Modern GE Dishwashers, Good?

[warmsecondrinse]

I had a GE (sorry, I forget the model) bought new in 2011. It was excellent provided Sani-Cycle was used (even if 'quick wash'/'short cycle'), otherwise, not so much even though the water heater temp was quite high. I always purged the hot water line beforehand.

One positive side note: Gas service went out once in the middle of winter. Curious, I ran a load on Sani-Cycle knowing there'd only be COLD water going in. The GE took a little over an hour longer than usual, but the dishes came out spotless.

Jim

 

[frigilux]

John--- Spoiled by the brawny, versatile racks and cavernous interior of the 2008 LG, I also find GE's racks lacking versatility and kind of flimsy. They make that cheap 'scraping' sound when you move them in or out, too. I have the PDT750.

Manufacturers: The door and racks are what the consumer has the most contact with---don't skimp on them!

The interior of the GE is easily several inches shorter, narrower, and shallower than the LG, too. Things like big, rectangular hotel chafer pans have to hang over the rack a bit to fit. I have a tall soup kettle that won't fit in the lower rack unless I raise the upper rack, which then won't accept large mixing bowls. I could fit all those things into the LG without a problem, and it had a cutlery rack on top of it all!

I love how quiet the GE is, and haven't had a problem with redeposits on my tall iced tea glasses in the corners of the upper rack. I regularly put saucepans and saute pans in the upper rack with excellent results, too.

Have to admit: If LG hadn't changed their wash system (for the worse, of course) I'd gladly have purchased another one. They are one of the most repair-prone machines according to CR's data, but mine took 5.5 years of almost commercial-level use without a problem. That's like 10-12 years in most kitchens. But when that cracked drain hose ruined my kitchen floor and subflooring, I didn't trust it anymore, so out it went. Most reasonable people would have simply replaced the drain hose and kept it. In fact, after replacing the hose it is still in service in someone else's kitchen.

So, no complaints about cleaning ability or its super-quiet operating level, but I miss the more substantial/flexible racking, interior space, and the cutlery/silverware rack of the LG. I never once used the silverware basket, so the entire lower rack was always available for cookware. The interior was lit, too, which seems like a trifle, but I miss it.

 

[johnb300m]

Interesting. Thanks Frigilux!
I haven't noticed the racks being any more or less durable feeling than the older GE it replaced. Then again, we didn't have an LG, or any other model with ball bearing racks.
The racks certainly are different, and do feel slightly smaller than the ones it replaced. However....we can still cram a surprising amount of stuff in there. And as long as nothing touches, it all comes clean.

The parents are grousing about the LONG cycle times, LOL. But they're all like that now.
I was over there last night to engineer some kind of fix for flushing out the detergent. But my Dad flip flopped and "didn't want me voiding his warranty."
So I re-leveled the machine with a -1 degree level toward the back, hoping that'll help the detergent pods fall out of the cup better.

 

[frigilux]

Wow...reading my post above it would seem I'm not happy with the GE. It does a great job and I'm very happy with it. It simply isn't as big inside as the LG. A couple of months after purchasing the PDT750, the PDT760 became the GE's new top-of-the-line model, complete with---you guessed it---the cutlery/silverware rack I so coveted. While I have a hard-earned reputation for changing appliances frequently, there was no way I could rationalize getting rid of the PDT750 before the 'new dishwasher' smell had even worn off. And, frankly, the cutlery rack might exacerbate an already tight-space situation.

I'd have no problem recommending the PDT750.

Of course, those brand new KitchenAids on the showroom floor at the local dealership have been flirting shamelessly with me, LOL.

 

[johnb300m]

Cool to hear, Frigi!
Sounds like that LG really had a hold on ya.

I must admit, the more I go home, the more I like that new GE machine.
Now that it's re-leveled, my mom had said the soap issues have gone away.
They still have washability issues sporadically, because my dad likes to nest things! And once in a while the silverware doesn't come clean, but it's mostly because they're not taking too kindly to the 2+ hour cycles, so they're Under-running the machine.
They really bungled the engineering of the soap dispenser IMO as an engineer, as it encroachest on the silverware. It's probably the worst on the market right now. Which is sad because the rest of the machine I think is quite good!
Otherwise, it washes fantastically.
Drying is a little weak though.

I cannot wait to get a Profile with the X-arms like you have when I move to my new place in January. I'm looking at the 720.

I think a lot of people are still really hung up on their old dishwashers from 10-15 years ago.
And of course while those were literally THE BEST the market ever produced.....They're gone
But I really think these GEs and new Maytags are the best we got today.
I'm still not a fan of the chintzy stuff WP and KA are putting out today.