Frigidaire Dishwashers- why the hate?

[dustin92]

Our beloved Maytag Jetclean bit the dust a few days ago, and while it's probably repairable, it's not financially possible right now. The same evening, I found a working Frigidaire dishwasher on Facebook, curbside for free. Picked it up the next morning, and while it's definitely seen better days, and had some pretty bad mineral buildup inside, it seems to wash pretty well, and surprisingly quietly. I had to clean out both spray arms (neither could get enough water pressure through to rotate before!) But it was mainly hard water mineral build up. Yes, it does wash one rack at a time, and sounds like a drain pump for the wash cycle, but I've only had one dirty dish come out. Definitely not the same build quality as our Maytag, but from what I see Frigidaire is a lower price point than Maytag. I'll post a couple pictures when the current wash is done, but from what I can find online and from the manual it was built around 2003. The only real issue I see is the bottom rack is pretty rotten.. I assume from prerinsing and over use of detergents, maybe high heat cycles? I'll be happy if it gets us through this apocalypse until I can repair the Maytag or find something better! But honestly, I haven't heard a lot positive about Frigidaire dishwashers and curious to know why?

 

[dustin92]

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[dustin92]

Cycle times aren't too awful either, and it does have a soil sensor that seems to like shortening the wash times. Pots and pans clocks in at 99. minutes (115 according to the manual) and pre selects Hi temp wash and Sanitize. Normal wash clocks at 95 minutes (1:35) and last night it took 30 minutes off the cycle after sensing and the first prewash. Light wash (Both racks) is 85 minutes (1:25) and Light wash (Upper rack) is 65 minutes (1:05)

 

[dustin92]

And the seen-better-days interior- Innovative feed system for the top arm if nothing else.. I like the nice deep top rack. The stain in the prewash dispenser is not undissolved detergent, pretty sure it's just hard water scale stained blue (by the Cascade complete liquid I'm using in the prewash).. It's hard and crusty and very hard to remove. Seems to be slowly dissolving. Dishes come out acceptably clean but not particularly dry- even after the heated dry most plastic is still wet. It's definitely not a Maytag but not as bad as the two builder grade GE's we had in our old house- I swear those machines just ground up any food particles and splattered them back on the dishes.

 

[frigilux]

I had a top-of-the-line 2004 (or thereabouts) Frigidaire dishwasher whose interior and wash system looked like yours. It did a fine job and was the quietest machine I’d had up to that point. It was my first experience with alternate-rack washing and dedicated half-load cycles for either the bottom or top rack.

Its weak spot was not cleaning performance, but the motherboard, which had to be replaced three times. Symptom was always the same: The start pad quit responding. While waiting for the new part to arrive, I’d use the delay start pad as a work-around. The 30-minute wait for the cycle to begin was annoying, but at least it allowed the machine to be used.

After the third board was installed—machine was maybe 4-5 years old—I gave it away and replaced it with a TOL Maytag, which nearly started a kitchen fire when the heater began to engage for hours at a time, even when the machine was off. That was scary. Had the recall work done, but no longer trusted it, so it went out the door.

 

At any rate, your Frigidaire was acquired for a great price when you needed it most. Congratulations!

 

[ozzie908]

@dustin92

Have you tried an appliance descaler in the dishwasher see if it helps to remove or soften the limescale?

Its a pity that your machines are not like ours and have a water softener built it stops all the build up at source as we have particularly hard water and never an issue with limescale.

Austin

 

[chachp]

Frigidaire Dishwashers

 

<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: 14pt;">I haven't owned one nor do I repair them but what I know is the experience of a friend of mine who had one in a new house they bought.  Within a year it was repaired three times so out it went.  She said the cleaning was just OK but also complained about the dishes being wet.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: 14pt;">The other thing I have observed is that when I look at dishwashers on craigslist for example, there is a really high percentage of Frigidaire.  I just looked on our list and there are four out of about 20 that are listed.  I guess if they are offered for sale that often there must be a reason.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: 14pt;">Glad you got a good one and if it gets you over the hump that's all that counts.</span>

 

[dustin92]

