Description
The Frigidaire FFBD1831US is an 18 inch built-in dishwasher, which is a different product category from the 24 inch machines it sits alongside rather than simply a smaller version of one. Frigidaire lists eight place settings, a dual spray arm system, an NSF certified sanitize cycle, a heated drying system, six cleaning cycle options, front controls, Energy Star certification, a 52 dBA noise rating and ADA compliance. It weighs 54 pounds and a power cord is included.
Two things make this machine worth understanding properly: the width and the ADA compliance. Both are about whether it fits, physically and legally, where a standard dishwasher will not.
Why 18 Inches Matters
The standard built-in dishwasher opening is 24 inches wide. In galley kitchens, city apartments, condo conversions, basement kitchenettes and older houses, that 24 inches often simply does not exist, and the choice is between an 18 inch machine and no built-in dishwasher at all.
Frigidaire gives the dimensions as 18 inches wide, 22.5 inches deep and 35 inches high, and the specification table presents those figures in a different order, which is worth noting: an 18 inch dishwasher is 18 inches wide, not 18 inches deep. Work from Frigidaire’s installation specification rather than the listing field order.
The capacity cost of the narrower cabinet is real. Eight place settings against the 13 to 15 typical of a 24 inch machine means more loads for the same household. It is still substantially more than the four place settings a HAVA countertop dishwasher holds, and unlike a countertop unit it is plumbed, permanent and out of the way.
ADA Compliance
Frigidaire states that this machine meets the appliance standards in the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Guidelines. That is a specific regulatory claim rather than a marketing one, and it matters in two situations.
The first is a rental property, a care setting or any building where accessibility compliance is a requirement rather than a preference. The second is a household where someone uses a wheelchair or has limited reach, and where an ADA compliant appliance height and control placement make the difference between using the machine independently and not. The front control panel supports that: controls on the front face of the door are reachable without opening it, unlike top edge hidden controls.
Anyone buying for a compliance requirement rather than a preference should still confirm the current certification directly with Frigidaire, since standards and model specifications both change over time.
Cleaning, Sanitizing and Drying
The dual spray arm system covers the top and bottom racks. Six cleaning cycle options are listed, and Frigidaire names three of them: Energy Saver, Heavy Wash and Rinse.
The sanitize cycle is certified by the National Sanitation Foundation, which is a third party certification rather than a manufacturer claim. That is a meaningfully stronger statement than an uncertified “sanitize” label, and it matters in a household with a baby, an immunocompromised member, or a compliance obligation.
The drying system uses an actual heating element. Frigidaire’s phrasing is that the heating element helps dry dishes the first time. That is the older approach, and against the condensation drying used by the Bosch SHEM63W55N it uses more energy and is harsher on light plastics, while being distinctly better at actually drying them.
Installation and Electrical Requirements
This needs an 18 inch opening, a hot water supply, a drain and electrical power, and levelling so the door seals and the tub drains. At 54 pounds it is the lightest built-in dishwasher in this catalog and manageable for two people.
Frigidaire specifies 120 volts and lists a power cord among the included components, which resolves the plug in versus hardwired question in favor of plug in. Annual energy consumption is given as 270 kilowatt hours per year. The listing does not state an amperage requirement, whether a dedicated circuit is needed, or the water inlet fitting size. Those figures come from Frigidaire’s installation instructions and belong to a plumber and an electrician. Water and mains electricity in the same cabinet is not an area for assumptions.
Highlights
- 18 inch width for kitchens without a 24 inch opening.
- ADA compliant per the Americans with Disabilities Act and Architectural Barriers Act guidelines.
- Eight place settings with a dual spray arm system.
- NSF certified sanitize cycle.
- Heated drying system using a heating element.
- Six cleaning cycles including Energy Saver, Heavy Wash and Rinse.
- Front control panel, stainless steel interior and finish.
- 52 dBA noise level, Energy Star certified.
- 120 volts, power cord included, 270 kilowatt hours per year, 54 pounds.
Things To Consider
At 52 dBA this is the loudest built-in dishwasher in this catalog. Frigidaire’s own phrasing is that 52 dBA lets the machine run while you are in the same room, which is honest and also tells you it is audible. The Bosch machines here run at 42 to 46 dB, and in an open plan kitchen that gap is noticeable.
Eight place settings is a real constraint for a household of more than two or three. The 18 inch format buys placement, not capacity.
The cycle names in the specification table, listed as Economy, Intensive, Delicate, Normal and Rinse, do not match the three names given in the feature bullets. The listing also gives the “Display Type” as “Not Obtainable”, so it is not clear what if any display the front panel carries.
Heated drying uses more energy than condensation drying and can warp lightweight plastic. There is no water softener, no Wi-Fi and no third rack, so this is a plainly specified machine.
The rating average is 4.2 out of 5 across roughly 160 ratings, which is the highest average among the built-in dishwashers here.
Who It Suits and Who Should Look Elsewhere
This is the right machine when 24 inches is not available, and it is one of the few dishwashers in this catalog that can be specified against an accessibility requirement rather than only a preference. The NSF certified sanitize cycle and the real heated drying element are both substantive rather than cosmetic, and the included power cord removes an installation unknown.
It is the wrong machine for a large household, where eight place settings will mean daily double loads, and for a kitchen where noise matters, where a quieter 24 inch machine such as the Bosch SHPM78Z55N at 42 dB is a better answer if the space exists. Kitchens with no plumbed opening at all should look at the countertop dishwasher range, and the rest of the built-in options sit in the built-in dishwasher category.
