GE Hot Start??

[warmsecondrinse]

I've re-read the old GE HotStart thread and wonder if anyone has one. If so, how's it working out? I'm in the market for a new dishwasher. My landlord has given me a rent allowance of $450 to purchase one. My original plan was to add my own funds and by a F&P dishdrawer. I have severe osteoarthritis and a dishdrawer would cause a good deal less pain.

However, now I'll have to stay under $450. I broke my glasses last night. Lenses alone are $400 *EACH* so I'm almost afraid to get a repair estimate.

My kitchen tap water runs so cool I can hand wash dishes using straight hot water. A friend who manages co-op rehabs for a living told me his budget minded clients who have tepid hot water have been very happy with any GE that has Hot Start.

My thinking is to buy one up from BOL so it has both high temp wash and heated dry options in addition to HotStart. I don't do a lot of cooking and honestly every dishwasher I've ever had has done a good job set to light wash at the high temp setting. My biggest complaint actually has been rack design, lol.

So is anyone happy with their GE HotStart?

Thanks,

Jim

 

[Chetlaham]

Get the pushbutton model with timer knob. When hi-temp is pressed the heater runs almost the full 45 minute wash instead of cutting out around 20 minutes in. Heated dry is also longer.

Hotstart is great, but honestly with a 45 minute heated main wash you are going to get great results either way. New GEs have had a self clean filter for about 10 years now which is stellar.

Go for it, you will love it.

 

[joeypete]

They are about as old school as you can get! I seriously toyed with the idea of getting one to replace my Hobart. I was going to add some additional sound insulation to make them quieter. But the thing that stopped me mostly was the rack design. They all seem to have the racks that are upside down V shaped instead of the individual tines. That would affect how I could load the items I wash.

Reviews seem mixed and I looked at all the machines. The ones with the mechanical dial and/or buttons were very confusing to me. It seems like if you select "Hot Start" you get the longest cycle regardless? At least on the dial only model. The one with buttons in addition I assumed that the buttons would override the dial...for example if you selected Normal and they put the knob on Hot Start, would it advance the timer past "Heavy" and go to just "Start". I dunno...I couldn't find any clear instructions on that.

 

[Chetlaham]

Yes, Hotstart is the longest cycle. The buttons on the knob unit just control the heat and the number of fills during pre-wash. Tech sheet says it all if you can find one on a floor model.

 

[combo52]

Best DW For $450

Its a toss up, the basic GEs are fun but the cheap rack design is very limiting, beyond that a FD or basic WP-Amana would also be good.

 

All DWs are designed to work well on 120 water in the US, I don't see any real advantage to GEs Hot-Start setting.

 

If you want really hot clean dishes get a used WP-KM from the late 80s into the 90s with the heated wash & final rinse option.

 

John

 

[estesguy]

Start-stop-start-stop....

So how many of the new dishwashers start and stop to alternate spray arms? I realize every machine stops periodically, but one review on the new GE's said the machine started/stopped every 15 seconds and drove her nuts. I think it might bother me too, no matter how quiet the new machines are. PS, I always look for nylon coated racks too. Well worth any additional cost.

 

[dustin92]

Been there, done that, NOPE.

We had 2 of them and they were awful. One an early 2000's model Potscrubber, the second a later 2000's Potscrubber (both builder BOL) They were the poorest example of a dishwasher I've seen to this day. Yes, the Hot Start helped (first one didn't have it, second one did) but still any food particles left on the dishes would get ground up and splattered back on ALL the dishes. Both machines were LOUD, the second a little quieter because of a smaller motor. I'd hold off until you can save the extra $50 and spend $499 on the lowest priced Bosch Ascenta model, we bought one a couple years ago and have been EXTREMELY happy with it! It will clean circles around anything built by GE, Frigidaire, or Amana, it's 10000× quieter (can barely hear it in the kitchen), super efficient, and will likely last longer than any of the other options. Longest cycle takes 2:35, manual clean filter takes a swish under the faucet once a month or so. If ours died tomorrow I would likely order another one just like it! I don't pre rinse anything and 99.99% of the time everything comes out perfect. Most definitely the best dishwasher we've ever owned.

 

[Chetlaham]

Dustin, I sad it before. The early to late 2000s models did not have a filter and used too little water for the design. The motor is not smaller, but a more efficient induction motor that actually has better torque in that it does not waver (struggle) during the cycle. The GE might actually outlast the Bosch as there is not much to fail and the weak points (like the drain shaft seal) have been improved. If something does break repair is easy and parts are very plentiful. Just make sure you get the right one for the model number as there are a few versions of the same pump, wash arm, hub, ect.

 

[dustin92]

This may be 2019, but nothing has changed. Still no filters, probably less powerful motors than the ones I owned, and no doubt lower temperature cycles. The racks don't look too bad, but I find the lack of an upper spray arm disturbing.. Why put an upper rack in the machine if you can't thouroughly clean the dishes in said top rack! I get the silly little pop out tower thing, but it just doesn't cut it. I don't believe these machines have any kind of top rack shower either, so it WILL leave grit on top of cups. Ours is just as powerful on the top rack as the bottom, with a full size spray arm and top rack shower, along with a semi self cleaning micro filter, nothing gets left behind.

 

[Chetlaham]

They have a fine filter, and the induction motor is slightly more powerful then the shaded pole unit used up until the early 2000s. The push button models with a knob have a diffuser which adds a 3rd level of spray.

 

[Chetlaham]

Also the main wash does get hotter on the push button button model set to high temp with the lower fill and longer main wash time. Being honest you are just making assumptions from a 2000s design.

 

[warmsecondrinse]

Thanks, all for your info!

I'll peruse the tech manual and check the racks and spray arm(s) before making a decision. I had no idea one could get a Bosch for $499 so I'll check that as well.

Thanks,

Jim