1970's kenmore portable dishwasher
- Thread starter xpanam
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Wow - most unusual to see a one-level wash dishwasher of this vintage! I do remember seeing them in the mid-70s Sears catalogs - I am not sure when they stopped making them, though.
Paul -
I have seen "one knob wonder" machines in the Sears catalog of similar configuration up to the first half of the 80s. Not sure exactly when though. By that time the machine came in white only, had a brushed aluminum panel, with gray or black knob. There was no attempts to make these any sort of a disguised BOL machine, it was very clearly so.
Later these seemed to be under counter only, then eventually they were two-level wash I believe.
Gordon
I have seen "one knob wonder" machines in the Sears catalog of similar configuration up to the first half of the 80s. Not sure exactly when though. By that time the machine came in white only, had a brushed aluminum panel, with gray or black knob. There was no attempts to make these any sort of a disguised BOL machine, it was very clearly so.
Later these seemed to be under counter only, then eventually they were two-level wash I believe.
Gordon
xpanam
Well-known member
My guess would be 1975 no Roto Rack and the gold fleck top. The bottom wash arm must be extra powerful because of no spray arm for the top rack. Could be used as a back up for pots and pans.
Basic one Level KM DW by D&M
The lower wash arm pressure would be the same as the models that had two level wash, unlike many brands where the top wash arm took some water power away from the lower wash arm, D&M DWs used the drain impeller to supply the water for the upper wash arm or roto-rack feed tube.
The lower wash arm pressure would be the same as the models that had two level wash, unlike many brands where the top wash arm took some water power away from the lower wash arm, D&M DWs used the drain impeller to supply the water for the upper wash arm or roto-rack feed tube.
I think Nate had a similar one-level wash D&M machine at one time, maybe a Roper? I think he posted a review of the performance here at the time, perhaps the Super Searchilator will turn up something.
I remember seeing these machines at Sears in the "white goods" department. I'm sure they didn't have much trouble with the up-sell to a two level machine. So very BOL they didn't even have a pressure relief button on the unicouple! For a while, they made a similar BOL machine with the Roto-Rack style spray tube but instead of holes, it had slits in the tube to spray, or attempt to spray, the upper rack.
Poor little homely girl, won't Robert and Fred give her a loving home washing vacuum parts? LOL
I remember seeing these machines at Sears in the "white goods" department. I'm sure they didn't have much trouble with the up-sell to a two level machine. So very BOL they didn't even have a pressure relief button on the unicouple! For a while, they made a similar BOL machine with the Roto-Rack style spray tube but instead of holes, it had slits in the tube to spray, or attempt to spray, the upper rack.
Poor little homely girl, won't Robert and Fred give her a loving home washing vacuum parts? LOL
I believ e Nates machine was a Magic Chef and it had one wash arm under the bottom rack and one full-size wash arm above the top rack, but nothing spraying up to the upper rack from below it. It was a good performer loaded properly.
Oh yes - now I remember that wash arm on the top! Too funny, wonder what they were thinking! All the nibblets would end up inside the cups, not on top 
wonder what they were thinking!
This was during the period of that "funky" D&M wash mechanism and racking design that kinda imitated being a Maytag RR wanna be so to speak. since this was a BOL, they didn't bother putting in the "tower" for the upper rack. All models had the basic full-size arms above the top rack and the one on the bottom. The perpendicular plate racking design for the bottom rack that wasted a tremendous amoount of space and the center dish loops for the saucers and berry bowls was a total waste. Could put abut 4 or 5 plates on either side of the center row and that was about it. Actually with the tower, and depending upon which brand it was, did a very decent job of cleaning if the "brand" offered water heat delay for main wash as well as the final rinse for the sani-cycle, but not al "brands" did that.
This was during the period of that "funky" D&M wash mechanism and racking design that kinda imitated being a Maytag RR wanna be so to speak. since this was a BOL, they didn't bother putting in the "tower" for the upper rack. All models had the basic full-size arms above the top rack and the one on the bottom. The perpendicular plate racking design for the bottom rack that wasted a tremendous amoount of space and the center dish loops for the saucers and berry bowls was a total waste. Could put abut 4 or 5 plates on either side of the center row and that was about it. Actually with the tower, and depending upon which brand it was, did a very decent job of cleaning if the "brand" offered water heat delay for main wash as well as the final rinse for the sani-cycle, but not al "brands" did that.
Kenmore
This looks like it very bottom line from 1976 - the very BOL models always lacked the duel spray. In the last series Sears added the upper arm to the BOL model.
Peter
This looks like it very bottom line from 1976 - the very BOL models always lacked the duel spray. In the last series Sears added the upper arm to the BOL model.
Peter
It does look like the absolute bottom of the line. Why even use the top rack because nothing is going to get cleaned in it. I went in to see a friend of the family that was the appliance manager for our local Sears when this BOL model was on sale for $119. He steered me to a reposessed Lady Kenmore in the back room that was $100. I took it and it was a gem for over 15 years. Wished I still had her.
Still in all my old KA portable only had a bottom spray arm and one cycle (with a rinse'n hold) and it did a fab job washing dishes.
I remember around this time Sears also sold a window a/c with just an on/off toggle switch, no fan speed, no thermostat even.. it was just on or off
I remember around this time Sears also sold a window a/c with just an on/off toggle switch, no fan speed, no thermostat even.. it was just on or off
lotsosudz
Well-known member
Utterly Useless
My sister had this model from 1970. It was useless. It got the dishes wet, maybe the plates got clean, made a lot of noise, but that was absolutely it. You basically had to wash the dishes before hand, then load it up, and run it. It had no fan forced dry, so everything came out pretty wet. My brother in law worked for Sears at the time as a repairman, and got it cheap. He should have left it at the store!
Hugs,
David
My sister had this model from 1970. It was useless. It got the dishes wet, maybe the plates got clean, made a lot of noise, but that was absolutely it. You basically had to wash the dishes before hand, then load it up, and run it. It had no fan forced dry, so everything came out pretty wet. My brother in law worked for Sears at the time as a repairman, and got it cheap. He should have left it at the store!
Hugs,
David
dishwasherfan
Well-known member
Mystery top spray arm.
An old boyfriend had a similar machine that was a low end model that was installed when his home was built. I had helped load & used it for years. When he decided to replace it, I helped him remove & install a new one. Only then did I discoverthe full size spray arm attached to the top, never even realizing it was there. I was intrigued with such a strange design; he could have cared less.
An old boyfriend had a similar machine that was a low end model that was installed when his home was built. I had helped load & used it for years. When he decided to replace it, I helped him remove & install a new one. Only then did I discoverthe full size spray arm attached to the top, never even realizing it was there. I was intrigued with such a strange design; he could have cared less.
