New GE Dishwasher

[jaxsunst]

My Kenmore Ultra Clean 2 dishwasher's motor died. While the timer was still advancing, so it was filling and not draining and flooded my kitchen.

I have American Home Shield warrenty on the house. They are replacing the Kenmore with a 3900 series GE Nautilus (sp?). I have not heard much about GE dishwashers, what can you tell me about them?

 

[coldspot66]

Since the mid 80's, when GE had a disaster with the rotary compressor saga, I haven't been a fan of GE. The 90's were worse...leaky d/w motors, trannys leaking oil, rusted outer tubs etc...the list goes on. Their quality has come back a bit, but I only recommend their stoves. I do think overall Whirlpool is a better mainstream brand, but you see GE dishwashers all over. The Nautilus is a decent machine for the money, but I've never cared for loading dishes around that bottom center opening for the pop-up tower. Just my 2 cents!

 

[maytagbear]

I have a GE Nautilus

portable/Convertible, and I have had very good luck with it, and good results.

It's nicely quiet, and good with water.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[appnut]

Jackson, this is a very similar unit to what Toggle has in his basement kitchen. It cleans better than his TT KitchenAid. Cycle times look to be very similar on the Pots & Pans and Normal Cycles as to my Potscrubber & Light Wash cycles--as well as water consumption. Only adjustment you'll have is working around the hole in the bottom rack for the tower to pip up and feed water to the wash arm under the top rack. It will take a bit of getting used to. Bob

 

[toggleswitch]

Well said, Bob.

I wanted to HATE my GE DW (that resides in the basement), Got it for $75 [it was a scratch-(and dust) and dent]from homo-despot.

Alas, even though it uses more water than most machines it FAR outcleans my 4 y.o. SS interior KA (by WP).

The ring-hole in the lower rack for the wash-tower is annoying, but since the top rack accomodates even the largest pots and tallest items, I just (HA HA HA funny choice of words) work around it.

There is no cycle-progress indicator such as timer or idiot lights like "Wash" "Rinse" "Dry", but seeing that I am hugely intelligent and flexible {LOL ROARING HERE} I manage to survive without such features.

 

[toggleswitch]

Panel

 

[toggleswitch]

interior

(of course there is schmutz in there that I did not see RRRRRRRRRRR)

 

[toggleswitch]

Top rack

 

[jaxsunst]

Thanks for the feedback. I feel a lot better about it. The tower thing is interesting. My Kenmore had a version of that, but it didn't expand. It was just a reverse funnel that fed the top arm.

It arrived today and should be installed either tomorrow or Thursday. Since the house warrenty company is covering it, I have to let them install it. Not bad for a $55 deductible.

BTW, it is solid black.

 

[gansky1]

Does anyone know if the rubber/plastic filter mat in the bottom of this machine serves any purpose at all? I don't think these are still used now, perhaps only the first models?

I found two of these machines in black one day - both worked perfectly and only a tiny scratch on one of the doors. I suspect someone wanted nicer/quieter/more metallic models and just pitched these when the new ones were installed without a second thought. I cleaned them up and ran quite a few cycles in each machine. I ran one with and without the screen-thingy and couldn't tell any difference - the design of the water system is suspiciously similar to earlier models. I sold one of them and gave the other to the Habitat ReStore (Habitat for Humanity).

 

[frigilux]

Nice, Togs! I love the curvacious lower spray arm.

 

[trok_99]

rubber/ plastic filter mat

My GSD6500 purchased about 4 years ago( now serves as my basement dishwasher)has the mat/ filter. Then mat part is actually perfed. stainless with a purple/blue( when new) rubber around the edge. It is held down by 2 hex nuts and sits right on top of the plastic tub. After about 10 Sani cycles the blue/ purple starts to turn grey and then starts to break apart.

During the first year..I had warranty service come out and replace it twice. I ran the machine for weeks while waiting for the part the first time. A month before the warranty went out the service man sent me a box of 4 more.

Don't really see it's purpose cept it makes the bottom of the tub mirror like. Don't know why it's perforated....there is no room underneath for anything to flow through cuz it's flat against the bottom of the tub.

When I put that machine in my basement a year ago, I purchased the tall tub, GSD6800 with the redesigned wash system and direct feed to the upper rack.

Both machines clean almost as well as all my previous Maytags. Running the machine at least once a day, if not more....I may have to rewash an item about once a week as opposed to once every three weeks with a Maytag. And I cannot fit as much in as I could on a Maytag.

Both times I just could not beat the price from Home Depot and for the past couple of years have been staying away from Maytag.

 

[johnb300m]

purpose of the mesh mat/screen/ thingy

this mesh screen on the tub floor is the precursor to the mesh bottomed Triton XL machines. it's a stopgap model.

what the mesh does is prevent large food particles from being sucked into the pump. it's a finer filter than the large drain screen. so the large waste just sits on top of the screen until the drain period, where it then gets sucked into the lower drain screen and pumped out via the aux. drain pump. under the maind drain screen is a basket with perforation as well to totally seal off the main pump from the open tub. the main pump, therefore, is forced to draw water only from under the perforated mat or through the perforated basket. this ensures that all large solid waste does not get recirculated.
the dishwasher then does its normal wash cycle with better filtered water. as in other models, the water is further filtered by wash water randomly falling down the back wall of the tub and through the fine mesh screen in the back.

this is a very well thought out filtering system if you ask me. however, it does render the GE hard food disposer "useless" since it is behind all those filters and screens.

 

[gansky1]

I was in a newly renovated loft condo unit the other day that had a Triton XL dishwasher so I yanked out the lower rack to check out the "filter mat" a little closer. The pump inlet configurations are different than in the earlier Tritons I had, but it is an interesting design. I'm not sure I'm sold on it's effectiveness, but I will defer that judgement to those who own them ;-) I ran the machine through a Rinse Only cycle and was rather impressed with the water flow and the speed that the wash-arms revolved. There was no cut-out for the tower in the lower rack which would make loading easier.

I've heard many more good things about GE tall-tub dishwashers lately than I have any other brand - the WP/KM/KA models seem to be getting a poor reputation.

 

[agiflow]

It also seems the SS interiors GE is using in their upper end machines is of better quality then what WP is putting in their various brands. The new GE machines are very nice, though i do like the higher end KA and sears machines also.

 

[toggleswitch]

Greg: Yes ditto, the TT GEs seem to be getting a good rap.

Pat: *FAINT* Did you just say something BEATS a WP? LOL

 

[jaxsunst]

It was installed yesterday. I ran two loads through it. I am very impressed with the machine. It is quieter than my Kenmore and it really cleans well.

I like the clunk sound it makes when it switches to drain.

 

[gadgetgary]

I am very impressed with the machine.

Pics.....Please????

 

[johnb300m]

XL

Trust me, the GE XL machines are very effective. They wash things i never thought would come off in a dishwasher, when loaded properly of course. the optical XtraClean sensor helps with that too. what also helps is the "active" ultra fine filter under the main wash arm. water is bled off of the outlet and sprays into the filter at a rate of aprox. 1 gal. per minute. Since the washer fills with 1.2 gal. per fill, all the water in the machine gets run through the mesh filter in a little over a minute. prett spiffy.
the only thing is with all those filter screens, it renders the hard food disposer useless because large foods never reach it.