ProductReportCard Editors' In-Depth Review
Pros And Cons
Pros
- Relatively affordable
- Exceptionally quiet operation
- Good cleaning performance and features sensor technology and a food disposer
- Many customers love the adjustable rack system
- Attractive, modern design with a coated stainless steel finish that is easy to keep clean
- Stainless steel tub helps to dry contents faster and more efficiently
- Concealed control panel and child lock convenient for households with small children
- Control panel indicates when rinse aid is low
Cons
- Many complaints about manufacturing quality and the dishwasher being repair-prone
- Very short limited warranty (1-year)
- Pre-rinsing dishes may be required and filter seems to need regular manual cleaning
- Many complaints about the lower rack being poorly designed and falling off its tracks easily
- Many complaints about soap dispenser door not opening properly. (While some customers didn't realize it, this issue is caused by a poor design that put the dispenser too close to the dishes, which can obstruct its door from opening.)
- Some complaints about the bottom of the silverware basket wearing out. Silverware that dropped through would then block the spray arm
- Heating element is uncovered and will melt any plastic that falls through the racks
- No water softener
- Concealed control panel may make it difficult or impossible to see time remaining in the cycle (no status indicator)
- A few reports that the dishwasher isn't flush with 24" cabinetry
- Some customers felt the wash cycles were long
Key Features
Dishwasher Type
The FPHD2491KF is a full-size, built-in dishwasher.
Product Size
It measures 24" x 25" (W x D). Its height ranges from 34" - 35", and its depth with the door open at 90° is 49.25". It weighs 78 pounds.
Capacity
It has enough capacity for 14 place settings.
Cleaning Technology
To ensure an exceptional cleaning and maximize useable capacity, the FPHD2491KF features DishSense™ sensor technology and a 5-level direct feed wash system with 2 stainless steel spray arms and a dual stainless steel filtration system (a manual filter and a self-cleaning food disposer).
Wash Cycles & Options
The 6 wash cycles include "PowerPlus®" (heaviest wash), "Normal", "Light", "Energy Saver", "China Crystal" and "Rinse Only". If you select a "PowerPlus®", "Normal" or "Light" wash, you also have the option to add a "Sanitize" step to the cycle. It is an NSF® certified sanitization process that uses 155° water in the final rinse to remove 99.9% of common household bacteria. With a "Normal" or "Light" wash, you could also opt to include a "Hi-Temp Wash", which uses 140® water to more effectively clean away food residue. ("Hi-Temp Wash" is automatically selected in the "PowerPlus®" cycle.)
Dry Cycles
The dishwasher defaults to a heated dry unless you want to select the more energy efficient "Air Dry" option. The tub is stainless steel, so it naturally retains heat and helps to condense water droplets to make the dry cycle faster and more efficient.
Control Panel
It has a fully-integrated, ProSelect™ touchpad control panel that is concealed. From the control panel, you can program the wash cycle and start time, and you can also see when the rinse aid is low. The control panel doesn't show which stage of the wash cycle the dishwasher is in, but it has a digital display that counts down the estimated time remaining in the cycle. The number of minutes is subject to change mid-cycle, however, if the Smart Sensor detects food/residue remaining.
Delay Wash
Yes, you can delay the start of a wash cycle between 1 hour and 24 hours.
Cycle Times
Including dry time, here are some timing estimates for different wash cycles:
- "PowerPlus®" wash cycle ranges from about 100 - 150 minutes.*
- "Normal" wash cycle ranges from about 105 - 130 minutes.*
- "Light" wash cycle ranges from about 105 - 130 minutes.*
- "China Crystal" wash cycle is about 87 minutes.
- "Energy Saver" wash cycle is about 100 minutes.
- "Rinse Only" cycle is about 19 minutes.
* The cycle times for PowerPlus®, Normal and Light washes will vary depending on the detected soil level, the options you select and the temperature of the incoming water.
