GE Medalion pot scrubber2 dishwasher

[mikepaquette]

I was called today & asked if I wanted this dishwasher. I always look for old dishwashers but have never seen one like this. Can anyone tell me anything about it. This guy said it must be over 20 years old but not sure. Is in great shape runs great so he said/ Not sure if I want it in storage with the rest. Michael

 

[whirlcool]

Potscrubber System..

I remember these from the early to mid 80's. GE ran quite a few television adverts proclaiming the effectiveness of the "Potscrubber" system. I believe that the original Potscrubber came out around 1977 or so and the Potscrubber 2 came out around 1982 or so.
The Postscrubber system actually just extended the length of time of the wash cycle. There may also have been a pre-soak or pre-wash added as well. But the adverts led you to believe that the pots were actually being "scrubbed".
I may be off a year or two on the dates, as this is all strictly from memory and I looked at the Potscrubbers when I bought a new dishwasher in that era, but after looking at them I opted for a Kenmore MOL instead, which lasted 4 years before the tub rusted through!

 

[appnut]

The original PotScrubber came out around 1973-1974. A friend of the family's got married in a house near Clear Lake, beautiful house, and it had an original PotScrubber and this was about 1975 or 1976. A friend of my neighbor lived in Champion Forrest, this was about 1983 or 1984 at latest, their machine had PotScrubber III on the panel. As far as what the Potscrubber did, the main wash lasts anywhere from 38 to 47 minutes and water is heated hotter than the Normal cycle, whose main wash is only about 29-33 minutes. And yes, it does SCRUB!! My 1987 is still knocking the sox off everything I throw at it.

 

[whirlcool]

Thanks for the correction

I knew it was somewhere in that timeframe. It's hell getting old!

So we can guesstimate that the DW in question was built from 1975-1982 or so?

BTW. I live right around the corner from Champions Forest!

 

[jamiel]

There were some interesting differences as I recall between Canadian GE and US GE dishwashers in the 80s--they continued making GE steel (plastisol coated) dishwashers (in a Canada plant, I guess) after they converted the US to the plastic-tub (Louisville) design.The Hotpoint (porcelain/steel)design made in Milwaukee or Chicago changed later when they closed that plant.

 

[wmlask]

Hotpoint Plant

I went to college in WI. I stayed in WI for 1 year after graduating college before moving back to IL. The last year in WI I had rented the upper flat in a home that was about 1 block from the still standing but closed Hotpoint dishwasher plant. I remember climbing the fence to check out the property and building at night hoping to find some old parts or machines but sadly, there was not a trace of anything to be found. The building looked great with a huge red Hotpoint sign on the front of it. Never was able to get inside the building but I'm sure it was gutted and empty.

 

[brisnat81]

SS Interior on a GE

Hi Guys,

We had a GE Potscrubber from the mid 70's, but it had a fully SS interior. It sounded like a tank running.

Were the US machines ever SS in GE?

Regards

Nathan

 

[cehalstead]

potscrubber

We replaced the original 1952 Hotpoint Electric sink with a gleaming new avocado Potscrubber dishwasher in 1973. Worked like a charm until 1990, when the motor went out and I replaced it with a new Potscrubber destined to have a short life. It only lasted until 1998, when it was replaced by a Maytag JetClean.

 

[toggleswitch]

For the most-part SS DW-ers are a "new" thing here. Some of the newer GEs are now SS! As are other brands, of course.

(Someone is going to disagree..I FEEL it.. ) LOL

Plastque tubs work fine but become stained (tomato sauce, coffee, etc) and they say the trick is a non-heated dry to avoid that. There are now product sold with benzoil peroxide to bleach one's plastic containers. Works well on the plastic DW tub, too.

http://www.homemadesimple.com/cascade/products/booster.shtml

 

[gansky1]

Chlorine bleach will remove the stains as well. I don't use it in every load, just now and then to keep things bright. I found a brand of detergent at Menards (home improvement center) called Crystal Shine that contains bleach and works wonders on stained plastic, etc.

 

[tlee618]

Greg told me about the Crystal Shine a year ago and I go some when I was there. I love that stuff it takes out the stains in the plastics and yet it is not over powering. Terry

 

[andrewinorlando]

The main difference with the GE Potscrubber II was that it had a separate upper wash arm for the upper rack rather than the stupid tower that GE has used for years, along with a filtration system like the ones in GE's Potscrubber III and beyond models. The lower arm I believe was stainless steel (if I remember correctly) and the upper arm was plastic. The top arm was the short plastic arm the is still in use in some of their models today. The center arm was fed by a tube from the water pump chamber that came up from the back of the machine. The upper rack was adjustable up and down, too. They were fairly quiet machines to boot. Several of my relatives had one, and they did a pretty good job washing, and they are still around, over 20 years later, and still going. I know they were around in the early 80's - that's when the first one popped up when my cousin bought her house on Long Island - '82 I believe. Basically excellent dishwashers with three full wash levels, usual GE cycles, filter systems, quiet, but they didn't seem to last on the market very long. Had a flat lower rack that was fully usable, and the extra deep upper rack, adjustable, similar to what they make today. Same silverware basket as all Potscrubbers.

I really liked 'em....

 

[appnut]

Andrew, I kept waiting for you to chime in on this. I almost emailed you to alert you, we needed your expertise. One of my college fraternity brothers parents' house had one just like you're describing exactly. I saw this about 1978 or 1979 at the latest. When I saw this style of GE, I so longingly hoped this was the new interior style that was gonna stay. I loved the loading flexibility and the silverware basket was more toward the left front corner. Such wide open space. In my opinion, was the best GE ever. But much to my dismay & disappointment, they reverted back to the tower style with the PS III. darn. Thank goodness the new tall tubs so strongly resemble the interior of the PS II. Bob