ricky5050
Well-known member
Hi I won the kenwood dishwasher from eBay today. It was in Rochdale and I collected it this morning. It looked in good condition. It's smaller than a standard modern model.
Kenwood dishwasher a1212
- Thread starter ricky5050
- Start date
ricky5050
Well-known member
Inside
It's an impeller model , which is in good condition
It's an impeller model , which is in good condition
ricky5050
Well-known member
Bottom rack
Bottom rack cutlery tray not in
Bottom rack cutlery tray not in
ricky5050
Well-known member
Top rack
.
.
ricky5050
Well-known member
Detergent cup
It's a simple funnel that holds powder there isn't a pre wash
It's a simple funnel that holds powder there isn't a pre wash
ricky5050
Well-known member
3 cycles
I'm guessing its long medium and short as there isn't a pre wash
I'm guessing its long medium and short as there isn't a pre wash
ricky5050
Well-known member
Rinse aid and air vent
There's also a on off switch on front
There's also a on off switch on front
Kenwood
So pleased you managed to save this Richard, and thank you for the great photos. Given its production life cycle, it must have been one of the last impeller dishwashers produced, I had no idea it was impeller but assumed it would have had revolving arms. Looking forward to the wash test. You are getting to have a great selection of vintage dishwashers
So pleased you managed to save this Richard, and thank you for the great photos. Given its production life cycle, it must have been one of the last impeller dishwashers produced, I had no idea it was impeller but assumed it would have had revolving arms. Looking forward to the wash test. You are getting to have a great selection of vintage dishwashers
ricky5050
Well-known member
Motor
It's clean and tidy underneath
I assumed it would be ok to start it as the new house holders who bought the kitchen had been told by the original it worked but they never used it.
It filled up and then heats , then starts, it's noisy , it then leaked around the door, so I tried adding some plates cups etc, and detergent. It leaked less then massive amounts of foam leaked out the door ! I added some fabric softener and this stopped but I discovered the drain pump didn't work so now it was full of fabric softener scummy hot water!
I bailed it out and washed all the dishes in my regular dishwasher.
I've since oiled the pump and I think it will be ok , and I think I can get new door seals.
The thing I've noticed about older dishwashers is , that it's hard to fit in modern crockery. The mugs I use just about fit in the top rack. Glasses have to be small. And as it's an impeller model anything in the bottom rack has to be a plate as it will block the top rack water spray.
I'll keep you informed if I can anywhere with it
I've posted a link to 1970s appliances. It's a silent film from Huntley studios , a short way in there is a dishwasher that looks like the kenwood.
Cheers Richard
It's clean and tidy underneath
I assumed it would be ok to start it as the new house holders who bought the kitchen had been told by the original it worked but they never used it.
It filled up and then heats , then starts, it's noisy , it then leaked around the door, so I tried adding some plates cups etc, and detergent. It leaked less then massive amounts of foam leaked out the door ! I added some fabric softener and this stopped but I discovered the drain pump didn't work so now it was full of fabric softener scummy hot water!
I bailed it out and washed all the dishes in my regular dishwasher.
I've since oiled the pump and I think it will be ok , and I think I can get new door seals.
The thing I've noticed about older dishwashers is , that it's hard to fit in modern crockery. The mugs I use just about fit in the top rack. Glasses have to be small. And as it's an impeller model anything in the bottom rack has to be a plate as it will block the top rack water spray.
I'll keep you informed if I can anywhere with it
I've posted a link to 1970s appliances. It's a silent film from Huntley studios , a short way in there is a dishwasher that looks like the kenwood.
Cheers Richard
Kenwood & bonus
It certainly is clean and tidy underneath - I hope you can get it sorted.
Bonus? That film you posted on the link, which was brill. I think the dishwasher is Kenwood as there is loads of other Kenwood stuff in there. I think the dryer might be EE and it was brilliant to see the Hotpoint cleaners as well, including the seldom seen Masterclean canister
Al
It certainly is clean and tidy underneath - I hope you can get it sorted.
