bradfordwhite]

It sounds like you made the correct choice to pass on that purchase.

I can't believe that my classic favorite, the Kenmore dishwasher, isn't on the top of that list. I mean, really. Just because it had no filter and the upper roto-rack lost useable space by it's very shape is no reason to demote it. lol

I mean at that point in time, KA was effectively a single level wash machine; something that only the very bol of kenmores would be. KA would only get a second level wash arm with the 18 series. GE at least had the power shower.

 

[DADoES]

 
KDI-17A was our first dishwasher.  It rarely exhibited any cleaning failures and I always burdened it with a BobLoad™.

 

[qsd-dan]

Doesn't surprise me that the WU400 being a dual wash arm setup smoked the KA17. All but TOL GE dishwashers basically sucked since forever.

 

I'm surprised at the lack of performance on the Whirlpool models but maybe they are MOL or BOL models. No surprise on the poor performance of Rustinghouse, Tappan, or Waste King. I'm assuming the Sears Kenmore 7213 and 7211 are D&M machines.

 

Frigidaire dishwashers always sucked whether it was during the GM years or after.

 

Thanks for the post, it was an interesting read.

 

[bradfordwhite]

I've heard that Cascade and Electrosol Finish has started using advertising lines similar to "....deep cleans even the messiest dishes, can even handle a BobLoad™" I mean it's just amazing.

Wiki-pedia is going to need an entry for BobLoad™

 

[reactor]

vintage Westinghouse dishwasher pics (the "smoker")

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[Marky_Mark]

This is really interesting.  I like looking back at old ratings.  Do you know what cycle(s) were used for testing purposes?  Are historical CR ratings available online?

 

In the UK, "Which?" used to test the Intensive and Normal cycles back in the 1980s.  Then they started testing the Normal and Eco cycles.  The problem with the modern ratings is that they don't tell you what the dishwasher is capable of when set to an intensive cycle.  Also, those older ratings don't show how the rankings may change if tested with modern detergents, as some machines/cycles are much better-suited to enzymes than others.  

 

Mark

 

[steved]

later model

Isn't that dishwasher built on the last design, with the "drying" fan that ran constantly to keep the motor cool? 

 

[reactor]

cycle used for ratings/fan

Mark, Consumer Reports uses the "normal" cycle for all tests of dishwashers.

I am not aware of online back-copies of Consumer Reports, they may be available but I haven't really searched. The University I taught at has Consumer Reports back issues on microfilm, but it's spotty with not all issues being available.

Steve, the wash motor in that particular Westinghouse is also the motor that provides forced air during the drying period, it just continues to run after the wash cycle. Very inefficient use of electricity.

 

[jakeseacrest]

My Aunt had almost the same dishwasher just with a few more buttons. She never used it but one summer she wanted to scrub and rearrange her kitchen so she hired me to help her. Every cabinet in her kitchen was emptied and all was run through the dishwasher. 35 years later I can still hear the rapid advance and the drying cycle. I do remember that the top rack wasn't great with glasses. They would slide and topple over if you pulled out the rack too fast.

 

[reactor]

SU700

Michael, your Aunt must have had the top-of-the-line model, the SU700. It had two extra buttons for the "single wash" cycle and the "soft wash" (for china and crystal) cycle. The 500 and the 700 both had porcelain tubs, but the 500 was the typical Westinghouse dark grayish porcelain, where the 700 had the deluxe white porcelain interior.

They were good looking machines, too bad Westinghouse was cutting corners. At the end, instead of investing money into their appliances and increasing sales with quality built, top performing machines, they cheapened them to save production costs, thinking this would increase profits. For example the cost cutting of the removal of the wheels from the racks. They had also dropped their filtration system that had given their dishwashers a great Consumer Report rating in the sixties.

Sadly, they chose the option not to not invest in improving their appliances but just got out of the appliance industry altogether, and sold to White Consolidated.

 

[neptunebob]

Might not clean all that well...

But it is stylish!

With a name like Continental how could you pass it up?

 

[rp2813]

Sweet Validation

Wards dead, Dead, DEAD LAST!

 

 

 

[cycla-fabric]

Whirlpool Dishwashers

I remember that test by CU as I still have the issue that shows the bottom of the Whirlpool dishwasher with the lasagna covering the filter. What I couldn't believe was that all the other dishwashers got rid of the lasagna and the filter action of the Whirlpool was to through to dissolve it all. I would like to see them do that test on todays dishwashers, I would assume that they would all choke on that load.

Doug

 

[bradfordwhite]

Yes agreed

"But it is stylish!

With a name like Continental how could you pass it up?"

It has a D&M style console circa early 80s, with a early 70s Maytag slant panel and button strip, on a 80s/90s GE front.

I'll take the FRONT panels of this dishwasher. The rest is junk.

 

[cam2s]

Interesting results

First of all go team Maytag! My later Reverse rack did offer butt kicking performance but it did struggle with odds and ends getting stuck in the course grate so I’m surprised it didn’t suffer the same fate here, especially if this is an old enough one to have the figure of 8 strainer set up. I’m also surprised they this era of PotScrubber outclassed a Whirlpool. Would be interesting to see the rest load and parameters

 

[launderess]

Ahh Maytag dishwashers of old!

https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?883_60

First Maytag dishwasher commercial

This is probably the first Maytag commercial, featuring their first dishwashers. You can even see the Top Loading model, in avocado green.

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[launderess]

Bit later but still rings true!

"I thought the dishwasher does the dishes"...

 

[rp2813]

I have to say that the ~1990 Jet Clean Maytag my parents had was pretty noisy, but it did a great job.  Replacing it with the steaming Thermador facilitated a beautiful upgrade in looks, but the decibels went up and as the CR results for Waste King indicated, the cleaning ability went way down.