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Tuesday, March 19th
Frigidaire has three series of dishwashers. Their basic series is , well, pretty basic - and pretty loud. Their middle series has nice added features, such as the third rack, an adjustable middle rack, an optional 34-minute cleaning cycle, a door that stays put when open, and is a bit quieter than the national average dishwasher level of noise. The Professional Model has fun features like a floor beam to notify you if the machine is running or finished, an even shorter quick cycle, and individual sprayers for stubborn soil on glasses or bottles. This brand has good cleaning, nice features on the middle- and higher-level models, but some customers complain that Frigidaire lacks effectiveness with respect to drying capabilities.
History
Frigidaire has been around for quite some time and is a household trusted tradition. From 1919 to 1979, Frigidaire was owned by General Motors. In 1986 it was purchased by its European parent company, Electrolux.
Frigidaire
This basic dishwasher model, called simply Frigidaire, boasts what they call a 5-level wash system which has an upper spray nozzle, middle arm, and lower arm. The Energy Saver Dry Option allows drying without heat and can fit up to 14 place settings at a time. It's not Energy Star certified and has a sound level of 62 decibels (dBA). The average sound level for standard dishwashers is 52 decibels, so this machine is quite loud for an appliance.
Gallery Collection
All the dishwashers in this series offer their fingerprint-resistant, stainless steel finish. They feature Frigidaire's OrbitClean Wash System that can reach all dishes from multiple angles to get off the stuck-on food from even hard-to-reach places on the rack. They have the SpaceWise Organization System with manually-adjustable top rack to raise and lower it, and an oversized silverware basket. There's a 34-minute quick-wash cycle to save time and energy. The Stay-Put Door System ensures the door stays where you put it, no matter the angle, so it doesn't drop to the floor, pop up on your arm, or flip up to hit the open top rack. It comes in stainless or black stainless, and you can choose a pocket handle or bar handle. This series is Energy Star Certified and has a sound level of 49 decibels, slightly quieter than the national standard average of 52 decibels.
Professional Model
The single-model "series" is the Professional and includes the EvenDry System, and Frigidaire boasts that it comes "remarkably dry" with this feature. A third, top rack is included for oddly-shaped items that might not otherwise fit well, such as certain lids; or it can hold long or various serving utensils. With the short tines, you can even line up your silverware - so they can "spoon" with just enough space between them for a good clean- and you can take them out conveniently for easy storage in your drawer. This model can also clean your dishes quickly with a 30-minute cycle.
Unique Features
A unique feature is the individualized spray jets that you can turn on when a glass or bowl is over it, so the inside gets special attention from the water stream. The extra fancy feature is a light beam which shines on the floor to let you know from a distance if the machine is running or when your dishes are clean. This model is Energy Star certified and its loudness is at 47 decibels, lower than the 52 decibel standard average. Forty-seven decibels isn't considered quiet by industry standards, so although it is nice to have the light beam on the floor, you may still be able to hear the cycles and not need the blue-light visual.
They're energy savers
Even at the entry-level models, there's an Energy Saver Dry Option where you can dry without adding heat and raising your electric bill.
Having a party
All models can fit 14 place settings per load. That's a lot of dishes, so there shouldn't be that pile left over on the counter to wait for when you can finally unload then load the dishwasher back up again. Most brands these days can hold 14 place settings or more; and although it's not super huge per se, you may still be able to fit more dishes than an older model you may currently have.
Easy to fit dishes or glassware
The top rack is manually adjustable. So if you have tall stemware or vases, just move the rack down a bit. Large plates and cookware? No problem: move the top rack higher. This feature is on the Gallery Collection and higher.
The handle is important
Some people like the bar as a handle. It looks fancy and may coordinate with the handles of your other appliances. Some people like the pocket handle for its sleekness and for budget purposes, as it tends to be a lower-cost feature. Keep in mind that some homes have a set of drawers that come close to the dishwasher, and you might want a pocket door so a protruding handle doesn't get in the way of drawers opening or closing. With Frigidaire, you can choose the pocket or handle.
Cost
An upgraded feature of a third rack
The option of a third, top rack, is offered on the higher models of Frigidaire. You can line up silverware for ease of removing them from the rack and placing them in the same order in the drawer. A third rack is wonderful for odd-shaped, or long cooking utensils like cooking tongs. Or small items like paring knives that get lost in the silverware basket are perfect for the top rack. The thin, plastic lids that always fall through the rack? Lay it flat on the top rack - problem solved.
