Help! I Want - no, NEED - A Portable Kitchenaid Dishwasher!

[ibuzzard]

I am in need of a portable as soon as possible, the current newish piece of crap is failing fast.
We already have a nice KDS 21 for an out-in-the-future kitchen remodel, but have no room for a built-in at this time.

Will pay DEARLY ( please, take advantage of me ) for an excellent, Hobart-made, Kitchenaid TOL potable that is within a days' drive of our Bay Area home.

Thanks to Ralph for the rack and other parts for the built-in we are storing for the future.

Thank you to anyone who can help me, my wife is impatient, and is pressuring me to buy yet another piece of junk replacement. Not on my watch . . .

We expect to, and can pay a price commensurate with quality. Anyone?

Steve

 

[ovrphil]

In Denver - go get it! Kitchen Aid Dishwasher - $20(Littlet

Kitchen Aid Dishwasher - perfect for basement - $20 (Littleton)

That's the only one I could find for you - and it's vintage. Hope it's in good conditio...good luck.

Phil

http://denver.craigslist.org/app/5381005180.html

 

[ovrphil]

Oops - not a portable

sorry...will keep an eye out.

 

[ibuzzard]

Thanks, Phil . . .

. . .it's the thought that counts. Not confident I could drive from S.F. Bay area to Colorado in a day, though.

 

[ovrphil]

I'm sorry, I completely missed your location, not realizing it was California and assumed it was Colorado. Here's one about 2.5 hours away. Offer them something less than their $300 asking price. I'll try to find something here short-term, you're welcome.

http:// MUST SELL ASAP! Dryers/Vintage Dishwasher/Fridge Prices Lowered! - $100 (Roseville)

 

[turquoisedude]

Dang it, Steve, I wish I were closer....  I have two KA Electra topload portables that I would love to find new homes for.   But you're welcome to come visit me in Canada anytime if you happen to be heading up this way!

 

[rp2813]

Phil, the second link doesn't do anything.  Is it just me?

 

Hey Steve, the one pictured above is a Hobart, and is nearly TOL.  If the link works for you and it seems worth the drive, maybe the seller is willing to negotiate the price.

 

Ralph

 

[ibuzzard]

Linky No Worky . . .

Phil, would you mind trying it again? If you cannot get it to work , can you tell me which city it is from, and a few key words from the ad? Thanks.

Not sure when I will be up north of the border, and further east, but would definitely stop in, TD.

My dream scenario would be to find an OCD member/collecter from AW , who would temporarily lose their senses, agree to sell me their carefully restored machine , before regaining sanity with a fistful of cash, but a world of regrets . . .

I'm hoping cash might work, but I am also willing to employ hypnotism, or hallucinogenic drugs as needed.

Steve

 

[norgeway]

Picture Above is EXACTLY like mine. Custom 21

I wouldn't trade it for 2 new anythings!!!!!It WORKS!

 

[pulltostart]

An alternate...

I realize that you are looking specifically for a KA portable, however, here is a reverse rack Maytag that you might consider.  Laguna Beach for $350.  Several AW members love their RR Maytag.

 

lawrence

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/app/5423404536.html

 

[pulltostart]

Another Maytag RR

In Santa Maria, more features, less bucks.  $50.

 

lawrence

http://santamaria.craigslist.org/app/5417441205.html

 

[appnut]

I'd take those over KitchenAid.  And they both are the nicer models with water heat options. At least get the Maytag(s) until you find what model specifically you want from the KA portable options that will come up. 

 

[whirlykenmore78]

Here's a Kenmore Ultrawash

Portable in the SF bay area. This will surely handle ANY dishwashing job you have. It is a Whirlpool built machine complete with Powerclean system.
WK78

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/app/5436461467.html

 

[ovrphil]

SORRY...

I had to leave and just got back - so sorry I messed up with that..here's the link

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/app/5432255077.html

 

[ovrphil]

Bump and

Hope it might be something to consider, too.

Phil

 

[rp2813]

The Roseville machine is a little outside of two hours, but may be worth the drive if pictures of the interior are available and it looks good. 

 

Santa Maria is over three hours south, and Laguna Beach several (including the 405 -- Yikes!).

 

[ibuzzard]

Thanks Everyone . . .

The KA in Roseville is a re-post from some few months ago. They did not reply to my queries then, or now.

