Fisher & Paykel Dish Drawers

DD602 is at least a full generation back, not counting some interim changes on the 603 series.

I think dishwashers are very "personal" as appliances go. Finding a match can be tricky.

I've had my DD for 3 years. It works well, for me. I don't cook much, but it does the job when I need it to do so. As well as a Miele? I don't know. Never had a Miele. As well as the TOL GE Profile that I swapped out of my new house when I moved the DD? I don't know, I only used the GE once. I almost had a Bosch with a bad pump a few days ago, but that find slipped away, LOL.

DDs have a few flaws, that's true. Small glasses at the corners of the MegaRack may not wash well being as that's at the extreme end of the spray arm's reach. I place large glasses there, small ones in the middle or on the inner section of the MegaRack. The front/right corner beside the silverware basket is also a bit of a dead spot. Very tall items, no go. Limited on accomodating platters or cookie sheets ... although I can get in both a 12" skillet and a cookie sheet along with a nice load of other items. My 16" microwave turntable also fits, placed flat atop other items, when there are other items in the load to properly accomodate that placement. Plastic tends to not dry well, but then that's the case with any number of other dishwashers nowadays being as drying heaters are on the out-curve. That's the one real change I made in dish-use, cutting back on plastic cups and storage bowls. Not because of drying, I can swipe something with a towel PDQ and it doesn't offend my sensibilities to do that ... but because of lightweight items tending to upturn.

DDs don't have food grinders. They're not designed to take large amounts of food scraps, and tiny bits of things like broccoli may get through the filters. I also tend to cram it full as possible, having a psychological need to view a single drawer as being a full-size dishwasher, which may impede water spray around the tops of items (like that 16" micro turntable). I just have to refrain a bit from the extreme BobLoading� when I run a dirtier load.

One thing that affects ease of loading, I think, is that the rack pins are pretty tall. Small bowls of a certain depth can be unstable placed over the pins, tending to topple over. And they may not fit face-down between the MegaRack sections.

After 3 years I've got the loading tricks down pretty well. Don't want to get into micro-details on that. I've not found racks yet, in my limited exposure and IMHO, that can beat a 1970s to early 1990s KA.

It often surprised me at first. "That bowl can't get very clean, placed on that shelf above those glasses, with that other stuff in front of it." But it did. Had a few incidents of blocked wash arm. Surprised me how much still got clean.

Be glad you didn't find a 1st-series 601. Those used a rubber seal inflated by an air pump. ;-)


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Post# 151153 8/28/2006 at 15:30 (6,444 days old) by dalangdon (Seattle, WA)
Checkrate/Likes Does anyone have any experience with these? John got a model dd602 out of a kitchen gutting project. We currently have a late model Bosch that works great, but this dishdrawer looks pretty slick. My boss swears by them as well, but I hate to tear up the kitchen for a gimmick - if indeed that's what it is.

Post# 151169 , Reply# 1 8/28/2006 at 16:59 (6,444 days old) by frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie)
Checkrate/Likes I'm pretty sure Glenn (Dadoes) has one. HEY, GLENN!! Your F & P expertise is required here.

Post# 151196 , Reply# 2 8/28/2006 at 20:05 (6,444 days old) by nmaineman36 ()
Checkrate/Likes *Dishdrawers* Keep your money Dan and Keep your Bosch. My partner and I have the F&P Dishdrawer and I hate to say it that I have grown to hate it. If you cook its not the dishwasher for you. I should have realized that before we spent the 1400 bucks on it. They do a good job on Heavy Cycle. But if you want to use a cycle like Normal then the load shouldnt be too soiled. I do use Cascade Complete powder in this but still sometimes I get flecks of food here and there on glasses. Plus its very easy to block the wash arm. Now I am having problems with the lid closing properly. I told Scott that when this thing dies out it goes. And I am praying that it wont be long before it does. Also you cant use the new Cascade 2 in 1 tabs that clean so well in my KitchenAid. There are 2 prongs that prevent you from using any kind of tabs in the dispenser. In a nutshell if I had to do it again I wouldnt buy this machine..but thats me.

Post# 151220 , Reply# 3 8/28/2006 at 21:21 (6,444 days old) by appnut (TX)
Checkrate/Likes Mike, I was quite surprised when I saw y'all had bought the Drawer. Your enviornment is much different than Glenn's household environment. I know how much you cook and you load dishwashers as "full" as I do. I still remember MagicClean telling me a neighbor of his in Florida had these installed in her new kitchen and does a lot of entertaining. She was very frustrated cuz she could get large diameter serviing platters and such in there along with everything else when they entertained. But I have to admit, the load I did run in Glenn's last December, the results were quite good, but there wasn't a tremendous amount of food soil, just light, but did have some crustied egg that had sat for a few days.

