Modern GE Dishwashers, Good?

[johnb300m]

Hey all, long time periodic lurker, first time poster.

My parents' awesome TritonXL GE dishwasher from 2003 seems to have kicked the bucket. It wasn't draining. I checked hose lines, cleaned filters, even replaced all the check valves....and it just hasen't solved the issue.
So they're fed up (I would fix it more, it's awesome) and my dad went out on a whim and ordered a gdt550hgdww.
It's a new model GE with top controls and their 500 wash system.
It washes half racks at a time, with long cycle times....but it seems well built and it has a boat load of features they'll like. Including TWO silverware baskets.

I was trying to read reviews on new dishwashers, all over Lowes, Home Depot and GE's websites, and it seems like these reviews are ALL over the place.
People love their machine or HATE their machine. GE, Maytag, etc etc.

Most common complaints are things not getting clean, from soap cups being blocked by the front silverware baskets, to dishes not drying at all, to water leaking inside the doors. Maytags seem to have issues with the rack holders breaking off. Control boards going out, etc.

Are these reviews legit? Or is it just a slew of ignorant, troglodites who don't know how to use appliances, and just beat the crap out of their stuff?

The gdt550hgdww looks like a GREAT machine. Will my parents have good years of use with it, like the old 2003 Triton XL?
I told them to get the 3 year extended Home Depot coverage plan. It was only 60 bucks, and I don't want to go over there and fix it constantly if they have a lemon.

Cheers

GE Appliances: Shop for Home, Kitchen, & Laundry Appliances

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[cuffs054]

that looks good especially for the price.

 

[combo52]

GE GE Hi-End DW

I just installed one of these in my kitchen two weeks ago, and I don't think I can say a single good thing about it. I will try to elaborate more later or tomorrow morning but I an going to eat dinner now.

 

[whirlykenmore78]

GE DW

Don't waste your time and money. PURE JUNK!
WK78

 

[imperial70]

johnb300m, go with your gut.  Read reviews carefully, you can tell who the lunatics are writing them sometimes. Enjoy your GE dishwasher.

 

[washman]

It is similar

to the one my landlord installed at the Condo I rented. It is quiet, I will give you that.

But..........

I could not use powder as the wash spray was to weak to dissolve it. I had to go with the Cascade paks.

Took over 3 hours to do a load on normal cycle with hot dry and STILL the dishes came out wet.

Had to clean the cup sized filter every other load otherwise things on the top rack would not come clean at all.

Had a rather cheap closing mechanism that consisted of a diamond shaped piece of grey plastic that wedged itself in a cutout on the frame. I doubt it will withstand many openings/closings.

I was not impressed at all but I rented and had no say so in the matter. Now I am a homeowner and it came with a contractor grade Frig unit that is a noisy beast but I am shocked, in a good way, at how well it cleans.

 

[ea56]

I've owned 4 dishwashers since we bought our first home in 1987. The first one was a builder grade GE and I never had any complaints with it during the 7 years we owned the home. When we moved to our current home in 1994 there was a BOL Whrilpool that the sellers installed in 1991. It was fast and loud, but it always cleaned very well. By 2005 the racks were rusting thru pretty badly so we bought a MOL Maytag. That dishwasher was terrible. It never cleaned well, there was always some food left on at least 1 or 2 dishes. The racks started to rust thru just after the warranty period was over and the door latch also broke right about the same time. I was still able to close the door and operate the machine so I just left it broke, I wasn't interested in investing any $ on this POS. I bought some "re rack" on Ebay and was able to cover the rusted spots on the racks for a while. Finally, in Jan of this year I bought a GE GDF520PGDWW. This dishwasher is quieter than the Maytag, has nylon coated racks so I hope I won't have rust issues for a long time. The normal cycle with heat boost takes the same 134 mins. that the Maytag did, but the dishes are always spotlessly clean. I never rinse, just scrape off the dishes and I also put the pots and pans in the dishwasher. I use Finish Powerball paks or Cascade Platinum, but the Finish Powerball paks work better in my opinion. I would agree with Ben about the door latch, it could be a better design, but since I'm aware that this could be a weak point I just don't latch the door unless I'm going to run it. As far as the filters, I clean them about once a month, it only takes a few mins. We run the dishwasher about very 2 or 3 days, and even with the unrinsed dishes sitting for a couple of days they always come out clean, All in all I'm much happier with this GE than I ever was with the Maytag and would recommend this machine without hesitaion.

