OEM vs Aftermarket W10518394 Dishwasher Heating Element for Whirlpool: Honest Comparison

Your Whirlpool WDF520PADM3 isn't drying dishes anymore. You've already diagnosed the broken heating element — maybe you even saw it physically cracked at the bottom of the tub. Now you're staring at two options: OEM Whirlpool part for $120–$180, or an aftermarket replacement for $30–$45. That's a 4x price difference for what looks like the exact same metal coil.

Here's what actually matters in that decision.

Quick Answer

For most homeowners, the aftermarket W10518394 heating element is the smarter choice. It's the same resistance wire doing the same job, fits identically, and costs 70% less. The OEM version makes sense only if you're flipping the appliance for resale or need the Whirlpool warranty stamp for a rental property — otherwise, you're paying for a logo, not better performance.

Side-by-Side Comparison

When OEM Makes Sense

There are exactly three situations where spending $180 on the Whirlpool-branded element is justified:

You're selling the house within six months. Appraisers and home inspectors sometimes check appliance repair receipts. That "Genuine Whirlpool Parts" invoice can matter during negotiations, even if the part inside is functionally identical.

Your dishwasher is still under extended warranty. If you bought a third-party service plan that requires OEM parts, you'll need the official part number and receipt. Read your contract — many warranties actually accept "manufacturer-approved equivalents," which includes quality aftermarket parts like ours.

You're fixing a rental unit with corporate repair standards. Some property management companies mandate OEM parts for liability reasons. It's not about performance — it's about paperwork if a tenant ever claims faulty repairs.

Notice what's NOT on this list? Reliability. A heating element is just resistance wire. The aftermarket version heats water to the same 140°F for the sanitize cycle, uses the same wattage, and fails at the same rate as OEM (which is to say, rarely, unless you have hard water issues).

When Aftermarket Wins

For the 95% of repairs happening in owner-occupied homes, aftermarket crushes OEM on value. Here's why:

It's the same repair, same result. One user who fixed their WDF520PADM3 told us: "I have 0 experience working on dishwashers, and it took me about an hour... I decided to replace both the heating element and the high limit thermostat." Whether you spend $30 or $180, you're still pulling the dishwasher out, disconnecting hoses, and swapping the element. The labor is identical. The outcome is identical.

The installation is actually easier. The aftermarket W10518394 comes with rubber washers already installed on the terminals. As one 69-year-old DIYer put it: "I am not a repairman and it really is a simple repair that was done with only a pair of pliers." The OEM version requires you to source those washers separately or reuse your old crusty ones.

You can fix it faster. OEM parts ship from authorized service centers with 3–7 day lead times. Aftermarket ships same-day. When your dishes aren't getting sanitized and you've got a sink full of dirty plates, that matters.

The warranty is better. Whirlpool gives you 90 days on parts — no labor coverage, no questions asked if it fails on day 91. Quality aftermarket suppliers offer 1-year replacement guarantees. If it fails, you get a new one. Simple.

Real talk: The heating element in your WDF520PADM7 or WDF540PADM3 doesn't care if it has a Whirlpool logo stamped on it. It's a metal coil that gets hot. The failure mode is always the same — mineral deposits cause a short, or the coil develops a break. Both OEM and aftermarket fail the same way, at roughly the same 8–10 year lifespan. You're not buying durability when you buy OEM. You're buying a brand name.

The Installation Reality Nobody Mentions

Here's something the parts suppliers won't tell you: the aftermarket element sometimes requires an extra step that's not in the instructions.

Several users noted that "the new heating element had rubber washers on it already, something not mentioned in the product listing... you may need additional larger washers for a proper seal." The OEM element avoids this by including larger plastic nuts with different threading.

Is this a dealbreaker? Not even close. You can grab rubber washers at any hardware store for $2. But it's worth knowing before you start the repair — especially if you're doing this on a Sunday when stores are closed.

Pro tip from the field: Take pictures of your electrical connections before disconnecting anything. The element terminals aren't color-coded, and if you reverse them... well, it'll still work, but it's good practice. Also, after you finish the install, run the service diagnostics cycle (press Heated Dry four times within 10 seconds) to reset the dishwasher to default settings. This clears any error codes from the failed element.

Our Verdict

Buy the aftermarket W10518394 unless you're in one of the three specific situations listed above. You'll save $100–$150, get it faster, and the dishwasher will dry dishes exactly the same way. The heating element isn't a precision part — it's a consumable that eventually fails regardless of who made it. Spend the savings on a water softener if you have hard water, because that's what's actually killing your heating elements.

If you're the type who insists on OEM for peace of mind, that's fine — but understand you're paying for emotional comfort, not functional superiority. The electrons flowing through that coil can't read brand names.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the aftermarket element fit my WDF520PADM7 exactly like the original?

Yes. The W10518394 is a direct replacement for WDF520PADM7, WDF520PADM5, WDF520PADM3, WDF540PADM3, and dozens of other Whirlpool, Maytag, Kenmore, and Amana models. The mounting holes, terminal spacing, and length are identical. The only difference you might notice is that aftermarket elements come with rubber washers pre-installed, while OEM sometimes requires you to source them separately.

How long does a dishwasher heating element typically last?

Most heating elements last 8–10 years with normal use. The failure rate has nothing to do with OEM vs aftermarket — it's about water hardness. If you have hard water with high mineral content, calcium deposits build up on the element and cause shorts. This is why the element breaks, not manufacturing quality. Both OEM and aftermarket fail the same way in hard water areas.

Do I really need to pull the entire dishwasher out to replace this?

In most installations, yes. The heating element mounts to the bottom of the tub from underneath, so you need access to the bottom panel. Plan for 20–60 minutes depending on how your dishwasher is secured and whether your water connections are easy to reach. As one user noted: "It took me about an hour to disconnect all the water/drain pipes, electrical, and actually get the dishwasher out of the cabinet." The actual element swap takes 5 minutes once you've got access — it's the dishwasher removal that eats time.