I'd like to believe that by the time I get a machine it's been around the block a few times so the electronic issues seem to be worked out LOL. I was eyeing an older tall tub TOL Maytag on CL a while back, had a 3rd lower rack.. Was interesting but maybe a good thing I passed. I did use LemiShine granules (citric acid based hard water descaler) in both dispensers and ran an empty wash, but I've never seen such a buildup as what it had in the sump area below the filter- it was dry so I actually chiseled it away with a screwdriver and vacuumed probably a couple cups worth out.. The soil sensor was completely buried in sediment. Both spray arms were clogged to where they could no longer rotate. The detergent dispenser had so much sediment and scale built up around it the door wouldn't shut. No way was it cleaning anything- the owners must have prewashed everything. The heating element had/has some buildup but not too bad surprisingly. I do wish our machines on this side of the pond came with built in softeners standard..

 

[yogitunes]

Frigidaire seems to be the replacement for GE Profile for builder grade appliances..

my brother just bought a new house about 2 years ago, all the model homes were sporting Frigidaire in stainless...

everything seems like thin flimsy materials...the stove doesn't even have a bottom drawer...

the oven blew out two igniters, the board in the dishwasher went, the washer needed a water valve, the dryers heating element needed replacing, the micro/hood you can't turn off the lights, and the ice maker stopped working....

of course just after the 1 year warranty ran out.....but what got me, replacement parts came up NLA....we found a few on ebay, and others we had to improvise....but he will be in the market for replacements soon.....

I told him to start replacing now while their still running, he can at least sell them and put that money towards better machines....

also have noticed around the complex, of appliances being thrown out for scrap....

 

[vacerator]

Cheaply made, low pricepoint.

Builders Love em! Their Electrolux branded appliances have higher prices, but still Frigi-Lux. No better.

 

[iheartmaytag]

There was a Frigidaire dishwasher in my house when I bought it. It ended up staying for a month. It was not a dishwasher, it was a dish wetter. The dishes came out dirtier than they went in.

I put it to the curb and installed a Maytag 300 quiet series.

 

[steved]

I’ve had a few......

Not because they were bad dishwashers, but rather that I wanted the latest features. I discovered that performance increased significantly when the machine had HOT water. I think that many times, there wasn’t hot enough water standing in the pipes. I resorted to running the faucet prior to running the dishwasher. Once I added a recirculating pump to my hot water line, I had no cleaning issues and drying improved.
For the money, I think these are decent machines providing they're only a few feet from the hot water tank.

 

[luxflairguy]

My current apartment came with a slightly used 18" stainless lined Frigidaire.
I ran it once or twice and knew parts were missing. So I called my landlord after looking at the parts schematic online and he ordered the parts- top wash arm and one other part. I installed them.
It get run almost daily and doing a lower rack "Bob" isn't doeable, but there are lots of top rack "bob's". I'm still impressed! It doesn't handle mashed potatoes well, so that's a hand wash thing, but every load is clean ---at least to my standards! I always use the hi-temp cycle and with the h20 tank right next to the machine, there's always lots of hot water. I use Finish Quantum pakcs and rinse aid and am very happy. Living in 550 sq. ft, I don't feel the noise is even an issue. (O.K., I fall asleep after dinner!) I hand clean the filter about every 3-4 months. After 3 years, I know it like the back of my hand and know the in's and outs of loading it for best results! I'll keep the Frigidaire! Greg

 

[vacerator]

Perhaps DM, and Frigidaire

were the only domestic choices in an 18 inch model DW. GE may still offer one.

 

[cuffs054]

I've had four in different houses and liked them all. I put one in this house when I moved in.

 

[littlegreeny]

Don't last...

My experience has been they don't last more than 5 years without a major failure. I've had two over the years, first one was a lower-end version of yours and the main wash motor died after about 4 years. The last one I just replaced lasted less than 5 years before the main wash motor died. My racks also started to disintegrate in my second one. I replaced my last Frigidaire a few weeks ago with a MOL Whirlpool and so far have been relatively happy with it.

I have to admit I was surprised when you said that was still operating after 17 years...

 

[gelaundry4ever]

my experience

I hade one for a year. The machine quit working. The only thing that was working was the control panel. That's it! We have a Kenmore powerwave stainless interior in white and I'm very satisfied! Not being racist against dishwashers.

 

[patcherd2]

Never knew dishwashers were a race Honk Honk

 

[murando531]

I'd say maybe "brandist" is the more appropriate word.