Cheap exspensive plastic DW--Can it be saved?

[parunner58]

We need some help. Yesterday I did a load of dishes in our Frigidaire FDB949GFT1, we bought this hunk of plastic in June 1997 for $550. It replaced a 14 year old KA Superba. When the dishes were done I was putting them away and while emptying the top rack it popped out of the rollers on the left side and fell. Luckily I was able to grab it before it fell to far and no dishes got broken. I was able to get the metal supports back onto the rollers. The metal track it slightly bent but I starighten that out. But I noticed that on both sides where the bottom rollers are attached through the sides of the tub there are now spider cracks in the tub walls and what looks like a hairline crack along the left tub wall above the rollers. My wife is not to sure about the upper rack now because it has a very poor support design to begin with, now we feel it have been compromised with this crash. I am going to run it tonight and hope the cracks do not make it leak. My question is: Is there anything that can be used to seal the tub if it does leak?

We are glad our good dishes were not in there.

If the tub is non-repairable, What sugestions does the group members recomend for a new one. The rest of the Kitchen is GE Profile. We were at the mall today and I was looking at the one Department store, They had GE, KA, Whirlpool, and Maytag. I was not really excited about any of them. The KA looked like they had the stainless steel tubs, but when I tapped on the tanks it was nothing like our old one. They seemed to sound like plastic with a stainless steel coating on them.

 

[toggleswitch]

Poor Quality yet Pricey Plastic DW

IMHO- dont use ANY sealant in a DW-
The risk of toxicity is not worth it.
You will pay for it with permanent health problems,if a mistake is made.

May I suggest a machine with a SS tub?

My father showed us a newspaper article years ago about someone in his workplace (a large research institution- read a SMART, borderline GENIUS PHD-)who used some type of caulk in a DW and poisoned his his family, irreparably.

Hate to be an alarmist, but what is another $500 spent to ensure continued good health?

 

[westytoploader]

KitchenAid is now a Whirlpool design and isn't the best machine...especially for the price. I recommend any MOL Bosch model, as they clean AMAZINGLY (my machine, the SHU43C06, was second-highest rated in the last CR dishwasher test...top-rated was a similar Bosch), have a removeable/adjustable upper rack, and of course an SS tub (and inside door panel). I'd say it has decent loading flexibility, although since it is built to European specifications, the capacity is just a tiny bit smaller than the American competitors.

However, they have a lot to offer for the price (around $600 IIRC), and its outstanding washing performance is worth it!

--Austin

 

[appnut]

Mike, Sudsmaster had similar issues with his Frigidaire top rack almost from the beginning. Rails and support were poorly/cheaply designed/executed. Rich put up with it for a few years until some other bad things happened to it. I'm emailing you.

 

[magic clean]

Parunner, I think Frigidaire offers a tall-tub shim "kit" to fix upper racks that don't track well or fall. Are you certain the tub has actually cracked? That is most unusual. Generally the plastic tubs are warranted for quite some time. Perhaps you are entitled to a repair.

 

[parunner58]

We washed full load tonight after dinner and there were no leaks, no water on the floor underneath and the rack stayed on the tracks. I am hopful the cracks are not completely through the tub walls. I am going to just keep an eye on them and see what happens. As long as they don't spread more I am going to leave it alone.

 

[petek]

I thought most dw's came with a 20 year tub warranty. That being said $500 dollars in in 97 wasn't an inexpensive purchase. I look at it this way if you're expecting it to last 15 years or so why not fork out the extra and go with the SS tub. A good dishwasher is high on my priority list along with a good washer, maybe even higher and I've never regretted the cost of the Miele dw because I wanted quiet, SS, and tank built quality.

 

[sudsmaster]

Yep, Boba is right about that. I bought my Frigidaire MOL from Costco back around '97. It had problems from the start... not just the rack, but the bottom filter disk would never lie flat, and food/debris would always get past it and clog the spray arms. Maddening. The drain pump went out, then the heating element, then the thermostats.

Finally around 2003 when the main pump went out, I ditched it and got a Bosch 43C at Sears. It was a customer return, but it was only $350 (Down from $560). $10 more than I paid for the POS Frigidaire sevem years earlier. I had to bang a inward dent out from inside the tub, just used a balled fist for that. It was interfering with the upper rack, but the correction fixed that. Since then it's worked pretty much flawlessly, I can't say how much happier I am with the Bosch.

So my advice would be: ditch the Frig, get a Bosch. Even a BOL Bosch will be better made, quieter, and wash better than the Frig. CR recently did a review of dishwashers, and both Frig models they tested came in rock bottom in terms of performance.

A euro design like the Bosch is somewhat better for your home, because it doesn't vent humid hot air to the kitchen. Instead it relies upon residual heat on the washed items, and the cooler tub walls, to evaporate and condense moisture, which then goes down the drain, where it belongs. For the humid SF Bay Area, this is handy for keeping indoor humidity (and risk of mold/dust mites) down.

The euro designs also have hidden water heaters, which can't melt plastic like the exposed elements in the American style dishwashers.

 

[chachp]

Another Bosch fan here...

I am on my second one. I put one in the old house and when I bought this house it was the first thing I did. I replaced a 10 year old TOL Kenmore dishwasher with the Bosch and I am very happy with it.

 

[toggleswitch]

I'm with you both-- Ralph and Austin.

My 90's WP platique tub MOL was a great machine.
My 3 y.o. KA SS tub tall-tub can't wash for S--T. In theory the same co. and same machine

Uh-uh. no way, won't buy again.

I HATE to covet the Euro style, but I may have to.

 

[parunner58]

Thanks for all the advice. My sister has a Bosch, I am not sure which model but I know the controls are on the top edge of the door so they are hidden. They love it. I was looking at Miele becasue I liked the top rack for silverware, but have seen some negative press about that. Next time I go over to (B)Lowes I will look at Bosch. The only problem I saw with Bosch is they do not come in Bisque. I HATE Stainless or black fronts because I cannot stand to see finger prints or streaks on anything. If I get a Bosch I will have to put out for the fully integrated and buy the wood front to match my cabinets. (this is probably why I am at 50% on the gay-o-meter). Everything has to match, fit in and be spot free.

Mike

 

[toggleswitch]

Love what you have down with their name, buddy boy. LOL ROFL LMAO

 

[petek]

Some people really like their Miele cutlery trays, when I bought my Miele that was optional and I passed on it because it's much easier to lift the basket out and put on the counter or in the sink to fill with cutlery, then drop it back in the dw than it is to remove the whole cutlery tray and place it on the counter, and then put every piece in the tray properly. To me it's one of those unique things that looks and sounds good but in practice is just the opposite. Besides it limits the height of the stuff you can put in the top rack.

 

[appnut]

Steve, I think I taught him that.

Mike, the SHU66C05UC still comes in Biscuit, but that's the only one. Sears actually lists 3 different Bisque Bosch models on their web site too.

 

[toggleswitch]

You taught him THAT?



--GRIN--

 

[rayjay]

Behave!

Now Guys, Lets behave! LOL ROFL

 

[parunner58]

Thanks Bob you are a good teacher. My buddy Chuck says I taught him well to. So i guess i am and Student and Teacher. I can do both. Steve I love Lowes much more than Home O'Depot. I probably would have bought my kitchen from Lowes if they were here back in 97, I bought everything from HD.

Any how. I looked on Lowes website and they carry that model in Black and Stainless. That one is rated Bosch's #1 seller. I will look at it the next time we go there and ask if they can order in in Bisque if we decide to buy a new one.