Rack System
Its SpaceWise® Organization system offers a flexible 2-rack storage and a large silverware basket with multiple compartments. The adjustable upper rack can be 9" - 7" high and has 2 cup shelves with foldable bowl tines and stemware holders. The lower rack can have 11" - 13" of overhead space and has 2 rows of foldable tines. The racks are all coated with Nylon TufRacks™ for enhanced durability, and it has an extra-large silverware basket that is able to hold over 180 items.
Power
The dishwasher is ENERGY STAR® certified and uses 280 kWh/year. Frigidaire estimates that it will cost about $23 a year to run (estimate based on natural gas water heater, 4 wash loads per week and average electricity costs from 2007).
Noise
The FPHD2491KF dishwasher features the ultra-quiet SilentDesign™ Sound Package. Its decibel level is about 51.0 dB (as a point of reference, some people equate this noise level to a normal conversation between 2 people who are 3 feet apart).
Product Design
It has a contemporary look with a flat, smooth exterior and a concealed, digital control panel. Its door has a pull latch handle design and will stay in place at any angle. It is only available in a stainless steel finish, but the stainless steel has a protective coating on it that helps reduces the appearance of fingerprints/smudges and makes it easy to clean.
Warranty
The FPHD2491KF dishwasher is covered by a 1-year limited warranty.
Reputation
The Frigidaire Professional 24" Built-In Dishwasher (FPHD2491KF) has received very mixed reviews from customers online including a 3.8/5 on HomeDepot.com (69 reviews), a 4.06/5 on Frigidaire.com (63 reviews), a 3.6/5 on BestBuy.com (63 reviews), a 2.8/5 on Lowes.com (55 reviews), a 4.2/5 on AJMadison.com (32 reviews), a 5/5 on Applianceconnection.com (25 reviews) and a 2/5 on Amazon.com (20 reviews). Among Best Buy customers, 63% said they would recommend the FPHD2491KF dishwasher to a friend, while only 44% of Lowes' customers said they would recommend it. A lot of customers were happy with the FPHD2491KF's cleaning performance, exceptionally low noise level, sleek appearance and flexible storage, but there were also many customers who were extremely dissatisfied with the dishwasher.
Some of the biggest complaints were related to major repairs and design flaws inside the dishwasher that hindered its performance. Anecdotal feedback from customers indicated faulty motors, pumps and control panels that started to cause problems even within the first year of owning the dishwasher. A 2012 Consumer Reports Annual Product Reliability survey confirmed that Frigidaire dishwashers are the 3rd most repair-prone dishwashers among major brands. In a 2012 JD Power & Associates survey on customer satisfaction with different dishwasher manufacturers, Frigidaire also received lower than average marks in overall customer satisfaction (2/5).
In terms of design flaws, there were multiple complaints about the lower rack coming off its tracks, about the overall durability of the rack system/silverware basket (rusting and breaking), and about the exposed heating element melting plastic utensils that fall through the racks. While there were also complaints about the soap dispenser door occasionally not opening properly due to its proximity to the lower rack, it seems like that problem could be remedied by loading dishes away from the dispenser. Another small issue that came up, which may or may not be a concern for all customers, is the fact that you can't see the concealed control panel when the dishwasher is running without opening the door.
Overall, the FPHD2491KF is a relatively inexpensive, attractive and quiet dishwasher, and you might be able to avoid some of the issues other customers have faced if you don't mind treating the dishwasher with some extra care. We suggest that you always lightly pre-rinse dishes and clean the filter regularly to prevent clogs and/or the buildup of food particles that can then redeposit on dishes. When you load the dishwasher, try not to bend the tines and be sure that the dishes on the lower rack do not block the soap door from opening. Also, for optimal cleaning, always use the recommended detergent and rinse aid and run the kitchen faucet nearest to your dishwasher before starting the wash cycle to ensure that the incoming water is hot. Lastly, if you do decide to buy this dishwasher, we highly recommend that you purchase the extended warranty given its spotty reliability record.
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