Post# 151242 , Reply# 4 8/28/2006 at 21:58 (6,444 days old) by dalangdon (Seattle, WA)
Checkrate/Likes Well, the price was right (free for the taking) so at worst it will be just a ridiculous experiment. Maybe I'll just hold onto the Bosch for a bit ;-) Looking at the review on epinions, it seems like people are split right down the middle - they either love them or hate them.

Post# 151256 , Reply# 5 8/28/2006 at 22:41 (6,444 days old) by dadoes (TX,�U.S. of A.)
Checkrate/Likes DD602 is at least a full generation back, not counting some interim changes on the 603 series. I think dishwashers are very "personal" as appliances go. Finding a match can be tricky. I've had my DD for 3 years. It works well, for me. I don't cook much, but it does the job when I need it to do so. As well as a Miele? I don't know. Never had a Miele. As well as the TOL GE Profile that I swapped out of my new house when I moved the DD? I don't know, I only used the GE once. I almost had a Bosch with a bad pump a few days ago, but that find slipped away, LOL. DDs have a few flaws, that's true. Small glasses at the corners of the MegaRack may not wash well being as that's at the extreme end of the spray arm's reach. I place large glasses there, small ones in the middle or on the inner section of the MegaRack. The front/right corner beside the silverware basket is also a bit of a dead spot. Very tall items, no go. Limited on accomodating platters or cookie sheets ... although I can get in both a 12" skillet and a cookie sheet along with a nice load of other items. My 16" microwave turntable also fits, placed flat atop other items, when there are other items in the load to properly accomodate that placement. Plastic tends to not dry well, but then that's the case with any number of other dishwashers nowadays being as drying heaters are on the out-curve. That's the one real change I made in dish-use, cutting back on plastic cups and storage bowls. Not because of drying, I can swipe something with a towel PDQ and it doesn't offend my sensibilities to do that ... but because of lightweight items tending to upturn. DDs don't have food grinders. They're not designed to take large amounts of food scraps, and tiny bits of things like broccoli may get through the filters. I also tend to cram it full as possible, having a psychological need to view a single drawer as being a full-size dishwasher, which may impede water spray around the tops of items (like that 16" micro turntable). I just have to refrain a bit from the extreme BobLoading� when I run a dirtier load. One thing that affects ease of loading, I think, is that the rack pins are pretty tall. Small bowls of a certain depth can be unstable placed over the pins, tending to topple over. And they may not fit face-down between the MegaRack sections. After 3 years I've got the loading tricks down pretty well. Don't want to get into micro-details on that. I've not found racks yet, in my limited exposure and IMHO, that can beat a 1970s to early 1990s KA. It often surprised me at first. "That bowl can't get very clean, placed on that shelf above those glasses, with that other stuff in front of it." But it did. Had a few incidents of blocked wash arm. Surprised me how much still got clean. Be glad you didn't find a 1st-series 601. Those used a rubber seal inflated by an air pump. ;-)

Post# 151319 , Reply# 6 8/29/2006 at 08:33 (6,443 days old) by laundromat (Hilo, Hawaii)
Checkrate/Likes See them in the junk yard every day

Post# 151348 , Reply# 7 8/29/2006 at 14:01 (6,443 days old) by dadoes (TX,�U.S. of A.)
Checkrate/Likes I know someone who tossed a 3-year-old Bosch to the trash last Friday. Pump died, quoted $425 for repair, got tired of waiting for the serviceman to get the part.

Post# 151360 , Reply# 8 8/29/2006 at 14:49 (6,443 days old) by dalangdon (Seattle, WA)
Checkrate/Likes I tried putting the biggest dishes I have (some huge Franciscan "Autumn" pattern serving platters) in the F&P, and they fit fine, so I don't think space will be a problem for us. What has been interesting to me in researching these products, is that they are very popular with people who keep Kosher in their homes. I used to sell Kosher catering at the Four Seasons, and did many events in private homes where they would either have to have two dishwashers, or have us provide the Kosher china. This seems like a nice compromise for people with small kitchens. Also, I had never heard of "Sabbath Mode", so that was interesting as well - although I don't know if this particular model has that feature.

Post# 151754 , Reply# 10 8/31/2006 at 17:10 (6,441 days old) by mikepaquette ()
Checkrate/Likes *Free I would try it also* I always loved the drawer style dishwasher since my GE Mobile Maid pink interior drawer style dishwasher. I would love one of these dishdrawers but the price is too high for a curiosity. Mike

Post# 151386 , Reply# 9 8/29/2006 at 17:45 (6,443 days old) by nmaineman36 ()
Checkrate/Likes *Free is good* If the Dishdrawer is free then why not give it a try. I know for ourselves we woundnt do it again. If you install it with granite countertops it can be anchored to the cabinets on the sides...bottom drawer pulls out completely and there is an opening on each side to put the anchor screws thru. First dishwasher I see that has that feature was this one.