GE PDWT280VSS 24 in. Built-In Stainless Steel Dishwasher Review

Introduction

Front

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The front door is made of stainless steel with a sturdy handle that arcs downward like a bow (hence the frown analogy). There’s also a unique indented lip at the top of the door, which is kind of cool, and a small light in the upper right corner that indicates when the machine is in operation.

Finish

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The stainless steel finish is smooth to the touch and highly reflective. We imagine it will work well in most modern kitchen layouts.

Controls

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We were big fans of this control panel. Sadly, it may be the crowning achievement of the {{product.model}}. The white indicator lights on each button are really unique, and are so subtle in their luminance that they almost look painted on. We just thought this was really cool. The layout seems a bit sprawled and random, but everything is clearly labeled and easy to operate.

Interior

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The stainless steel interior is pretty standard, but the dark tone of the dish racks offers a unique approach to wash tub design. Since the baskets are also very sturdy we thought this a solid touch.

Top Rack

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Both racks are made of a sturdy metal with a dark grey coating. As for the top rack, the layout includes two rows of tines, plus angles for keeping dishware in place. There are also two collapsible cutlery holders on the left side of the rack.

Bottom Rack

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The bottom rack is built with the same material and includes four rows of angled tines. The grid layout was a tad sparse, but it didn’t really inhibit capacity.

Cutlery Basket

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The plastic cutlery basket includes five interior bays, all of which are encased by removable lids with utensil holders. The angles of these holders are a bit curious, but there’s certainly plenty of room for silverware and other kitchen accessories.

Electricity Use

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The China, Normal, and Sanitize cycles consumed 0.47, 0.74, and 1.17 kWh, respectively. This averages out to between 5 and 12 cents per wash, depending on the cycle, and by no means is that cheap.

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Water Use

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Most inefficient dishwashers score poorly because of either excessive water use or high energy consumption. Unfortunately, the {{product.model}} features both. While the 5.23 gallon Normal cycle is fairly average (but by no means stellar), the China wash used a whopping 8.02 gallons of hot water. This may help keep your finest Baccarat crystal spotless, but it isn't very good for the environment. The Sanitize cycle commanded even more water: 9.35 gallons. This makes for a water cost of 2 to 4 cents per wash.

Yearly Running Cost

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If you were to use the Normal cycle 50 percent of the time (at $0.15 per wash) while splitting the other two main cycles evenly, you could expect the {{product.model}} to run up your utility bill by about $37.02 a year. This is pretty high for a dishwasher, and doesn’t seem justified by the cleaning power.

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Washing Speed

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At roughly 47 minutes, the China cycle is pretty speedy, but we don’t imagine owners will be using this option very much. Still, the Normal cycle was a mere 81 minutes, and the Sanitize wash 108. While these speeds may be enticing, we still didn’t think them worth the sub-par wash.

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Washing Performance

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After reviewing {{product.brand.name}}’s stellar GLDT696TSS, we expected the {{product.brand.name}} to be at least comparable in performance, especially considering the lofty price tag. Unfortunately, it was just lacking—no matter what the cycle.

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Quick Wash Cycle

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The {{product.model}} doesn’t have a quick wash, per se. But the China cycle may be a decent alternative for small loads that are very lightly soiled. Keep in mind, though, that it consumes a massive amount of water.

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Normal Wash Cycle

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The Normal wash reached sufficiently high temperatures to perform well on our egg and meat tests (proteins require high temps to clean), but the water pressure and agitation wasn’t enough to adequately rinse out our spinach and milk stains (in which we dry spinach and milk to bowls and glasses, respectively). What’s more, performance proved inconsistent across multiple wash cycles, although not to the point of being major concern (see: Blomberg DW14140 NBLOO).

Normal Cycle

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Heavy/Pots & Pans Wash Cycle

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Like the quick cycle, the {{product.brand.name}}{{product.model}} lacks a traditional “heavy” or “pots & pans” cycle. So in its place we tested the Sanitize wash, which the manual describes as good for “light to heavy” food soils. While the it reached high enough temperatures to kill off germs (157.3 degrees Fahrenheit), it still suffered in our milk and spinach stains. It was, however, considerably better than the Normal cycle.