I have contacted the person concerning the Maytag in Santa Maria. No response, and the ad was originally posted over two weeks ago. It may be sold, plus it apparently has a custom, below sink hook-up method.

Will attempt to contact the owner of the other Maytag,that is further south, this evening.

The Kenmore? Does not really appeal to me, as we have a vintage look to our kitchen/laundry, and I want to have appliances that match the look. The Kenmore doesn't do it for me.

Still, the amount of support from members is amazing, and I very much appreciate it. I really prefer a KA portable, but could live with a nice older Maytag. Our built-in will be a KDS 21, would love to find the portable version of that.

Please keep me in mind if anyone finds something suitable.

Thanks, all.

Steve

 

[ovrphil]

Steve - I did see some Maytags - RR's, as well..can't look right now, but later.

Sorry about the no-replies. What's up with the lame souls who post and don't reply? "Yeah, I have a lot of things for sale on Craigslist...nothing I really own, but I like to see myself in print". ?

Phil

 

[rp2813]

Steve, Nate (roto204) has been able to portable-ize his build-in type machines with an enclosure he found at IKEA.   I don't think it's available anymore, but you may try googling around for one.  

 

Have you been checking the ReStores around the area?  The one up the peninsula in San Carlos seems to have a good selection.  It might be worth giving them a call.

 

 

 

[ovrphil]

2 others KDC-21AD Kitchen-aid dishwasher - $25 (san rafael)

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/app/5437015342.html

" Perfectly Good, yet Older Dishwasher - $25 (san rafael)"

Not a portable - but at this price, if good, maybe you can do as Ralph suggested above?

OR ....OR.....this one:

2) 1971 stainless steel Kitchenaid Superba KDS-17A dishwasher - $100 (alameda) - http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/atq/5430641539.html

Sorry they're not already portables.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/app/5437015342.html

 

[rp2813]

I found a thread with the name of the IKEA enclosure.  It's called "Varde."

 

Here's a picture of Nate's Varde.  He has since put a platform on the bottom and added casters. 

 

Logistics prevent a revolving door.  ;-)

 

 

[ovrphil]

Portable Dishwasher (Maytag) -- very good condition - $50

Just in case you were considering ...but it's probably too far

http://santamaria.craigslist.org/app/5417441205.html

 

[delaneymeegan]

I wish I had a better way of taking advantage of you.

Perhaps looking at the free section for any brand/age portable dws. Just use them until they no longer work.

My experience has shown, portable dws go QUICK. There are not a lot of them.

Where as there is a plethora of free built-in dws.

Well, good luck finding someone to screw you over. I have a couple of portable 1980s dws I could sell for $500-600 each, but I'm too far from you for the mutual masochistic relationship to work. :-(>>

 

[ovrphil]

Just for the rest of us who don't have the same experience with portables...what makes the portable dishwasher such a poor prospect or comparatively money-wasting?

I'd also like to hear from others who have portables - did your portable die before your built-ins? I'm curious, from an engineering standpoint, what makes a built-in inherently weaker and less desirable than a builtin?

 

[turquoisedude]

Phil, I'd have to say that I prefer portables as collection items 'cuz it's a heck of a lot easier to swap them in and out of the kitchen(s) for use.  That being said, most of 'em are buried in the garage anyway...  LOL

 

I've said this before but I'm old... The area where I grew up had smallish kitchens with badly thought-out plumbing (most houses had a 4-foot run of drain pipe running through the base cupboards from the sink to the wall where the main stack was) and this made most built-in installations difficult to say the least.  Portables were the only way most folks could have a dishwasher without doing major remodeling.    

 

[ovrphil]

Paul - and that's where my logic points when I think of portables, but also they're fun. I couldn't care less about their durability and there are plenty of good KA portables out there. But where. other than maybe in the water connections, would a good KA portable fail sooner than its identical model built-in/installed?

BTW - My parents had such a small home, my mom refused a portable and there wsa no room for anything like another drawer, let alone a built-in dishwasher.

 

[ibuzzard]

Update and Question

First of all, another thanks for the "above and beyond" help of members.

Again, zero response - again - from the party in Roseville ( KA ), and I amawaiting a call from the Maytag owner in Santa Maria when he returns from travel That one would need to be put back to original configuration with I guess a new hose, as it was altered to fit at the end of an island.

I did not check into the other Maytag down south, as it is a bit too far for a machine I really only have a passing interest in as a stopgap measure till I find a KA.

