In this article, you’ll learn why you should or should not buy a Fisher & Paykel dishwasher, including reliability.
We’ll also compare Fisher & Paykel to other brands in a similar price range and help you navigate through the 27 different dishwasher options.
At the end, you’ll know whether the dishdrawer and/or which model will be right for you.
Let’s start with why you should and should not consider this dishwasher.
Table of Contents
Reasons to Buy
Remember seeing Fisher & Paykel for the first time in 1997. I thought it was the coolest appliance.
On the service side, it employed unique DC motors that were detachable and fit in the palm of your hand.
Years later, it’s still unique.
You learn whether uniqueness translates into reliability later in the article.
It still was cool and different in a sea of drop down dishwashers. They still manufacture the only double drawer. As I advanced in middle age, I appreciate the benefits of no bending.
You don’t have to bend for the top of the double drawer or the single drawer. Better yet, install two singles on either side of the sink and never bend.
Also, the drawers do not protrude as far as a regular dishwasher, so it’s better in an island or galley style kitchen.
For entertaining, you can do a half load of the out feeling guilty and have several different loads washing at different times, say soup and salad course and then entrées, so you can have it all finished without doing one large load.
Lastly, Fisher & Paykel dishwashers comply with the 44 decibel Quietness Standard. You won’t hear it running in the next room.
Reasons NOT to Buy
At over $1,600 for the double drawer dishwash, you can buy some extremely good dishwashers like Bosch’s 800 plus series with the azulite drying, employing volcanic crystals to drawer moisture and to make heat.
The Miele 700 series will also dry well along with the only automatic 20 load soap dispenser.
And lastly, it’s not for everyone.
Some of you do not like the way it loads. Yes, it may feel strange. Strange to bring your dishes to a store and figure that out, but it’s stranger living with a dishwasher you don’t like using.
Reliability
Fisher & Paykel was average at 9% service within the first year. Average is not terrible and many of these calls are for minor issues.
But do you have service in your area for a unique product?
Here’s a hint, probably not.
Dishwasher Styles
Now, the hard part is choosing the right one. Here’s an easy path.
Fisher & Paykel has three styles of dishwashers. Integrated, you can put panels on the dishwasher. Fisher & Paykel looks good with panels. It doesn’t protrude and looks like a cabinet.
The professional look will match the Pro range is better with the commercial beefier style handle. This is changing as I wrote this to a more handleless design.
The pocket handle matches every appliance because it doesn’t have the handle detail.
Not every series has every style. The Series 7 doesn’t have the pro look while the series 11 doesn’t have the contemporary.
The double drawer will give you the capacity of a regular dishwasher.
Still, a single is good if you want storage underneath in a smaller kitchen or placed to an each side of the sink in a larger one. It’s also nice for a bar or pantry if you want a second smaller dishwasher.
The bottom drawer is the same height in either tub. In their tall tub units, the top drawer is deeper to fit more. You may like the uniform look of two identical looking drawers.
Additionally, at 32 and 5/16ths, the equal size drawer models are ADA compliant. However, it will cost you some additional capacity in the top drawer.
Series Differences
Before you travel down this journey of choice, you have differences within each series.
You have the style and then the tall tub versus the equal sized drawers. Then you have the feature differences within the series.
Like WiFi, you can track the dishwasher cycle and receive a push notification when the cycle is over. The water softener is a decent feature if you have well or hard water.
For the Series nine, the big feature is knock to pause. If you forget a dish, pause it by knocking on the door and then the dishwasher will then restart. You also have a delicate and fast cycle.
With the series 11, the main benefit is the stainless steel interior and spray arm sensing. It also offers better leak protection in a few different cycles. You have the wine glass supports for taller glasses as well.
What’s tough about navigating these series and models is that the lesser series may have the features you want, even at a lower price.
Out of the 27 models, let’s focus on the four most popular ones.
Series 11 has every feature, including knock to pause, stainless steal interior, and even the water softening option.
The best series is the Series nine, which includes the knock to pause and water softener and a good amount of cycles.
I wasn’t expecting people to buy the equal sized tub as much as the tall series 7 is the least expensive at $1,799, but still has most of the features of the series nine at a $200 lower price.
Remember, the equal sized tubs look a little better and are ADA compliant, but you do lose about an inch and a half in the top drawer.
The DD24ST19 is the taller tub of the series 9. You don’t have the water softener in this model, but it does have a 60 minute wash and dry light and delicate cycles.