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barbaranh_gw

Does anyone have a single dishdrawer dish washer?

barbaranh
11 years ago

I read through the old thread on dishdrawer dishwashers, but there wasn't much discussed about capacity since everyone seemed to have a double.

I'm thinking about one of these because my kitchen is very small and I could use the space beneath it for one more cabinet. There are only two of us, so I don't use a lot of dishes at once, but I do use pots and pans.

If someone out there has only a single dish drawer, do you find it big enough to wash both dishes and pots after, say, dinner for two?

Thanks for whatever advice you can give.

Comments (8)

  • dodge59
    11 years ago

    I believe the correct name for that is Dishwasher Drawers.
    Do a search at the bottom of the main appliance page.
    You will find many posts about the Dishwasher Drawers.

    I Don't have one, so no help here, We have a full sized Miele, but most the time we just hand wash everything, unless we have company, as like you, there are just 2 of us here.

    Gary

  • dadoes
    11 years ago

    DishDrawer is the correct term for the product offered by Fisher & Paykel.

  • barbaranh
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    thanks dodge59 and dadoes. I'll search using that term.

  • zartemis
    11 years ago

    It will depend on how you cook and size of your dishware. It is really best to take a load of your dishes to an appliance store and try it out.

    We have the double, but after meals with just two of us (about half our meals) will typically only use the top. For larger plates and skillets, you will need to get the Tall dishdrawer (same size as the top of our double). Our largest plates and skillets do not fit in the bottom.

    Our dishes, glassware, and silverware for two, a small-med pot and one or two small-med skillets and a small mixing bowl will easily fit in one Tall dishdrawer. Fitting more than one large pot or an extra large skillet can be done, but it is an inefficient use of space (skillets fit poorly in the tines, so angle in and limit space for plates; pots block water so you can't use the flip-out shelves above them). Sometimes we'll hand wash one skillet or large pot that wouldn't fit in the one with the rest of the stuff rather than start filling the bottom unit. If your cooking process uses multiple pots, multiple mixing bowls, a 2 or 4 cup measure, food process parts, etc, you will likely not be able to fit them all in one. It's the prepware that will get you; regular eating dishware loads small, that won't limit you.

    I do find the dishdrawers fussy about proper loading in order to get clean properly since the water is bottom up only.

  • dadoes
    11 years ago

    Small items can sometimes be placed under larger items. For example, a large saucepan, stockpot, mixing bowl, or pitcher can be placed atop a smaller bowl, glassware, saucer, etc. Both/all items will get cleaned if the water spray can get around/into them.

    I ran all the items pictured were run in one load, one drawer.

    Other loading examples

  • ILoveRed
    11 years ago

    I think a family of two could easily use the one drawer. I have the set and use the top one most of the time for my family (5 at home) because it's so convenient and saves my back. Plus it's taller and holds my taller plates. I often run it twice a day and have to remind myself to run my bottom drawer every few days.

    Great dishwasher.

  • User
    11 years ago

    You will still end up hand washing some of your pots and pans a lot of the time. I'd recommend getting a full sized DW that has a top only cycle as the most versatile solution if you want to really be sure that you can use it for all of your pots and pans and prep stuff. The lower cabinet drawer that you get under a dishdrawer doesn't actually add all that much storage as it's below your knees and that's out of your comfort zone ergonomically. Look at adding more organizers to your upper cabinets in the zone between the top of your head and your knees. That's the most accessed area in any kitchen.

  • barbaranh
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks so much for all these replies.

    dadoes, your pictures were just what I was hoping to find and helped me make a decision.

    I think I agree with GreenDesigns. In our situation, it doesn't make sense to change our full-size for a single dishdrawer and a little more low cabinet space. I like them when they're paired, though. Then you have the best of both worlds. Great idea.

    Thanks everyone!