This Hotpoint Dishwasher Gets Right to the Point: Clean and Shiny Dishes!
Written: Feb 03 '02
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Pros: plenty of loading space; clean rinse; energy saver; won't melt/break dishes
Cons: You need to clean the black model regularly; not whisper quiet
The Bottom Line: If you are in the market for an economical and efficient dishwasher, I highly recommend this model. Plenty of loading space; energy saver; no melting or breaking dishes.
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| lorirobe's Full Review: Hotpoint-Ariston HDA3420Z 24 in. Built-in Dishwash... |
If you are in the market for a new dishwasher, I would like to outline the features of the Hotpoint HDA3420Z Built in Dishwasher. I currently rent an apartment and was quite happy to move into this apartment whose kitchen came with brand new appliances. One of those brand new appliances was this dishwasher. Knowing those features which make a dishwasher desirable, I will review those features on the Hotpoint and how they’ve stood up to the test of time: 5 years.
Size:
The Hotpoint measures about 23 ½ inches wide and 35 inches in height. Since the appliance is already installed, I do not know its depth, however, according to the manual, its depth is about 25 ½ inch.
Color:
The machine comes in black or white. If I had it my way, I might have chosen the white model. The black finish, while it looks very nice, does tend to get spotty and streaky from the soaps that are used in the machine. A squirt of Windex and a paper towel will do the trick, though. I’d get to those streaks before they have the chance to dry and become more stubborn.
Upper Loading Space:
For a somewhat compact machine, this dishwasher will do a nice job of holding your dishes. The inner wires are an off white color. The top rack will hold your glasses securely. There are also plenty of prongs to double up on the number of glasses placed on the sides. The left hand side of the machine has two rectangular “flaps” that fold over to allow you to lay down some large utensils like long knives, tongs and spatulas. I also use the top middle section to load bowls and plates.
Lower Loading Space:
When my dishwasher is fully loaded, I wind up being able to fit about 7 large plates on the lower rack. In addition to this, I can fit a couple of large bowls, some small bowls and perhaps a few more mugs. Again, there are many prongs that can be used to fit an assortment of items. Importantly, I have never had any item chip or break in this dishwasher. The loading space is plentiful and you will not have any unstable items that will lead to breakage during the wash cycle.
Silverware Basket:
The silverware basket is fairly large. It is broken down into six squares of compartments. It is easily removed for unloading. Sometimes, though, when I overload the silverware, I do find that there are utensils that do not come out completely clean. I do not experience any spotting on the dishes or utensils.
Features:
This model does have a nice variety of wash options. To the left of the machine, you will see 4 rectangular raised buttons to choose the type of wash you are doing. The choices are:
Pots and Pans:
I do not put my Proline pots and pans in the wash, so I cannot really comment on how this cycle will work. I do have some older pans that I have put in the dishwasher without using this cycle and they still do come out fine.
Normal Wash:
This is the cycle that I use frequently. The normal wash cycle lasts for at least a half hour and does a thorough job of cleaning and shining the dishes. I have never experienced any food particles on my dishes or spots on my glasses. As I said earlier, the only time I wound up with soiled items is when I overloaded and crowded the utensils in the basket.
Light Wash:
I have used this when the dishwasher was only filled with glasses and lightly soiled dishes. This light wash cycle works very well.
Water Saver:
Hotpoint has added this energy efficient feature to its washer. I have used this when I had smaller loads and wanted to conserve water. It has always done a fine job of cleaning the dishes. If you are paying for your water bill and would like to conserve water, especially during this time of potential droughts in NY, this is a feature that should be used.
A bit over to the right of these four buttons, you will find three more options regarding heat.
They are:
Heated Wash
Heated Dry
Energy Saver
From the moment I moved in to this apartment, five years ago, I pushed in the “Energy Saver” Button and never looked back. I felt if the machine does a good job on the energy saver wash, why should I waste electricity. I will also add an important point. I put plastics on the top shelf of this washer and never has any of my Tupperware melted. Nor has my Gladware, which is a thinner and cheap type of plastic. It feels good to be confident that the heating levels of this Hotpoint dishwasher will do the job without excessive heat that can melt your plastics. Mind you, when the dishes are drying, there is a good amount of heat that will dry the dishes quickly to a shiny finish. Just swing over the lever and your wash begins.
Delayed Wash:
There is a dial to the right of the machine which will allow you to start your wash or delay the wash anywhere from two to six hours. There are half hour intervals in-between as well. If you wish to load the washer, add your soap and let the machine work as you sleep, this delay feature will do the trick. Just swing over the lever and your wash cycle will begin at the desired time.
You can also use the machine on the “plate warmer” and the “rinse and hold” setting.
Soap Dispenser:
Recently, my friend had to have her dishwasher serviced because her soap cup broke. This machine has a swivel cup that fills with powdered,liquid or even the tablet form of soap. It locks closed and is quite durable. There is also an additional open cup that can be used for extra soap. Never will you find soap debris left over after the wash.
I use the Jet Dry rinse aid with my machine. There is a deep cup to pour in the drying agent. Attached to the screw on cover is a long stick to help you to monitor how much liquid is inside this deep cup in the machine.
Noise Level:
Don’t expect a whisper quiet run. You will know the machine is running when you hear the repetitive swishing sounds and a sort of relentless moan! But, it just sort of blends in after awhile and when it shuts off, you won’t even realize it! I’d say it is no overly loud, but certainly not extremely quiet.
I did not pay for this dishwasher, however, I am sure it is quite economical as far as dishwashers are concerned. Landlords do not tend to go overboard in purchasing pricey appliances for their tenants! If you are in the market for a reliable, affordable and efficient machine, I highly recommend the Hotpoint HAD 3420Z Dishwasher. After five years, it is still going strong.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): did not buy
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lorirobe
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Location: New York City
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