Now my question: What all needs to be done to make a built -in work as a portable once mounted in that Ikea cabinet? Is it a hassle? There happens to be an unused cabinet for sale on my local C.L., and I do have a KDS 21 sitting in the garage. I understand that these cabinets are not sold anymore, and would possibly be interested if converting one if its relatively pain free.

Any advice/suggestions?

Steve

 

[tinkr]

built in to portable this was how we were going to do it

My Jet clean is a semi builtin. I had to adapt the hoses to make it fill and drain into a sink. And add an extension cord to plug into an outlet.
before we got a cabinet for it... tipping was the issue.
All the hoses and faucet adaptor were purchased at big box hardware store.
My 1st plan was to use it as a portable

To use it in a portable way. We would have removed the leveling feet and built a rolling platform, Using castors. Attached the dishwasher to it and found a 20-30 lb. weight to place in the rear of the machine. No tipping. Place the cabinet over it secure the cabinet to the platform. Straight metal brackets and screws. Run the electrical splicing thru a metal box. (Attached to the side of the cabinet.)


If your washer has really died see what can be used it's castors and see if there is a way to use the hoses or at least adapt the fill and drain all in one connection at the sink. And see what was used as a counter weight. I would think there is something.

The pic is just an idea for a platform. If your handy it can be done successfully.

I'm the visionary LOL Hubs is Really the genius, He said the portable would work. But no space in my make shift kitchen.
I know the experienced individuals on the form will probably poo poo this but is only my idea. For what its worth.
And desperate times call for Where theses a will theres a way.

 

[vacbear58]

Ikea Varde

Steve

I have had a look through the old threads and I think this one may help as it refers to Nate's (Roto204) use of a Varde Cabinet.

I have also posted a couple of photos, the first showing the unit without platform and the second with a platform. Seems to me that you will need something like the platform which Cheryl has shown above to mount the whole thing on - I think the Varde cabinet should be heavy enough so that you do not need to but a counterbalance weight at the back of the machine. I would NOT use plastic wheels if your are planning on moving this regularly.

Being a Brit I am guessing that you will need to get an electrical cord and a unicouple fitting with fill & drain hoses. I think I recall reading that extra long versions of these hoses are available - would these perhaps assist so that you could use the KA (inside the Varde cabinet) without moving it from its storage location?

Finally, have you considered a top loading KA as an alternative portable unit?

Good luck

Al

http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?28416

 

[roto204]

Al

Look at you, curating those pics! :-D

Thank you for posting those. That Varde cabinet was great--we added the rolling base when we moved to a place where I could no longer cheat with a long unicouple.

I did encounter a few considerations:

As you'll note, I designed the base such that I moved the front casters slightly out forward; this addressed the tipping issue. It never tipped, not even a bit.

The cabinet is so heavy that you likely will not have a problem with tipping, anyhow. Plus, you'll build biceps, because even with good casters, the whole assembly is not light, and will not roll particularly easily--at least, not compared to a true portable.

Oh, and about that--get the best-grade casters you can. The urethane ones from Harbor Freight worked a treat. Dinkier or even standard ones will wear from the weight, and fail fairly quickly. This is especially true if your enclosure is housing a heavy vintage machine, like a Frigidaire spin-tube or older KitchenAid.

Make sure the base is sturdy--if it bows, you'll have problems with the machine binding in the enclosure. I used solid wood, 1" thick on mine.

Also make sure the bottom is strong, flat, and smooth--it will improve the ease of installing a new machine should your tastes change (or, like me, you find something new to play with every few months).

I mounted the bottom out a bit by adding rails beneath the Varde's legs, then attached the bottom to the rails. This allows taller machines to fit. Don't be stuck with an enclosure that won't accommodate your machine! Oh, and save the cute toe-kick Ikea includes in the kit. On some machines, you'll need it; on some, you won't, or it may not fit. But when it does fit, it looks really smart.

Do yourself a favor--sand and finish the top with polyurethane. Don't let Ikea imply that mineral oil is good enough. (The stray piece of mail that lands on it will thank you.)

Lastly, you'll need to devise a place to store your unicouple. I built a cubby on the back with 1/4" plywood to do just this.

All that notwithstanding, this was the best investment we ever made--it opened up a world of possibilities for dishwashers, and liberated us from having to seek out portables. They are often limited in selection and command a premium anywhere, but in the Bay Area--with its plethora of dishwasherless and cramped quarters--especially so.