Bonus? That film you posted on the link, which was brill. I think the dishwasher is Kenwood as there is loads of other Kenwood stuff in there. I think the dryer might be EE and it was brilliant to see the Hotpoint cleaners as well, including the seldom seen Masterclean canister
Al
ricky5050
Well-known member
Thanks Al
Yes I've now got 5 vintage dishwashers. None in perfect working order sadly , looking at our American and Canadian cousins and there dishwasher technology it seems the uk was years behind , this kenwood is basically the same as a very early hotpoint American model. Certainly not what you'd expect in the 1970s, another thing I've found interesting is that a few of my machines have come from the more affluent areas of Manchester the others London. Which goes to show that they must have been an expensive luxury for quite a while. My parents had a new kitchen in 1973 blue Formica and just then moved over to an automatic hoover match box. Their oven was creda built in with sep hob, and again in 1981 brown mahogany with aeg oven and gas hob but didn't get a dishwasher until 1991 ( aeg favourit 440 I think - still going strong !) so we must have been very late adopting dishwashers compared to America which is why there must be so few survivors. If I can get it water tight it might be good to try it ill even use some retro crockery that may fit better and smaller wine glasses ! ( shock horror !)
Richard
Ps thanks to Simon whose advert I've copied I hope this is ok x
Yes I've now got 5 vintage dishwashers. None in perfect working order sadly , looking at our American and Canadian cousins and there dishwasher technology it seems the uk was years behind , this kenwood is basically the same as a very early hotpoint American model. Certainly not what you'd expect in the 1970s, another thing I've found interesting is that a few of my machines have come from the more affluent areas of Manchester the others London. Which goes to show that they must have been an expensive luxury for quite a while. My parents had a new kitchen in 1973 blue Formica and just then moved over to an automatic hoover match box. Their oven was creda built in with sep hob, and again in 1981 brown mahogany with aeg oven and gas hob but didn't get a dishwasher until 1991 ( aeg favourit 440 I think - still going strong !) so we must have been very late adopting dishwashers compared to America which is why there must be so few survivors. If I can get it water tight it might be good to try it ill even use some retro crockery that may fit better and smaller wine glasses ! ( shock horror !)
Richard
Ps thanks to Simon whose advert I've copied I hope this is ok x
Late adoption
Richard
I think you are absolutely right that we were late in adopting dishwashers, not just that they were (reasonably) expensive, but we never really adopted the principle of a portable(roll-about)dishwasher they way they did in the US, not the least because we did not have the brilliant faucet connectors that they have there. Sure, some dishwashers had wheels, but in small British kitchens to have one sitting in the middle of a small kitchen floor for an hour or so (not to mention connecting it up!) is more of a problem. So it is not really a surprise that we had such as the propeller Kenwood and the Colston (central spinning tube) still in production well into the 1970s. So, although there were dishwashers around the market was very small.
Indeed, now that I think of it, apart from Hoover (post Zanussi manufactured Auto-Jet/Super Jet with the revolving racks) I can hardly think of any other UK dishwasher manufacturer in the 1970s. Swanmaid did produce one machine, but I only ever saw that in magazines. Otherwise it was German or Italian machines.
I did read once (sorry, don't have a source) that Hoover installed an all new dishwasher production line in Merthyr in around 1973 for the range that would replace the Italian produced Auto-jet on the basis that their market research indicated that the UK dishwasher market was about to take off. It didn't and Hoover lost a lot of money over those models - I have certainly never seen one except on a Hoover promotional tea towel.
Around the mid - end 1970s Thorn marketed Italian made Bendix/Kenwood models (I believe you have one of the Bendix models) and the same machine was also badged as Electrolux. I do not remember if the Hoover dishwasher I bought in 1988 was UK produced or not, but I think not.
It is my opinion that it was really not until the 1980s when replacing kitchens became really commonplace (and perhaps kitchens being extended too) and of course automatic washers with a smaller footprint would have had an effect on this too. And of course peoples expectations became raised and realised there were better things to do than stand at the sink washing dishes.
I always thought that the Creda built in units were very attractive - somewhat smaller overall than their Tricity counterparts, although no difference in capacity. Did your parents have the wide hob with two rings on the front sides and two side by side set together to the back of the hob? I still think this was the most attractive design of radiant ring hob sold here
Al
Richard
I think you are absolutely right that we were late in adopting dishwashers, not just that they were (reasonably) expensive, but we never really adopted the principle of a portable(roll-about)dishwasher they way they did in the US, not the least because we did not have the brilliant faucet connectors that they have there. Sure, some dishwashers had wheels, but in small British kitchens to have one sitting in the middle of a small kitchen floor for an hour or so (not to mention connecting it up!) is more of a problem. So it is not really a surprise that we had such as the propeller Kenwood and the Colston (central spinning tube) still in production well into the 1970s. So, although there were dishwashers around the market was very small.
