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DEAL WATCH: Keurig K-Express | 22% off $69.99

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  • Introduction

  • Front

  • Finish

  • Controls

  • Interior

  • Top Rack

  • Bottom Rack

  • Cutlery Basket

  • Electricity Use

  • Water Use

  • Yearly Running Cost

  • Washing Speed

  • Washing Performance

  • Quick Wash Cycle

  • Normal Wash Cycle

  • Heavy/Pots & Pans Wash Cycle

  • Washing Cycles

  • Customization

  • Additional Wash Options

  • Capacity

  • Wash Arms & Filters

  • Lower Dish Rack

  • Upper Dish Rack

  • Cutlery Holder

  • Detergent Dispenser

  • Ease of Use

  • Noise

  • Controls

  • Efficiency

  • Washing Performance

  • Features

  • Introduction
  • Front
  • Finish
  • Controls
  • Interior
  • Top Rack
  • Bottom Rack
  • Cutlery Basket
  • Electricity Use
  • Water Use
  • Yearly Running Cost
  • Washing Speed
  • Washing Performance
  • Quick Wash Cycle
  • Normal Wash Cycle
  • Heavy/Pots & Pans Wash Cycle
  • Washing Cycles
  • Customization
  • Additional Wash Options
  • Capacity
  • Wash Arms & Filters
  • Lower Dish Rack
  • Upper Dish Rack
  • Cutlery Holder
  • Detergent Dispenser
  • Ease of Use
  • Noise
  • Controls
  • Efficiency
  • Washing Performance
  • Features

Introduction

With a sleek interface, superior wash performance, and impressive energy efficiency, the {{product.name}} is a solid option for most home dishwashing needs. While it’s not the most intuitively designed machine, we don’t imagine you’ll have many complaints. And for around $600, even its few shortcomings are unlikely to weigh on you.

Front

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Placement of the control panel is a subjective matter. We tend to prefer interfaces located on the top of the door, but the simple design of the {{product.model}}’s front control panel is about as tasteful as it comes.

The front of the GE CDWT980VSS.

Finish

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The stainless steel finish is smooth, but not entirely fingerprint-free. A quick rubdown from time to time will help toward that end.

Controls

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As mentioned, the control panel is simply designed, with each of the options and push buttons clearly labeled. The grey tone also meshes well with the stainless steel finish.

Interior

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The stainless steel washtub is familiar to anyone who has ever used or seen a {{product.brand.name}} or Maytag dishwasher. Our main beef was with the design and construction of the racks, particularly the bottom one.

The CDWT980VSS with door open.

Top Rack

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The top rack has four rows of tines, plus a number of angled spindles for optimum capacity. The rack itself feels pretty sturdy, even if its attachment to the wash tub seems a bit flimsy.

The top rack of the CDWT980VSS.

Bottom Rack

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The bottom rack was designed in such a way that the cutlery basket can only be placed in one location. Also, the lack of adjustability made for a somewhat limited dish capacity. We often had trouble fitting certain dishes, particularly large bowls and ceramic serving plates.

The bottom rack of the CDWT980VSS.

Cutlery Basket

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The cutlery basket is standard-issue {{product.brand.name}}—plenty of flexibility and adjustability to fit all manner of silverware and kitchen utensils. We little to no problems with the cutlery basket design, other than the inability to position it elsewhere in the bottom rack.

The CDWT980VSS cutlery basket.

Electricity Use

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Our tests revealed that the {{product.model}} demanded 0.72 kWh on the Normal cycle. This figure went up to 0.84 kWh on the Heavy, and down to 0.36 kWh on the 1-Hour Wash. This makes for an electricity cost of roughly 4 to 9 cents per cycle, depending on the option.

chart

Water Use

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While the 1-Hour Wash and Heavy cycles consumed a considerable amount of hot water—5.08 and 7.71 gallons respectively, the Normal wash used a mere 2.84 gallons. This dramatically helped the machine’s overall efficiency scores. It also makes for an average water cost of only 3 cents per wash on the Normal cycle.

Yearly Running Cost

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The {{product.model}} is efficient when it comes to electricity use, but the machine’s impressive score stems mainly from the Normal cycle’s bare water consumption. In all, the above figures calculate to a yearly operating cost of $27.61. This is based on a total cost per wash of 11 cents on the 1-Hour and Normal cycles, and 20 cents on the Heavy.

Washing Speed

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The 1-Hour Wash lived up to its promise and clocked in at 59 minutes, while the Normal and Heavy cycles took much longer to complete—144 and 195 minutes, respectively. The Eco wash took 91 minutes to finish.

chart

Washing Performance

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While the Normal cycle performed decently, the true gem was the Heavy wash. However, the considerable amount of time, water, and energy this cycle demands brings to question how often it should be used.

Quick Wash Cycle

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Like most quick washes, the 1-Hour Wash sacrifices energy efficiency—and sometimes performance—in favor of speed. For that reason, some consumers care little about this extra feature, but the {{product.model}} seems to have performed slightly above average in this regard. It struggled on our dried spinach and burnt milk tests, but it did much better on our dried oatmeal and meat stains—such that it surpassed most competing quick cycles.