 

[johnb300m]

Thanks everyone.
Update: My parents had to fast switch to a front control GDF540 model. Similar features. Dual silverware baskets, but can't have the flat front with handle. They have a corner drawer that would hit it.

I was also wondering how dependent these machines are with peoples' individual water quality?
Maybe people have crap water heaters, and very hard water in their area?
I know the phosphate-free soaps have wreaked havoc on dishwashers as well. In fact, I wonder if the non phosphate soap helped the Triton's demise? It was full of sludge, which I cleaned out.

It does seem that the soap cups in these new GE machines are too deep, and water pressure does not flush them out.
If my parents have issue with that, I'm sure my mechanical engineering skills will come in handy tapping a new little hole in the middle wash arm to flush out the cup

Machine arrives to my parents' on Friday for me to install.
Updates to follow.

Cheers.

 

[frigilux]

That deep detergent pocket is designed to hold a pac/pod. Specifically, a Cascade Platinum pac, which is what GE recommends. I strongly recommend you convince your parents to use them. I have the PDT750.

I am looking forward to John's (combo52) review, which, judging by the teaser in his post above, should be a humdinger. Make some popcorn and fasten your seat belts, kids.

OK, John; we're ready when you are!

(Aside: I accidentally added the photo to a new frame, which explains the deleted post below. My bad!)

 

[frigilux]

[No message]

 

[dustin92]

Well, hopefully the newer GE's are better than our circa 1999 model.. We had a low end potscrubber that literally did not clean dishes at all... If any speck of food went in on the dishes, it would for sure come out in 1000 pieces, all splattered on the rest of the dishes. Grr. Everything had to be completely pre rinsed. We left that awful thing in our old house when we sold it. Since then we've had a 1998 Kenmore Ultra Wash (thought it was pretty good, didn't need to pre rinse), and now a 1997 Maytag Jetclean (Best dishwasher I've used so far! Never pre rinse anything, even cooked on food- all comes out spotless and super hot!) The problem with your GE was most likely the drain valve solenoid- the valve may have been leaking slightly and caused the solenoid to corrode and stop working; I repaired a friends GE Triton Eterna series that would not hold water- the valve was stuck open, so all the water was drained as fast as it could fill. Could stick closed just as easily.

 

[johnb300m]

Solenoid or not to solenoid

Thanks Dustin!
The old unit is a Triton XL tall tub with the dual pumps.
If the new drain check valves are working, I'm wondering if the water valve is leaking into the machine, or even if the drain pump is only working intermittently now.
Or maybe there's more crud in the drain pump, or the boot.
Who knows!
Either way, my dad wants no part of it, and already ordered the 540.

 

[jakeseacrest]

Dustin92 I say the same thing about my Maytag from 1998/99. My dishes take at least an hour after the dry cycle for me to touch them. They are broiling hot!

 

[neptunebob]

I am interested in how the GE Artistry dishwasher would rate, I like the styling.

 

[joeypete]

I've used a few different older GE dishwashers. One was from the late 90's and the other from around 2006-2007 or so. Both cleaned really well, though I usually ran them on Pots and Pans all the time. I haven't tried any of their newest ones. I picked a Frigidaire Gallery for my new dishwasher laster year. I love it.

 

[washman]

There goes Frig

again promoting PODS!

Told ya folks, he's gone over to the dark side of things!

 

[frigilux]

Ya gotta give me this one, Ben! You've noted a couple of times that your GE required the use of a Cascade pac.


I'm still waiting for John's take on the GE dishwasher he installed in his kitchen. While mine cleans even the crustiest pans very, very quietly, I have one word for it when compared to my beloved 2008 LG or the Maytag prior to that: Flimsy.

He's undoubtedly been under the hood and can give us that perspective, as well.

 

[washman]

You're right frig

BUSTED!

But I used the PODS due to necessity, not out of pure choice!

I was dragged kicking and screaming every inch of the way!

My shrink says I need to "get with the times" and accept change positively. Then he tried to talk me out of using my beloved SQ. It was then I left the office and never returned.

I celebrated recovery by doing a load of wash in the SQ using full fill and liquid A&H.

 

[dustin92]

reply to the above post:

We NEVER use the heated dry on our Maytag, just run it on the normal cycle with Sanitize on and Temp sense on and the dishes come out scalding! I just prop the door open a couple inches and by the time they are cool enough to handle, most everything is dry. Or just leave them until morning with the door closed, since we usually run it in the evening.