Fisher & Paykel DishDrawer

Title: Fisher & Paykel – A Nightmare of Faulty Products and Abysmal Customer Service If you're considering Fisher & Paykel, do yourself a favor and run in the opposite direction. Their products are riddled with issues, and their customer service is a labyrinth of incompetence and indifference. Product Quality? A Joke. Their appliances are… Read more

notorious for breaking down. Customers have reported issues like refrigerators leaking water, dryers failing to turn on, and washing machines malfunctioning after minimal use. One user even had to repair a motor in their fridge after just a year of use. Another had a large crack appear in the bottom of their fridge after removing the drawers for cleaning, with Fisher & Paykel refusing to take responsibility. theproperkitchen.com +11 choice.community +11 appliancechat.com +11 bbb.org

Customer Service? Nonexistent.

Trying to get help from Fisher & Paykel is like banging your head against a wall. Customers have reported being ignored for weeks, with no callbacks or resolutions in sight. One frustrated customer in Sydney waited over two weeks with no response after multiple attempts to contact them. complaintsboard.com

Warranty? A Paper Tiger.

Even when their products fail under warranty, Fisher & Paykel's response is to point fingers and pass the blame. One customer reported a refrigerator issue that was acknowledged as a manufacturing problem, but the company refused to take responsibility, leaving the customer to deal with the fallout. bbb.org

Bottom Line: Avoid Fisher & Paykel Like the Plague.

Their appliances are unreliable, and their customer service is a nightmare. Save yourself the headache and choose a brand that values its customers and stands behind its products.\ The dishwasher broke down and i was sworn at serveral times by alex i got a broken leg from the dishwasher parts falling on me

Essential for single bloke – Bought the single drawer unit and had ten years good service from it. Easy to clean inside. Easy replacement of any parts if and when needed (do-it-yourself motor rotor replacement dead simple). Always used tablets on normal cycle without any problems Show details

DON'T DISCONTINUE PLEASE!!! – I absolutely LOVE my Dishdraws. I have put them in my last 2 houses and want to get 1 for my new place. I do renos and the F&P Dishdraw is on top of the list to include. The versatility of 1 draw for the everyday quick wash and the second draw for heavy duty cleaning. They are also so efficient and quiet. Show details

The best dishwasher ever! – I LOVE this dishwasher! My thanks to Fisher Paykel! I bought this 8 months ago during a kitchen remodel. I mostly use the top one; it's so easy to load and unload, no bending down, no giant door sticking out in the room. When I have company I use both washers, put larger things like casserole dishes and pots in bottom and everything else on top.… Read more

Together they equal a tall tub dishwasher in capacity, but since you can wash half a load at a time I'm not hand washing those things I use often but only have one of (favorite mug, etc.). It runs quiet and cleans perfectly.

Do Not Buy – I am a single person so it's not like this dishwasher is getting overused. I am now on my 7th rotor replacement at $106 each plus labor. I'm on my 5th and 6th actuators. I could of purchased a new unit by now. I just replaced a rotor thus morning and now it turns on by itself. Do not buy. Go Bosch or Miele or anything but Fand P. I love the… Read more

double drawers and the look of the unit but these repairs are crazy. Unless you have a money tree and love your repair person being in your kitchen all the time.

Over price steamer – Very disappointed with the wash quality. You need to clean the dishes before you put them in the dishwasher to be cleaned. Lasted 4 years. Was going to cost more to fix than to replace dishwasher. Service guy was great but parts too expensive. Fisher and Paykel were apologetic and kindly offered me a replacement for $200 more than I had originally payed. Had another brand installed for less than half the cost, and with a five year guarantee. Show details

The motor failed a month after warranty expired. Had the motor replaced and now makes a loud humming noise. Also the buttons are falling out.

