“The LG dishwasher may look small inside, but it's so easy to adjust it can accommodate most things you put in it.”
- Don't need to rinse plates before loading in the dishwasher
- Adjustable racks
- Runs quiet
- Bottom rollers don't roll off the base
- Fastest cycle gets the job done
- Occasionally defeated by silverware
- Expensive
- Attracts fingerprints
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If you’ve ever wondered why you have to rinse dishes before putting them into the dishwasher and thought there must be a better way, ponder no more. The LG QuadWash dishwasher makes that extra effort a thing of the past, even without the aid of a rinse agent. This powerful dishwasher sports a smart design so you can handle a variety of dishes, pots, and glasses with just a little tinkering. Read our LG LDP6797ST QuadWash Dishwasher review to find out how it did when we put it through a grimy test.
Flexible Design
The LG Top Control Dishwasher with QuadWash and EasyRack Plus is not the sexiest model we’ve seen to date. In fact, the LG’s design is similar to Samsung Waterwall Tall Tub Dishwasher in that it has about an inch for a pull handle in between the top of the washer and the rest of the machine. Instead of the blue lights that illuminate that area on the Samsung machine, however; the QuadWash has three green dots that appear on the top bar when a cycle is running.
We reviewed the stainless steel version of this dishwasher, but it’s also available in black, black stainless steel, matte black stainless steel, and white. Unfortunately, it does seem to attract fingerprints, but they’re easy to wipe away. The LG LDP6797ST is a standard 24-inch dishwasher that measures 33.6 inches high, 23.75 inches wide, and 24.6 inches deep. Inside, you’ll find three racks: a thin top one for serving utensils, a middle for glasses and bowls, and a bottom for larger items. The middle rack uses the company’s EasyRack design, meaning that you can adjust the height – something you’ll want to do if you’re washing pint glasses or large wine glasses. Best of all, it’s extremely easy to use: just hold the side handles, press the button and pull up or down depending on your preference. Another design element we particularly appreciated is that the wheels on the bottom rack are fairly secure, meaning you won’t accidentally pull it completely out of the machine as is the case with the Maytag MDB8969SDM dishwasher. However, with that model you can also completely remove the top rack to accommodate large platters and pots on the bottom rack.
The LG guide recommends putting dirty dishes directly into the dishwasher without rinsing, to which we said, “Oh, it’s on!”
There are a lot of wash cycles available and the SmartThinQ app will even alert you when a load is complete. Keeping in line with the trend toward hiding machine settings, LG tucks all the controls for the dishwasher on the top of the door. On that bar, you’ll find options for Power, Auto, Heavy (*Machine Clean), Delicate, Normal (*Rinse), Turbo (*Express), and Download Cycle. The settings with asterisks denote additional features you can select. Next, you’ll find two icons (a snowflake and a dishwasher with +), a digital clock (displays the length of a cycle), a Wi-Fi icon and an image of a slivered moon. The remaining options refer to how you can customize a load: DualZone, Half Load, Energy Saver, High Temp, Extra Dry (*Night Dry), Delay Start (*Wi-Fi). Of all these features, Half Load is perhaps the most interesting; it intensively washes either the upper or lower rack (use the upper for smaller loads). Night Dry is also an intriguing option that’s similar to the extended tumble cycle on a washing machine. If you run a load before going to bed, the machine runs the ventilation fan periodically so dishes will be dry in the morning.
Say Goodbye to Rinsing Dishes
When we read in the LG guide that we should put dirty dishes directly into the dishwasher without rinsing, we said, “Oh, it’s on!” We smothered plates with BBQ sauce, red chili sauce, beet juice, honey, and maple syrup and let them sit on the counter for 45 minutes. We then added cheese to a bowl that had with some residue chili and nuked it in the microwave. The cheese came out just as we hoped: crusty with minor bubbles in it. We let that sit out for 45 minutes, too, just for good measure.
We added our test dishes directly (without rinsing in the sink) to the dishwasher along with extra dirty plates, cups, and silverware used by our team during lunch. Many around the office were surprised when we instructed them not to rinse their plates. Lackluster dishwashers have trained us well. We selected the fastest setting, Turbo, which took the predicted 59 minutes to run. After the cycle was complete, we opened the door to find sparkling dishes and not a bit of food residue in the tub.
The fastest cycle does just as good a job as many of the others.
Thinking perhaps this was a fluke, we continued to wash unrinsed dirty dishes many times on a variety of cycles. The LG LDP6797ST dishwasher continued to impress. We did occasionally encounter a few utensils with a bit of a grime residue. Speaking of loading the dishwasher, we were able to load 12 place settings on the top and bottom. While it initially appeared small, this LG dishwasher can fit a large load thanks in part to all of the adjustable racks.
It also runs fairly quiet. LG specs say it should run at 44dB (sounds like a babbling brook) and for the most part it did. When the machine was doing something like draining water or doing one last power rinse it got as loud as 63.6dB, which is similar to the volume of a conversation.
Warranty Information
The LG Top Control Dishwasher with QuadWash and EasyRack Plus comes with an extensive warranty. Labor and parts are covered for one-year from the date of original retail purchase. The electronic control board and racks have a five-year warranty that begins on the date of original retail purchase. A 10-year warranty comes on the Direct Drive motor and a limited lifetime warranty on the stainless steel door liner and tub.
Our Take
There is a lot to like about this LG Top Control Dishwasher, most notably that it means we may never have to pre-wash or rinse a dish again. Hallelujah! While it offers a lot of cycle options, we particularly appreciate that the fastest cycle does just as good a job as many of the others. For the high-tech lovers who love IoT appliances (although they may be under more scrutiny in the future) in the home, it does have an app that will send an alert to your phone telling you that your dishes are clean.
Is there a better alternative?
The Maytag MDB8969SDM does an equally good job at fighting stuck-on grime and costs a few hundred dollars less. However, it’s an older model and lacks style.
How long will it last?
Dishwashers should last between eight to 12 years on average. Considering the extensive warranty for this LG model, it should have no problem serving you well for at least ten years.
Should you buy it?
At $899, the LG QuadWash is expensive. If you’ve been searching for a model that will take whatever dirty dish you throw at it and leave it sparkling at the end of the cycle, then buy this machine. However, if you don’t mind rinsing dishes first and using a rinse agent there are lot more affordable options that will get the job done.