Pots & Pans Cycle
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Washing Cycles

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Auto, Sanitize, Normal, China. These four cycles should handle must of your home dishwashing needs, but once again, for such a heavy price we were hoping for at least a quick wash.

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Customization

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There are a few nifty customization features. The Steam option, which is neat, adds some 26 extra minutes to cycle times and is intended for heavily soiled dishware. There’s also a Heated Dry feature and an Added Heat option. Finally, with the Delay button you can choose to postpone the start of your wash by 2, 4, or 8 hours.

Additional Wash Options

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The China cycle is really it in terms of extra wash options. We found this wash to be surprisingly inefficient, as it used 8.02 gallons of hot water, but it lasts a mere 45 minutes or so. {{product.brand.name}}, why no rinse option?

Capacity

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The {{product.model}} fit 10 place settings (including a serving setting), which is pretty standard, if not above average. While the machine’s capacity is fairly high, the awkward design of the racks made for a somewhat precarious dish load.

Top Rack

Bottom Rack

Wash Arms & Filters

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The awkwardly large wash arms were bulky enough to make it difficult to clean out the bottom of the wash tub. They were also made from a cheap, flimsy plastic. This design oversight made it difficult to get at the filter, which worked well but was difficult to clean. Furthermore, the heating element at the base of the tub may catch washed-off food soils and cause a nasty smell.

Lower Dish Rack

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Both racks are extremely sturdy, and their black finish offers a unique design element (albeit a somewhat unnecessary one). Our main complaint was with the lack of adjustability. We were also a bit frustrated with the grid layout, which was overly spacious and forced us to get creative in loading dishes.

Upper Dish Rack

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Like the bottom rack, the top basket was sturdy and lacking in adjustability. However, the layout seemed much more sensible, as we didn’t have any trouble fitting glasses, small bowls, and coffee mugs.

Cutlery Holder

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Unlike the dish racks, the cutlery basket is plastic and feels cheap. It also looks cheap. But then again, ornate cutlery baskets just seem extravagant and impractical. This one is spacious and includes five interior bays, each with their own removable lid. What’s more, if you’re into stable silverware, each of the lids includes individual holders for forks, knives, and spoons.

Detergent Dispenser

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It's run of the mill: There are two lines for measuring detergent (if that’s your thing), and a rinse aid dispenser with removable cap.

Ease of Use

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We didn’t have many complaints regarding usability. Everything is fairly practical, other than the lower rack design, but even that was a negligible issue. The controls were also very easy to use and even a little fun to push (ooooh! look at the pretty lights!).

Noise

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This machine is very quiet—like, put-your-ear-next-to-it-to-see-if-it’s-still-running quiet. If you live in a one-room apartment, a studio, or if for some odd reason you like sleeping in your kitchen, or if you’re just flat-out zany and use your dishwasher as a bedside table, then you won’t have any complaints about the noise.

Controls

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We really liked this control panel. It just looks cool; maybe that's the difference between a {{product.brand.name}} and a {{product.brand.name}}{{product.brand.name}}. The niftiest part about it is the subtle white light on each of the buttons. There’s also a small light on the upper right corner of the front to indicate when the machine is in use, which is important considering how quiet it is. More on that below.

Efficiency

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Some people couldn’t care less about efficiency, but it’s worth noting that this machine is quite the consumer. Through our measurements, we estimated that the {{product.model}}'s Normal cycle costs about 15 cents per wash, and the Sanitize about 25 cents. We also determined that this will cost about $37.02 per year to operate. Compare that to $30.91 on the GE GLDT696TSS or $24.22 on the Asko D5434XLS.

Washing Performance

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The {{product.model}} didn’t perform poorly, but there were plenty of leftover stains to give anyone a headache. Although it lacks a quick cycle, the Normal wash performed like one: large blotches of spinach, flakes of dried milk, faint impressions of oatmeal. Once again, it wasn’t bad—we just wanted more for the price. The Sanitize cycle was better, but you shouldn't have to rely on it for a normal wash.

Features

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The customization features are pretty cool, and we imagine they’ll come in handy. There’s a delay, a Heated Dry, a Steam feature, and an Added Heat option—all of which can be added to individual cycles. However, this {{product.brand.name}} is definitely lacking in the cycle department: There’s just Normal, Sanitize, Auto, and China. No quick cycle? Denied!