Indeed, now that I think of it, apart from Hoover (post Zanussi manufactured Auto-Jet/Super Jet with the revolving racks) I can hardly think of any other UK dishwasher manufacturer in the 1970s. Swanmaid did produce one machine, but I only ever saw that in magazines. Otherwise it was German or Italian machines.
I did read once (sorry, don't have a source) that Hoover installed an all new dishwasher production line in Merthyr in around 1973 for the range that would replace the Italian produced Auto-jet on the basis that their market research indicated that the UK dishwasher market was about to take off. It didn't and Hoover lost a lot of money over those models - I have certainly never seen one except on a Hoover promotional tea towel.
Around the mid - end 1970s Thorn marketed Italian made Bendix/Kenwood models (I believe you have one of the Bendix models) and the same machine was also badged as Electrolux. I do not remember if the Hoover dishwasher I bought in 1988 was UK produced or not, but I think not.
It is my opinion that it was really not until the 1980s when replacing kitchens became really commonplace (and perhaps kitchens being extended too) and of course automatic washers with a smaller footprint would have had an effect on this too. And of course peoples expectations became raised and realised there were better things to do than stand at the sink washing dishes.
I always thought that the Creda built in units were very attractive - somewhat smaller overall than their Tricity counterparts, although no difference in capacity. Did your parents have the wide hob with two rings on the front sides and two side by side set together to the back of the hob? I still think this was the most attractive design of radiant ring hob sold here
Al
kenmoreguy89
Well-known member
Nice machine......
So where was it made? Britain?
I ask this because as you probably know over here they never had the Kenwood brand for large appliances, unless for washers that were though made by the Austrian Eudora and marketed with the Kenwood brand in Italy for reasons that still now I totally ignore..
Anyway....
I can see it does not have an automatic dispenser...so I presume it didn't have a prewash/pre-rinse cycle.... ot it did?
Nice machine though, I bet it really wash with hot water and with real splashes...of course not like modern ones...If I had the possibility to fit a portable one in my kitchen I would have got two 1960s portable top load indesits with the same pulsator washing action I found last month...unfortunately still have to deal with my crappy Bosch..
It's more the stuff I have to re-wash by hand than the one I pull out clean from it... and I feel often uncomfortable by using utensils that have been in contact with something gone bad as for example when I forget something in the bottom of the refrigerators and gets mold...so I usually make a pre-rinse by hand with bleach or something prior the machine.. moreover they state the heavy soil cycle (pans) makes 65°...I can barely feel 50°c actually....I should attach the hose to hot water instead of cold, I'd get water hotter from the tap..
Even my uncles up in Maine made the mistake to get a TOL Bosch (suggested by the appliance guy...) and they hate it for the same reasons I do..... they paid $800 for it, and they now dream of having back their 1980 whirlpool...
I think they're going to put the 6 months old bosch on craiglist and get a real one soon..
Wish I could do the same.... but here just "fake/toy" machines around...
I envy you guys keeping finding these machine...I wish I could have the same luck..</p>[this post was last edited: 9/23/2013-10:36]
So where was it made? Britain?
I ask this because as you probably know over here they never had the Kenwood brand for large appliances, unless for washers that were though made by the Austrian Eudora and marketed with the Kenwood brand in Italy for reasons that still now I totally ignore..
Anyway....
I can see it does not have an automatic dispenser...so I presume it didn't have a prewash/pre-rinse cycle.... ot it did?
Nice machine though, I bet it really wash with hot water and with real splashes...of course not like modern ones...If I had the possibility to fit a portable one in my kitchen I would have got two 1960s portable top load indesits with the same pulsator washing action I found last month...unfortunately still have to deal with my crappy Bosch..
