Question for the UK & European members:Do Indesit dishwashers have a good reputation?

[turquoisedude]

I have to ask because while recently visiting the UK (for Hubby's sister's wedding) I got to experience using an Indesit dishwasher that I figure may be 5 to 7 years old.  I found it wasn't doing a very good job of cleaning anything, but to be fair, the machine is in heavy use and not very well-treated.  The strainer and filter plate were gunked up with stuff that looked like a science fair project gone bad, but even after a thorough cleaning of them, there was still shmutz left on the plates and tea stains in the mugs at the end of the cycle...  

 

Knowing very little about European dishwashers, I'm guessing the machine heated its own water.  The only other thing I could think of was that the Tesco dishwasher tabs were not the best ones to be using with a machine like this.  

 

Could the machine need some kind of additional cleaning?

 

Now this will stun you: Hubby (aka as the 'vintage appliance hater') even had to admit that my 1956 GE with the impeller wash could outclean the Indesit!!  I had him swear an affadavit... LOL 

 

[henene4]

If the filters were gunked up, the spray arms might have been as well. And, if there was really 0 attention and the salt might have run out, that could cause the heater and temp sensors to gunk up with lime scale, eventually causing the heating to time out, which would reduce the cleaning power. And yeah, that Tesco stuff might play its part as well. Were the dishes even warm at the end of the cycle?
Further, I don't think the Indesits of that time were all that great performers overall. They are more BOL, but verry well known alongside Hotpoint in the UK.

 

[turquoisedude]

Henrik,  the dishes were good and hot at the end of the cycle, which I didn't really expect.  I also didn't think of the salt - Hubby's mother had a Bosch dishwasher that had a warning light to let you know it was low and I didn't see anything like that on the Indesit.   

 

Is there a cleaner that could help de-gunk the spray arms?  I've seen something by Finish over here in Canada.  

 

[henene4]

The lower spray arm usualy just pops out if you pull it out, the upper spray arm might be held in place by some screwing mechanism. I'd say just look it up in the manual, but I doubt it even still exists at this point. Maybe just google it. IDK. Then take them to a sink, check if all the holes are free and clean them with a toothpick or such as needed. Rinse with water. Put them back in.

Afterwards, a machine cleaner might help to degrease and descale some of the not to reach corners which can help. These are these little bottles with a seal on top. Usualy, you rip of that seal-sticker, put it in a rack or cuttlery basket upside down and start the most intensive cycle without dishes.

That heat question was just to confirm the heater actually worked. Some makes and models just go on with a broken heater as nothing is wrong.

 

[turquoisedude]

Thank you.  I know next to nothing about dishwashers that were made after 1990 (oddly, I'm actually proud of that...) so I appreciate the advice!

 

[panthera]

Indesit

Would be ranked with absolute BOL Whirlpool trash on the Canadian side of the Atlantic.

Whenever we had holidays in the UK, we'd end up in a cottage with one - must have done something really bad in a past life and enjoyed it too much.

Anyway, as others here have mentioned, if you clean the filters thoroughly and use a really good detergent/rinse agent/proper regeneration salt and the most heavy-duty cycle, they can to a good job.

Until the blasted lower spray arm has to be cleaned out or the filters de-gunked.

 

Pity - they are often quite stylish and their controls are very well laid out.

 

[servischris]

Indesit

Indesit...nope...I have one on my scrap heap(Actually its a Hotpoint but its the same) currently thats leaking from a bad tub join/design flaw caused by cost cutting, racks have rusted through and its all blocked up inside where i cant get to it eaisily and this is one of many i've owned. when they work, they're not brilliant...prefer Bosch but there you go.

Don't really trust Indesit products much now! Esp after the fire recalls that started last year over here.

Chris

 

[optima]

Indesit

Had my Indesit DI450 Fully Integrated Dishwasher since 2008. Washes & dries perfectly well every time plus i only ever use the Economy programme.

 

[aquacycle]

My Mum bought an Indesit DW in 1992 and it was a great machine. Washed well everytime and lasted a good 8-10 years before it broke and we replaced it with another Indesit. The second one was an absolute joke, never washed right from day 1 and was unreliable.

We have a Neff integrated dishwasher which I wouldn't part with. It's fantastic.

 

[iej]

Indesit is generally a budget brand. I'm not quite sure what the equivalent in the US might be but it's generally made to a price.

The dishwasher tablets should be OK, if she's looking for budget ones though try Lidl or Aldi own brand, they're rated very highly.