The Frigidaire Gallery FGID2466QF isn’t exactly the new kid on the block but it’s still widely available and is a very popular choice. In this review, we’ll be giving you all the information you need to know before you buy.
The Frigidaire Gallery FGID2466QF has a smudge-proof stainless steel finish to keep the fascia from getting grubby, which is ideal if you happen to have small children. However, this built-in machine is no one-trick pony and, like all the best dishwashers, comes with an impressive spec, including advanced washing and drying features, a versatile organization system, plus hygiene and efficiency certificates. Is it right for your home? In this review, we'll take a closer look at all the aforementioned attributes to help you make an informed buying decision.
If you're looking for a whole new set of appliances to give your kitchen a makeover, why not take a look at some of our other expert guides, including the best freezers and the best dryers.
Frigidaire Gallery FGID2466QF review: Overview
When it comes to buying a product – especially one that represents a considerable investment – one of the first things you should look at is the manufacturer's pedigree. Frigidaire gives us no cause for doubt in that respect, having earned a reputation over the past century for making trustworthy kitchen appliances.
From its headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee, Frigidaire manufactures a wide range of 'white goods'. The FGID2466QF fits into this category, and we'll explore some of those features in a moment.
In the context of its entire dishwasher range, the FGID2466QF (MSRP $799, though you should be able to find it for much less) sits somewhere in the middle of the price spectrum. Frigidaire dishwashers cost anywhere from $439 for a built-in dishwasher, to $1,149 for a Professional-series machine with high-tech functionality, including Frigidaire's latest EvenDry technology. That range of prices is fairly standard for built-in dishwashers, which tend to be more expensive than the freestanding models. Note that with a built-in dishwasher, you'll probably also need to have it installed by a professional, which can cost up to $200. Fancy trying it yourself? Here’s how to install a dishwasher.
Frigidaire Gallery FGID2466QF: Specs
- Dimensions (WHD): 24 x 35 x 25 inches
- Control location: Top
- Noise rating: 52dBA
- Holds: 14 place settings
- Racks: 2
- Cycles: 8
- ENERGY STAR rated: Yes
- Extras: OrbitClean wash system; SaharaDry; 34-minute quick clean; DishSense technology; 24-hour delay start; SpaceWise organization system; stay-put door; NSF certified
- Warranty: 1-year labor and parts
Frigidaire Gallery FGID2466QF review: Design
The FGID2466QF's control panel is located out of sight on the top of the door, meaning you'll need to open it to activate the dishwasher. If you have kids, that may be a good thing as it means they'd have to yank on the door before they could even think about letting their fingers run free on those touch controls, disrupting your cycle. (For extra peace of mind, you can press and hold the DELAY START button for three seconds to lock the controls.) As previously mentioned, this dishwasher is child-friendly in another way, boasting a smudge-proof door that'll keep the stainless steel looking nice.
On to the interior, and the FGID2466QF's polymer tub has enough space for 14 place settings, which isn't as many as some dishwashers – the Miele Classic Plus G 4228 SCU AM, for example, can hold 16 – but should be more than adequate for most families. When the dishwasher is full up, it's a bit of a tight squeeze. So, considering Frigidaire's own instructions state that “damage may occur if delicate items touch each other,” you might want to run it slightly under-capacity where possible.
This dishwasher boasts something called a SpaceWise organization system, but all this really denotes is that the upper rack can be adjusted to help you fit in bigger items below, such as carving plates and frying pans, and that some of the tines can be laid down flat to enable greater flexibility when positioning your settings. Fairly standard, really.
Only having two racks means, of course, that there isn't a dedicated cutlery rack. That isn't really an issue, as the FGID2466QF comes with a huge cutlery basket that fits along the bottom shelf.
Frigidaire Gallery FGID2466QF review: Features
If you're the kind of person who's impressed by cool-sounding features, then you're in luck here as the FGID2466QF comes with a list of them. But what do they all do? Well, before we get onto those, let's take a look at the basics. This dishwasher offers eight wash cycles, including options such as Quick Wash (which lets you clean your dishes in 34 minutes), and Upper Rack (which, as the name suggests, enables you to just wash the top section – handy if you need some clean cups and bowls but don't want to waste electricity and water with a full cycle). Selecting a cycle results in a green light appearing next to your chosen option, and the duration time flashing up, and then counting down, on the display panel.
If you really want to get into the nitty-gritty, you can manually adjust things like the water temperature and pressure. This could get complicated quite quickly, though, so hurrah for the machine's 'Your Favorite' button, which enables you to save your preferred settings so that you don't have to tweak them every time.
Then there’s DishSense technology – this is kind of an AI feature where the machine detects how much cleaning your dishes need and adjusts its cycle time accordingly. Next up, there's an OrbitClean wash system, which attacks stubborn leftovers with four times the usual amount of water. And rounding off every cycle is SaharaDry, a fan-assisted drying system that should mean you won't have to reach for a teatowel post-wash.
Finally, there's a '24-hour delay start' function, where you can set the machine to begin between one and 24 hours in the future. This could come in useful if you're going out for the day and don't want to leave clean dishes in the machine for a long period of time.
Frigidaire Gallery FGID2466QF review: Performance
With this being an older product (2016), one of the first things that occurred to us was that it might lag behind other dishwashers in terms of power and efficiency. No worries in the former category, this 240V machine delivers potent performance across a wide range of cycles. Less impressive is its efficiency: this Frigidaire machine uses an estimated 268kWh per year, which is higher than all of the dishwashers in this ENERGY STAR comparison. How much will that cost you in monetary terms? According to Electric Choice, the average US citizen pays 13.19 cents per kWh, which means FGID2466QF customers will shell out around $35 for 12 months of usage.
Tests have also shown that the FGID2466QF isn't especially frugal in terms of water usage, with its normal wash expending more than seven gallons – more than double that of some modern dishwashers. Still, the product has earned itself an ENERGY STAR rating, along with NSF certification in recognition of its ability to remove 99.9% of household bacteria – so it's not all bad.
As for how much noise it makes, the FGID2466QF emits 52dBA, which is notably louder than the quietest machines on the market, some of which have ratings in the mid-40s. While it's unlikely to keep the baby awake at night, it'll still be audible.
Frigidaire Gallery FGID2466QF review: User reviews
One of the benefits of considering an older appliance is that there are likely to be a lot more user reviews online – and that’s the case with the FGID2466QF. To date, Frigidaire's machine has received nearly 6,500 comments. The fact that it's maintained an excellent rating over such a long period of time (currently 4.2 out of five) surely warrants some credit.
One five-star reviewer loved the fact that the machine eased his workload in the kitchen, writing: “Have been extremely happy with it. I don't rinse dishes, only scrape food off. So far, I use only Quick Wash and dishes are always clean.”
Another user was less convinced. Giving the dishwasher three stars, they described the performance as “fine” and added: “The drying functions are not great. We have had a Whirlpool that was better and a Bosch that blew this away.”
And a small percentage of people didn't rate the FGID2466QF at all. One customer gave the machine the minimum of one star, complaining: “The dishwasher fails to drain frequently and leaves a bad smell."
Should you buy the Frigidaire Gallery FGID2466QF?
There's a lot to like about this dishwasher. It has a great range of cycles and features, it delivers powerful cleaning and drying performance, and it'll stay fingerprint-free. On the downside, it's relatively old and noisy, and a lot of other machines offer better efficiency, with even some cheaper products racking up better stats. At the end of the day, Frigidaire is a very reliable make, and if you can get a good deal on the dishwasher, by all means, go for it – it's likely to serve you pretty well for a long time. At full price, though, we'd have to say that there are better options out there.