Hard to clean glasses or bottles?
No worries. Sometimes these are hard to clean if the glassware is narrow or has had liquid dry in it. No worries: the higher-end Frigidaire models have small jets placed sporadically on the top rack. Place the glassware over a jet and the glass gets complete attention.
Look Ma, no fingerprints!
Frigidaire dishwashers come standard with smudge-proof protection on the door. Stainless steel appliances are known for attracting nasty fingerprints. With Frigidaire, all dishwashers come smudge-proof, whether stainless or black stainless, so you spend less time obsessing over cleaning appliance fronts and more time doing what you want.
Our favorite Frigidaire
We liked the high-end model Gallery FGID2479SF, as it's Energy Star rated, has a stainless steel tub, third rack, adjustable upper rack, and fold-down tines. It has the OrbitClean wash system, an upgraded fan-assist drying system, and a green LED floor beam indicator light to let you know when the cycle is finished. It's pretty quiet for a Frigidaire at about 49 decibels.
Warranty
Electrolux, Frigidaire's parent company, offers a limited, one-year warranty, starting on the date of purchase. Electrolux will pay for all costs to repair or replace any parts which are proven to be defective, whether by the materials or the workmanship when they install the appliance. You can also purchase an extended warranty. Frigidaire has an excellent reputation for lasting longer than ten years, so you might not find yourself switching out the appliance until well after the ten-year mark, and the extended warranty might be something to consider.
What doesn't it include?
As with many factory warranties, Frigidaire's doesn't include "everyday wear and tear," rust, repairs done by someone who's not authorized by Electrolux, appliances that have been improperly installed by someone unauthorized by Electrolux, and more. Be sure to read the fine print when you purchase your product, but most of this is pretty standard. Also be sure to register your product with Electrolux to prove that your request for repair is within the year of purchase as well as to be sure to receive updates in case of any recalls.
Solid option for dishwashers
Frigidaire is a good dishwasher with nice features on the better models. They are reasonably priced, can last up to ten years, have good reviews on their cleaning capabilities, but they lack in their drying capabilities.
Most of us don't think too much about our dishwasher. We load the dishes, it cleans, we empty. But when the dishes aren't coming out as clean as they should, it's taking more rinsing to get all the food off, you're drying your dishes by hand because the machine doesn't, or if the coating on the tines is chipping off, you might start thinking about replacing your appliance for one that holds up and maybe has some nice features that you deserve.
Did you know there are three types of dishwashers? There's built-in, countertop, and drawer. Built-in dishwashers are the traditional dishwashers most of us have had in our homes. They are full-sized or even narrow and apartment-sized, and are slid in below the counter. Counter-top dishwashers can be found in Europe and are just that - they are small and fit on the counter. The drawer models are shallow and fit below the counter. Because they are the most common type, we will look at only the built-in models.
Think about what you want in your new appliance. You'll obviously want a dishwasher that does a good job of washing your dishes. There are a lot of fun features you can have, such as a third rack, lights, and smart capabilities, but if the machine doesn't do a good job of actually washing your dishes, what's the point of any of the bells and whistles?
So once you choose a brand that you like, you can select your wish list features such as the third, top rack; a quick-wash cycle; a delay start; self-cleaning filters - yes, you should know if you need to clean your filters for maintenance, which is typical; food pulverizers; interior components made of stainless steel to promote longevity; child locks; sanitizer settings; sustainable materials; special jets under the silverware caddy; and smart capabilities, so you can control the dishwasher from your phone or smart home system.
And that's just the beginning. Here are several other criteria to keep in mind as you shop for your new kitchen appliance:
To help you make this important purchasing decision, Top Consumer Reviews has evaluated today's most popular dishwasher brands. If you're done spending too much time pre-washing your dishes, continually re-arranging them because the rack and tine design is poor, drying them after the dishwasher supposedly dried them, or re-washing after the clumps of old food just don't come off after a full cycle, do consider a new dishwasher. You can save a lot of time by not pre-washing, post-washing, and drying. And with all that extra time, you could relax reading a book or watching your favorite show while a super quiet dishwasher does all the work while making virtually no noise.
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