PRODUCT REVIEW: GE DISHWASHER

GDF520PGD0BB - GE  $499 +/-

Here goes.... This dishwasher is a piece of krap.

I should end this review here but in all fairness (and particularly after reading reviews by other purchasers) I'll 'splain, Lucy.

Backstory:  What used to be a miniscule kitchen in the old part of my house that had a dishwasher - is now a wet bar, as we have added to the house and I now have the kitchen of my dreams.  So this 'bar' dishwasher is run every other day with 4 coffee cups, coffee pot parts, a few spoons, and four wineglasses.  Sometimes when entertaining, I will put the overflow in the bar dishwasher if my GE Profile in the kitchen is full. (The Profile line doesn't suck.)

I bought this dishwasher shown above to replace a bottom of the line WORKING dishwasher, mostly because I wanted a black one and I wanted one with controls that didn't 'dial' to turn on.  Got it from the local Lowe's and they delivered it.  Had my plumber install it.

The first time I ran it, it was noisy as hell when it drained, and the drain system cut off and on and off and on and off and on.  I have a riding lawn mower that is quieter.  And I was not happy with how the dishes were (not) cleaned. 

The second time I ran it, I couldn't hear any water splashing around so I opened the door 15 minutes into the first cycle... and the water on the dishes was cold - even tho I made certain that our (really hot) hot water was at the sink before hitting START.  That is when I learned that the 'pre-wash' cycle runs for 15+ minutes AND USES THE WATER THAT WAS LEFT IN THE BOTTOM OF THE MACHINE FROM THE LAST WASH!  Can you say BARF!)  I got the same loud noise when it drained....and drained....and drained.  Got the same sorta not-so-clean dishes at the end of the cycle.

I called Lowe's and told them it was not working properly and to bring me another one.... they said it would take three weeks..... I said it sure as hell better not!  They were able to locate one and deliver it three days later.  I had to buy their 'installation and delivery' warranty package for $139 but that got me delivery (50 miles away) and the Lowe's guy installed it and took away the other one.  [As an aside, I drove 100 miles round trip to Lowe's to buy the first dishwasher.  I had to buy the REPLACEMENT and then wait for them to credit the return of the first one.  And they wouldn't do this, or sell me the warranty package over the phone, so I had to drive another 100 mile round trip.... ask me if I was a happy customer!]

Ran the new one.  SAME SHIT!  Noisy as hell and dirty, spotty dishes. (Yes - I used a rinse agent in the dispenser and a quality DW liquid).  Seems I'm stuck with this thing until it dies.  The only thing that seems to help it get the dishes usably clean is, when I hear it start to drain, I make a mad dash to the bar sink and run the hot water, so that when it fills for the next cycle the water will be hot.  I REFUSE to run it on the Sani-cycle or the heat-boost cycle for so few dishes.  After all, this is supposed to be THE latest in energy saving technology in dishwashers!

But in addition to these things, there are a few other things about this particular model I dislike.

Since it's a bar dishwasher, I run it on the LIGHT cycle.  That cycle lasts 90 minutes!  WTF?  Also, it has NO rinse/hold feature.  Thirdly, since I have the black model, the control panel is also black.  And the engineer who designed the control panel has obviously never operated a BLACK dishwasher or he would NOT have put the START button right next to the DELAY START button.  You guessed it - pressed the wrong button, it lit up, and I walked away - came back 3 hours later and it hadn't run.

I HATE THIS DISHWASHER!  I am back to handwashing my wine glasses so they won't be spotty, and some days I just hand wash the rest of the stuff (which doesn't even fill the top rack) by hand.  Then I kick the dishwasher in the shin!

Hope this helps you if you're in the market for a mid-range (price) dishwasher.  I wouldn't have another one of these if it were free!