Normal Wash Cycle

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The Normal wash was much more impressive—if also more time-consuming. While our dried tea stains proved difficult to remove, the minced meat and oatmeal tests performed well. We also tested the Normal cycle with the Sani Rinse option engaged and found it reached a peak temperature of 157.1 degrees Fahrenheit, which is sufficient to kill bacteria.

Normal Cycle

Heavy/Pots & Pans Wash Cycle

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By far the most impressive wash option, the Heavy cycle was perfect in our burnt sugar, egg, and margarine tests. On the second pass it nearly aced each stain category—save for spinach, lipstick, cheese and lasagna. It was especially impressive on protein-based stains such as meat, egg, and milk. However, as it took over three hours to complete and consumed a considerable amount of water and energy, you may not want to run this cycle too often.

Pots & Pans Cycle

Washing Cycles

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In addition to the basic 1-Hour, Normal, and Heavy cycles, the {{product.model}} features an Eco wash that conserves water and energy consumption, as well as a “Sensor” cycle that gauges the amount of food stains in the wash tub and uses a corresponding amount of water and power to clean them.

Customization

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Each of the wash options can be added on to a given cycle—although not all of them can be added to certain cycles.

Additional Wash Options

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The wash options, which are the customization options as well, include: Hi-Temp Wash, Sani Rinse, Heat Dry (Eco or High), and a Delay of 2, 4, or 8 hours. There is also a lock that can be used to stave off pesky children.

Capacity

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We were able to fit 10 place settings, including a serving setting. While the lower rack was somewhat frustratingly designed, with limited flexibility and no adjustability, this is still a very average score.

Top Rack

Bottom Rack

Wash Arms & Filters

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The wash arms are pretty standard—two beneath each rack, plus a third above the top rack. The removable filter, while convenient to clean and easy to remove, was less so in putting it back in the tub. Many a frustrating moment we had trying to insert the large, course filter back into its holder. This isn’t too big a deal, though, as many consumers rarely even clean out their filters (we’d recommend doing so from time to time).

The CDWT980VSS wash arms.

The DW 14140 upper wash arm

The CDWT980VSS filter.

Lower Dish Rack

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We had a few qualms with the lower rack, mainly in regards to its design. Beyond the fact that they are not adjustable, the six rows of vertical tines were placed in such a way that made for an inflexible loading pattern. This reduced its overall capacity and made loading large or bulky dishware more difficult. We also noticed that rapid removal or insertion of the rack caused the wheels to come off-track, which is frustrating when trying to start a cycle in a hurry. This could prove much more disastrous with a full load, so be careful.

The bottom rack of the CDWT980VSS.

Upper Dish Rack

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The upper dish rack was much more user-friendly, even though it also lacked adjustability. The layout design was just more responsive to loading glassware, mugs, and small bowls, even if the rack itself was a bit shaky.

The top rack of the CDWT980VSS.

Cutlery Holder

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The cutlery basket was flexible, adjustable, and just plain straightforward. Our only beef was with the inability to place it anywhere else within the lower rack.

The CDWT980VSS cutlery basket.

Detergent Dispenser

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There is only one measuring line for the detergent dispenser itself. A removable Rinse Aid cap is situated next to the main dispenser. It also includes a gauge for determining when more needs to be added.

The CDWT980VSS detergent dispenser.

Ease of Use

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The controls are all very easy to use, as are the detergent dispenser, cutlery basket, and upper rack. We found the lower rack to a bit more of a hassle. Of course, this isn’t a deal-breaker, but it’s worth noting.

Noise

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The {{product.model}} is a pretty quiet machine. With other appliances running in the same room, you’d be hard-pressed to tell if it’s even operating (aside from the little blue lights indicating that it’s in-use).

Controls

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The controls are all straightforward and easy to understand. There are blue lights corresponding to each selection, and the push buttons themselves are all simple and responsive.

Efficiency

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One of the most efficient machines we’ve tested, the {{product.model}} is particularly conservative when it comes to water use, as the Normal cycle consumed a mere 2.84 gallons of hot water. Our testing calculated out to an average yearly operating cost of $27.61—well below most other dishwashers in its class.

Washing Performance

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The {{product.model}} was most impressive in the Heavy and 1-Hour washes. The Normal cycle was also good, but it was mostly average. While the Heavy cycle was fairly inefficient, it came close to perfection in one of our passes, and the 1-Hour Wash was one of the strongest performing quick cycles we’ve tested.

Features

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The range of features available in the {{product.model}} is pretty standard. You get the Sanitize rinse, heated dry, delay (2, 4, or 8 hours), and high-temperature rinse. Beyond these familiar options, there is the {{product.brand.name}} standard “Sensor” cycle, which conveniently determines the correct level of wash intensity on its own.

Meet the tester

Tyler Wells Lynch

Tyler Wells Lynch

Contributor

@tylerwellslynch

Tyler Wells Lynch is a freelance writer and journalist whose work has appeared in Vice, Wirecutter, Gizmodo, The Rumpus, Yes!, and the Huffington Post, among others. He lives in Maine.

See all of Tyler Wells Lynch's reviews

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