Excellent idea, questionable execution – The DishDrawer is an excellent idea that has unfortunately been plagued by design flaws, many of which arguably should have involved recalls, and several others should have been remedied with later versions (but have not been). Firstly, the hot air venting situation is poor. A poorly-designed air duct can partially separate, allowing hot air to… Read more

vent into the front cavity where the controller electronics sit. The controller board isn't sealed against this hot air, and even worse, there is a secondary circuit board (that's unfortunately soldered to the main PCB) that displays the in-tub wash selection lights, and has two capacitive sensors for the mode advance and eco button. The hot air, probably with some corrosive gasses from washing detergents, corrodes this PCB and causes issues. F&P have made several minor attempts to improve this with subsequent 605, DD60...6/7 models, and recently moved the controller entirely. Furthermore, on the bottom drawer, hot moist air is expelled directly onto the floor via the fan. This is not at all ideal for vinyl or wooden flooring and can cause damage.

Second, the lids in early 603s used white motors that can fail and stop the lid from closing properly. This wouldn't be such an issue if F&P used a better method to detect lid closure (such as light detection or magnetic detection, as tall glasses or dishes sticking above the drawer top can also cause this issue (but the lit motors will still stall out and thus the dishwasher "thinks" they are closed) - this is likely to cause F1 (flood) faults.

Third, wash performance can be basically destroyed if anything is sticking below the wire racks and blocking the rotation of the spray arm. The DD has no sensor to inform the user of this issue, and it's rather difficult to check with a full drawer. Better yet, this can cause a film to appear on your dishes that is only able to be removed with i.e. a vinegar bath. I believe it would be relatively simple for F&P to have included some sort of sensor to ensure that the spray arm is rotating, yet they have not done so (there are a couple of metal dots at the bottom of the phase 8/9 drawers, so they may have now?).

Fourth, many DD603s came with fragile plastic hose "link supports" that hold the hoses when opening the drawer. These can snap, and wedge between lid and tub. Once again, because there is no sensor to ensure the tub is *actually* sealing other than the motors stalling out, this can cause flooding. Fortunately now plenty of second hand parts are available to fix this using the design from the newer machines with a wire support - but if you own a 603 you should check this.

Fifth, the levelling feet used on the machine can bend/break easily. They are a simple threaded nut and bolt system using what appears to be a pressed dome into the (rather thin) chassis metal. Barely adequate - a detachable leg system would have been much better, as repairing these feet is sometimes very difficult.

My machine has suffered from all of these issues in its 12 year history. It's cost me approximately $300 in parts (second hand). Had I bought new parts that bill would have been $1000 or more, and had I not been able to replace many of these parts myself it would have been $2000+ worth of repairs.

The above are just some of the issues too - newer machines (6 series) suffered from electronics that failed prematurely, handles that were glued on and broke easily, and plate rack clips that broke easily. The latest machines (8 and 9 series) have only a single control area that's annoyingly confusing to use (have to ensure correct drawer is selected before you adjust).

As others have said, a machine for DIYers with electrical skill. At least it's a relatively simple design that isn't *too* difficult to service, and the service manuals and parts lists can be found relatively easily.

Do not buy! – I have just seen that this is discontinued. I can understand why. It does not wash properly on ANY cycle. Yes, I rinsed before loading. Yes, I even scraped most of the food off!! It is very loud. I have never been so disappointed in an appliance before. Would definitely not recommend.  Show details

this is terrible i hate it – it cleans terribly every time i take a plate it has still got bits of food all over it this dish drawer sucks!!! it is also quite loud to!! worst dishdrawer ever it so sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it is easy for things to drop down and stop the arm from rotating. i do not recommend buying this dishdrawer!  Show details

Great idea but we can't stop both from washing – We love the double draw but two issues we found is it takes up more room inside because of two doors where a single we found could have fited more in and the last issue is for the life of us we can't stop the second draw from working if we don't want to use it other than that it cleans well  Show details

Clever design but needs maintenance – I have owned this dishwasher for about 10 years and it is still operational. It washes well, is reasonably quiet and the 'eco' cycle is quick and effective. The design hasn't changed much over the years, so my experience may be helpful to new owners. The design is clever and fairly simple, so one would expect trouble free operation. … Read more

Unfortunately this isn't always the case. The most common error is 'F1' which indicates flooding. One of the drawers has leaked water into the pan underneath. When the wash cycle starts, the mechanism draws a lid down onto the drawer to create a seal. If you put a tall glass or mug on the side tray, the drawer will still close but water leaks around the seal. Usually you will have to remove the bottom drawer to dry the tray. Some people use a hair dryer to speed the process. Fortunately the F1 error doesn't seem to do any permanent damage.

