How good is a Model KDS-56?

[newhobartowner]

A friend of mine was cleaning out his house and he had a KDS-56 that he wanted to get rid of and gave it to me. He told me it belonged to his father and that it was never used. It has some scratches on the sides from storage, a butcher block top and is white in color. Chrome on front is like new, inside has no smell at all. I have a crappy sears dishwasher now, this one had an instruction sheet in the bottom of the unit to convert it to an undercounter model. Is this model a good enough one for me to convert it, or should I sell it to get a new one. It is really very cool looking and I would like to use it? How much are these worth??

 

[rp2813]

How much are these worth?

In terms of dollars, not a whole lot, but in terms of build quality/durability, looks, performance, and coolness factor for the owner, probably a lot more.

 

I'm pretty sure your machine has only one wash arm, so you'll have to be more careful about how you load the bottom rack in order to allow the spray to reach the items on the top rack. 

 

The experts among us here will have more detailed advice, but if it's a low mileage machine and you're willing to take the care to load it properly, it should perform well for you.

 

[appnut]

Sounds like a portable KDS16 to me, that is what a KDS56 was I do believe. And yes, it's a one-arm wonder.   This is like from the late 1960s to the early 1970s.  It will clean very well is care is taken in properly loading it as Ralph indicated.  Just depends upon what all you put in your dishwasher and how intensely loaded it is. 

 

[norgeway]

For Me!

It cant be beat, it will blast off the worst burned on crud you ever saw, and a complete cycle in about 35 to 40 minutes!

 

[a440]

<span style="font-family: georgia,palatino; font-size: medium;">Awesome Dishwasher!  I have a KDS-57A that I use as a second dishwasher. </span>

<span style="font-family: georgia,palatino; font-size: medium;">It will clean anything!  Super Fast Cycles!  </span>

<span style="font-family: georgia,palatino; font-size: medium;">Brent</span>

 

[newhobartowner]

My 6 year old Kenmore has a 2nd spray Arm

Does not seem to help much. What makes this dishwasher so special, is it the pressure of the pump? I am thinking of temporarily hooking it up in the garage and bringing the dishes there to try it. It is REALLY heavy, more than double the Kenmore. I want to test it to make sure it is fine. It had an instruction paper tucked in the bottom to convert it for undercounter use, I just have not pulled the paper out. Is this a standard size? Sure seems to be built like a TANK. I will post pix when I take it out of my van.

 

[a440]

<span style="font-family: georgia,palatino; font-size: medium;">Hi there,</span>

<span style="font-family: georgia,palatino; font-size: medium;">Well if you want a dishwasher that has a "real pump" and uses water, this is the one for you.  You will be amazed at the sounds of power.</span>

<span style="font-family: georgia,palatino; font-size: medium;">If you hook it up in your garage and use it make sure you are using HOT WATER.  Don't pour cold water into it.  Actually you should pour very hot water into it and let it sit for awhile before running.  This will soften the pump shaft seal.  </span>

<span style="font-family: georgia,palatino; font-size: medium;">Can't wait to see your pictures.</span>

<span style="font-family: georgia,palatino; font-size: medium;">These are awesome dishwashers!  Once you go Hobart you don't go back!</span>

<span style="font-family: georgia,palatino; font-size: medium;">Brent</span>

 

[combo52]

KDS-56 AND KDS16

This is my all-time favorite classic KD DW. I have had this model in my service kitchen in the W Va, house for over 20 years and it does a great job if loaded properly. The only real drawbacks are that it uses three times the water of your new TT KM DW and it requires a hot water inlet temperature approaching 140 degrees. As we are are on a well and the machine is lightly used I didn't worry about the water consumption so much. And since we are all electric and I don't like keeping my hot water above 130 I rewired the  sump heaters so both would be used when ever the machine was boosting water temperatures. Rewiring them this requires you the have the DW on a 20 AMP breaker with 12Ga wire, but boy does it clean and does so in a little over a half an hour.

 

So the only real negatives for me are having to load it correctly because of the single wash arm design and having to clean a messy stinky filter every once in a while. If I were you I would use it, think of having a brand new 1968 car to drive without most of the negative parts.