Vintage Frigidaire Dishwasher on Ebay

[bwoods]

There is currently a 1950's pink Frigidaire built-in dishwasher on ebay. This is the one that had the spray tube in the middle of the tub.

Pardon Our Interruption...

Barry Woods
Dayton, OH

 

[Unimatic1140]

Beautiful machine, I love mine, I use it almost every day.

 

[veg-o-matic]

Aw, man! If it weren't pickup only, I'd be all over this! Hate to give up my BOL Roper, but would be willing to for a vintage machine. And PINK. Yow!

 

[bwoods]

That's exciting that someone has one of these Frigidaire dishwashers! It looks as if there is no spray eminating from below the lower rack. Does this mean the center mounted spray tube does both the upper and lower racks? If so, then you can't really load anything but plates on the lower rack as the soiled surfaces would not receive any spray, correct? How is the overall cleaning effectiveness. Is it necessary to pre-rinse the dishes?

Barry

 

[Unimatic1140]

Hi Barry, yes I have two dishwashers installed in my kitchen, one of them is a '56 Frigidiare. You are correct, you do have to wash large pots in the upper rack, but small pots and frying pans go on their side in the lower rack. I never pre-rinse anything, but I do soak anything that has baked on food as a vintage dishwasher won't be able to get baked on food completely clean.

I also have a '64 KitchenAid KD-15 Dishwasher installed in my Kitchen. The KitchenAid does a slightly better job with the pots and pans, but the Frigidaire does a much better job with glasses and mugs, especially if they are full of fruit smoothie residue. So I usually get to run two dishwashers in the evening the KA for the pots and pans and the Frigidaire for the dishes, silverware, glasses and coffee pots.

Here are a few pictures that I took a while back of the '56...

http://automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/00ShowCollectionGETD.cgi?dir=/COLLECTIONS/_56_Frigidaire_Performance

 

[cadman]

Look at that sparkle! Where can I find a turqouise machine : )

Cory

 

[westytoploader]

Hi Barry,

It says in your profile that you have a Tappan "Reversa-Jet" dishwasher. Is this the "paddle-wheel" version? Please describe this wash action to us as I am unfamiliar with it.

--Austin

 

[westytoploader]

I also forgot to mention that I have the Tech-Talk for the 1958 Frigidaire Dishwashers if anybody needs it scanned...but I'm probably not the only one who has it...

 

[mrcleanjeans]

the torrents of tappan

Hi Austin,The Tappan with the paddlewheel was an early 60s impeller machine,sort of.Instead of a spray arm or instead of a boat propeller,i.e.impeller,it had a high speed motorized drum that splashed waterup at the dishes one way ,then the other,calling it DUAL DRENCH action.It stored a 60 wash supply of SUDSING liquid detergent in the door, had a raised center of the bottom rack to make room for the whirling drum that splashed water just like a car tire throws a puddle forcefully.But it did not clean that well. Towards the late 60s came the far better REVERSE-A-JET which instead used 2 reversing spray arms, one under each rack that went one way, then spring-loaded tansion sent them the other way.

 

[kenmore1978]

Frigidaire silverware basket

That basket looked like it was on the "cutting edge" for anybody who dared to reach for the dishes first

 

[kenmore1978]

I wont be embarrassed by spots

Yes, the dishes don't look like it "rained in your dining room"

Remember that ad camapign?

 

[bwoods]

Those are great pictures of the Frigidaire. The washing action is more effective than I thought it would be. Very impressive!

It looks like someone answered your question already, Austin. They are correct, the Reversa Jet uses standard type washarms. Tappan advertised it as "the dishwasher that washes in one direction then goes back and washes in the other." It was produced aabout 1966.

Does anyone know what happened to the Tappan corporation? It went from elite, innovative (and expensive) appliances in the early and mid-sixties with things like the reversa-jet dishwasher and "Fabulous 400" and by 1974 they were producing low quality contractor grade appliances. Did someone buy out the corporation in the early 70's or did they just get new profit minded management who decided to specialize in low grade appliances for the contractor, and no longer put money into product research and development. I can see why they went out of business. I believe the Tappan name is now owned by Maytag. Is this correct?

Barry

 

[kenmore1978]

Tappan Corp.

was swallowed by the WCI (White Consolidated Industries) monster, which in turn was swallowed by the Electrolux monster

 

[david]

Paddlewheel?

Gee I didn't know Tappan featured dishwashers back then-saw my first one in the late sixties. They should have called that model the "Mississippi Queen"