I have found various other errors over the years and have been able to fix them myself. If you are not handy with repairs, maybe you should consider another brand. It's a pity, because the design is actually very clever.

Disappointed! – Purchased this top of the line product in 2014 and already paid for 2 service calls for faulty parts post warranty period. Now the dishes are not being washed properly after running 2 cycles. Most disappointing and will have to now pay for a 3rd call out fee to get it fixed.  Show details

Worst experience ever! – Not only this dishwasher doesn't wash the dishes thoroughly, it also makes a very loud noise. I bought it because the price was convenient but I would never imagine that it could be so bad. Errors messages prompted right away and the instructions didn't even help me fix the issues.  Show details

Two-year failure – Unfortunately since my last review of this product Fisher & Paykel DishDrawer, the machine ceased operations suddenly. The manual is useless as it only shows what to do if various 'error messages' appear but of course not much to do if nothing works at all. It seems that most whitewoods one buys these days last about two years.  Show details

Small, but amazing – Have a second hand one, but it is amazing. It's small but does a great job. Perfect for two people. A single tablet lasts two cycles, perfect results every time. The only bad points is that it's a little loud when it's draining. But that doesn't last long in the cycle. You can also get good results from stacked items.  Show details

OK – Had to replace existing dish draw machine which was a Fisher and Paykel as we had heaps of repairs and issues but due to space we had to go back to Fisher and Paykel. So far had no trouble except quality of wash isn’t amazing. fingers xxx for it to last. I always take extended warranty on these things as they rarely go the distance anymore.  Show details

Nope. No way. Better ones out there – I've had it service 3 times in less than 2 years. Could have purchased a new dishwasher with all the $$$$ spent to keep this in service. The motor just broke down the first time, and was told it dishwasher should be used often to keep the motors running and working. Ok fair enough, so now I alternate between the drawers. Then the buttons stopped… Read more

working, so it was stuck on ECO FAST mode - couldn't change it to anything else. Had to get the circuit board inside it replaced. And then finally, it broke again. Not sure what it was this time, but it just wouldn't start. The button to start/pause didn't work, and neither did any of the mode buttons. Guy game and got it working again, but Fisher & Paykel charge an arm and a leg. Service fee + parts which aren't cheap. Avoid if you can.

It gets 2 stars because when it's working it does the job, although sometimes the drying cycle doesn't manage to dry everything.

Good machine but with minor problems – A convenient machine for a small family with not much dishes to wash, especially by using only one drawer. The running is quiet. In June 2014, I had to call a F&P serviceman to service and replace a main filter board which cost me $187.80 which was quite expensive. Other setbacks are:- the bottom drawer does not dry very well and it uses only powdered detergent. On the whole the machine has served me well for the last 11 years.  Show details

New version even better – Our 13 year old unit broke down, so we decided to get a new one rather than repair. Firstly for a dishwasher to last 13 years I think is fantastic. The new version we got slipped Staight in and looks even better, more stylish and the internal racking has improved and is stronger. Highly recommend.  Show details

Revision of 2006 review – In 2006 I had many issues with this dishwasher and was not happy with the constant error messages and visits from the technician. Since then I have had no issues and the dishwasher is still washing the dishes beautifully. I am dreading the day that I have to shop for a new one, as I am so very happy with this one ... now.  Show details

Who ever thought washing dishes could be this easy – I erring on the side of water conservation was washing by hand my dishes although I had a great , economically friendly, silent running almost, Fisher &Paykel dishwasher. I used when visitors came or I was severely lazy. It was not until I called the technician to my FisherPaykel washing machine hewhilst here checked out the dishwasher and… Read more

explained to me that it was really more economical than handwashing dishes. And he was right, I now use this at least twice and sometimes three time a week. The crockery and cutlery along with my pots and pans are sparkling clean and I only have to put away the clean dishes. Such a marvellous necessity in any Kitchen.

