GE Dishwasher bit the dust

[human]

So, my GE Nautilus dishwasher decided to quit draining, and yesterday, I took the inlet and outlet covers off, which was a real chore, and what was underneath was totally gross. From all visual evidence, things should have been working much better after I cleared all that stuff out and water could flow more freely, but when I loaded the machine up and turned it on, nothing happened. I could hear relays turning on and off, but the cycle wouldn't start.

Frustrated, I went to a nearby Lowe's Outlet, where scratch-n-dent, out-of-box and return items go to die, to see what might be available on the cheap, and found a nice Whirlpool with a stainless steel interior and hidden controls (see photos) for what seemed like a decent price. I'm going to pick it up this afternoon and will install it this weekend. Not how I was looking forward to spending my Saturday, but oh well...

After I got home from purchasing the dishwasher, I heated up some leftovers for supper and just for fun, I pushed the 'Start' button on the old dishwasher. It took almost ten minutes, but it finally started up and went through its cycle, but it still didn't drain. I didn't really want to buy a dishwasher, but when I factored in the cost of getting a technician out to the house to fix the existing one, which is a little over 20 years old, it wasn't a whole lot more to go ahead and replace it. I'm just hoping the new one will give good service. It's definitely a much nicer machine than the contractor grade unit it's replacing, and easily the nicest one I've ever owned.

 

[human]

The new dishwasher is almost in place. It's all hooked up, but it needs to slide back another inch or so to fit properly, but it's catching on something. Also, the water inlet line has a very small drip that needs to be addressed. I'll probably end up doing what I did before and seal it with RTV silicone. Crude, but effective. I sincerely hope I don't have to go through this again anytime soon, although as I get older, I can see the time coming when I'll have to admit it's a younger man's game and just hire it done. Maybe I should have done that this time.

 

[kirbylux77]

Good idea to go ahead and replace the GE with the Whirlpool, Edgar. Not only would the cost to have a appliance technician come out and repair the GE would have been close to what a new one would cost, but at 20 years old it wouldn't have much of a service life left. At that point, out the old one goes - replacement makes much more sense!

 

[human]

Finally! The diswasher is installed...

Wow! That was a chore. A guy came by Sunday to look at it, but he didn't have the proper tools with him. He was supposed to come Monday afternoon, but he didn't make it until yesterday. He replaced the copper water line with a modern, flexible line, but he couldn't seem to get it connected up to the dishwasher. He came back this morning with a helper, who got everything buttoned up in about 10 minutes.

I haven't run the dishwasher yet. I'll do that this evening after dinner. That was the fifth dishwasher I've tried to put in, and the only one where I had to call in reinforcements. In a perverse way, I feel better knowing that dishwasher was as vexing to a professional as it had been to me. That thing better last a good, long time.

 

[human]

Successful Maiden run...

Just a quick update: I ran the new dishwasher after supper last night, even though it was only about half full. I was immediately impressed with how quiet it is. Standing there in the kitchen with it running, I could barely hear it. I will say that doing a normal wash cycle with heated drying took an inordinately long time, but when I checked the results this morning, everything was super clean, even dishes that had sat out on the counter for a week and had not been rinsed.

The only thing I'm a bit baffled about is the hidden controls, mounted on the top of the door, so they're obscured by the edge of the countertop. If I had not had a clearance issue with an adjacent cabinet door, I would have left the front sticking out an extra inch so the controls were accessible; but alas, that was not an option, since to do so would have prevented me from opening one of the cabinets under the sink. All in all, I'm satisfied and very relieved that it works properly.

The question now is how to dispose of the old one, which has been sitting on my deck for a week.

 

[panasonicvac]

Nice dishwasher

I've read on this sister site automaticwasher.org of how much users praise for Whirlpool dishwashers. Even I've used a newer KitchenAid version and really like it. If I had to replace my old KitchenAid, I think I'd get another one. But I also have my eyes on Bosch since that's what my local appliance technician recommended, I got an LG washer and dryer because of him and it's been the best laundry set in the house.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

Best of luck with it!

And, looks like a super price!  Good for you!!


 

 

[dysonman1]

I recently had to replace my 33 year old KitchenAid with a brand new Sharp dishwasher (stainless inside and out). I love how the new machines sit in their own 'pan' so if they drip it doesn't leak onto the floor. I also love the front connection for the water line. So easy to get to. I bought a new installation kit, and did the new flexible water line myself. With no help, I had the old KitchenAid out (boy was it heavy) and the new Sharp installed in about 3 hours total.

My In-Laws had a Whirlpool for 16 years. They bought a new KitchenAid about a year ago and are overjoyed with it.

I just wish the new machines didn't take 3 hours (and I also wish they used more water) - but everything comes out clean in the new Sharp.

Congratulations on your new machine.

 

[human]

I agree. The new dishwasher seemed to take an inordinate amount of time for a normal/heated dry cycle, but the end result was worth the wait. I thought the whole interior was stainless steel, but it turns out only the inside of the door is stainless. The tub is black plastic with a pewter colored finish on the inside. I can't say I'm all that disappointed.

 

[human]

The city came yesterday and hauled the old GE dishwasher away. I'm glad not to have it cluttering my deck anymore. I'm getting close to running the new dishwasher for the second time. It's just me, so it takes a while to generate enough dirty dishes to warrant running it. I'm still trying to figure out the most efficient way to load it. One feature I miss from the previous Whirlpool dishwasher I had is the silverware tray mounted in the door. This one presents the option of placing it across the front of the lower rack, or along the right side, the latter being the default. I think I'm going to try it this time across the front, just to see if that way is any more space efficient, in terms of placement of dishes in the lower rack. My guess is it'll be six of one, half dozen of the other.