Good and Reliable – I bought this Fisher & Paykel Dish Drawer about two years ago and I have never regretted it. It is very reliable when it comes to loading and cycle cleaning. Power ratings are reasonable and water consumption is good. It is the sort of equipment you buy once in 5 years without second thoughts  Show details

Top draw broke – It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.  Show details

Dishes done – I moved into a new unit 2 years ago and there was a dishwasher in there and I said to my family you can switch that off as I won't be using it. I found the manual in one off the drawers and read it but as I'd never usd one and had no tablets to use in it I just forgot about it until one day I received some samples to test but still thought I could… Read more

wash and dry them quicker. Then one night I had 8 over for dinner and when it was time to go some offered to help do the dishes and I said no I'll use the dishwasher, so after they left I got the manual out and the tablets then checked out how to load it, so with everything in water on I set it up and because I was so tired I went to bed it was so quiet. Next morning as I was about to have breakfast the cupboard where I kept my dishes was half empty, then I remembered the dishwasher as I'd heard bad stories about them I gently opened it to find my dishes were very clean and dry I couldn't believe it & rang my sister in law about how good it was and she just said I told you that years ago and now I use it every 2 or 3 days as I live on my own, a plumber friend came around one day and he gave me some tips on how to keep the outlets and filters clean which keeps it working better. I'm so happy with my Fisher & Paykel.

Makes life so much easier – I have been using my dishwasher drawers fro some years and found the machine to be excellent. Any faults have been fixed free even though t is out of warranty. Very quiet, sometimes I need to look if the lights are on to know if it's operating! I'm not a very good dish wash stacker but everything still comes our sparkling and clean. And for the best results use powder not the blocks.  Show details

Really couldn't live without it! – Would recommend this dishwasher to anyone. Compared to my previous one, this is extremely quiet and uses a minimum of water. Cleans well 99% of the time. Love the fact you don't have to bend down to load and unload as most of the time I use the top drawer. Bottom drawer is mainly used for large pots and pans and both drawers can be used simultaneously if need be.  Show details

Breaks down constantly – I've had this DishDrawer since late 2004 and it has been nothing but trouble. It broke down under warranty repeatedly and the repair men tried to lay the blame on me: I was putting in too much soap; I was using the wrong soap; I wasn't stacking the machine properly; and on it went. It finally shorted out the whole house several years ago and it's… Read more

been taking up space ever since. I can't see the sense in throwing good money after bad getting it fixed yet again so I'm using it for storage. I should give it an extra star for that, I suppose.

During the periods between breakdowns, however, it was a perfectly serviceable machine. The dishes came out clean (eventually; the full cycle was a very long cycle), and it wasn't too onerous to keep the machine clean. It was, however, quite loud.

Cant fault it – I have had this double drawer F&P since 2003 and not once have I had to call for a service or had it play up. That's not bad for 14 years and still going strong. It washes well, it is quiet, and you can have 2 drawers going at once on different cycles. My next dishwasher will be ....... the same, thanks F&P !!  Show details

I love it – It does a good but as I live alone I only do the dishes every three days or so, so I always give everything a quick rinse as it doesn't always remove dried on food. It has had two recalls/modifications, a current monitor and a rotor supplied/replaced by F and P. It is very quiet and I am very happy with it in spite of what others say.  Show details

Absolute Nightmare – I have two dishwashers. One was replaced within 12 months, the second has had a new motor. The costumer services in N-Z were useless. The washers are small inside. Making it impossible to wash plates and glasses for a normal family. I have to use both washers with doubles the cost of running a normal dishwasher...  Show details

Great when works – When it did work it was fabulous and I was very happy with it, but now doesn't empty. I think pump has gone. Doesn't seem to have any blocks. If I can get it fixed under warranty I would be happy, but don't know how to get someone to look at it.  Show details