It's more the stuff I have to re-wash by hand than the one I pull out clean from it... and I feel often uncomfortable by using utensils that have been in contact with something gone bad as for example when I forget something in the bottom of the refrigerators and gets mold...so I usually make a pre-rinse by hand with bleach or something prior the machine.. moreover they state the heavy soil cycle (pans) makes 65°...I can barely feel 50°c actually....I should attach the hose to hot water instead of cold, I'd get water hotter from the tap..
Even my uncles up in Maine made the mistake to get a TOL Bosch (suggested by the appliance guy...) and they hate it for the same reasons I do..... they paid $800 for it, and they now dream of having back their 1980 whirlpool...
I think they're going to put the 6 months old bosch on craiglist and get a real one soon..
Wish I could do the same.... but here just "fake/toy" machines around...
I envy you guys keeping finding these machine...I wish I could have the same luck..</p>[this post was last edited: 9/23/2013-10:36]
"Push to Start" Kenwood
Congratulations Richard on saving this unique piece of UK history, looks in great nic and am sure will be up and running asap, new crockery not withstanding,
is this the model before the one in Simons pics with the viewing window or where they running at the same time?Very simple design and that thermostat bank looks more UK than euro so I wonder if it was made in Havant?
Congratulations Richard on saving this unique piece of UK history, looks in great nic and am sure will be up and running asap, new crockery not withstanding,
is this the model before the one in Simons pics with the viewing window or where they running at the same time?Very simple design and that thermostat bank looks more UK than euro so I wonder if it was made in Havant?
ricky5050
Well-known member
Thanks
Hi ken more guy , I'm assuming it's made in uk as it says so, no no pre wash unless it stops and then you add deteregent as it's not an automatic dispenser , more of a plastic funnel to hold deteregent to keep it tidy, it gets nice and hot and certainly throws water around but not sure how efficient in the top rack !
Thanks mike nice knob by the way ! ( no offence lol) I'm not sure if it's younger or older than the advert, id say younger as it has a rinse aid dispenser ( the plastic circle left of on off switch is rinse aid cover ) or it may be younger ones had them inside ? It doesn't have a viewing window. , I wondered what that was? But it could be easily converted to a window on door as one thickness of steel ( a bit like Roberts kitchen aid ?)
Ill order some rubber strips and see if I can get it water tight !
Richard
Hi ken more guy , I'm assuming it's made in uk as it says so, no no pre wash unless it stops and then you add deteregent as it's not an automatic dispenser , more of a plastic funnel to hold deteregent to keep it tidy, it gets nice and hot and certainly throws water around but not sure how efficient in the top rack !
Thanks mike nice knob by the way ! ( no offence lol) I'm not sure if it's younger or older than the advert, id say younger as it has a rinse aid dispenser ( the plastic circle left of on off switch is rinse aid cover ) or it may be younger ones had them inside ? It doesn't have a viewing window. , I wondered what that was? But it could be easily converted to a window on door as one thickness of steel ( a bit like Roberts kitchen aid ?)
Ill order some rubber strips and see if I can get it water tight !
Richard
ricky5050
Well-known member
Oh Al
Hi Al
Yes I first became aware of dishwashers in the 80s a well off family we knew had initially a bendix in their kitchen and then had another kitchen built ( yes they ended up with 2, it was a big house ) and had a hoover crystal jet. I used to help her fill the rinse aid , I remember it was sun detergent. I dreamed of having a dishwasher , and it was strange we got one the same time as my classmates parents all around 1991 , perhaps when parents turned 50 washing up became boring ! I still have recurring dreams about filling dishwashers , kitchens with 2 dishwashers etc etc ( god knows what psychologists would make of that) but it may explain my quest to get a working vintage one ha ha .
My parents hob was like you describe I think but I was only 7-8 when it changed. I remember it was blue with aluminium trim kitchen , and as we lived in an old cottage and the walls were poor, my parents covered the walls with this thin boarding that looked like knotty pine cladding ( all the rage in the 70s) , my mum tiled over this behind the hob and a few days later whilst cooking tea the ceramic tiles fell off one by one into the pans of food! I'll see if I can find some pics and post them !
Richard .
Hi Al
Yes I first became aware of dishwashers in the 80s a well off family we knew had initially a bendix in their kitchen and then had another kitchen built ( yes they ended up with 2, it was a big house ) and had a hoover crystal jet. I used to help her fill the rinse aid , I remember it was sun detergent. I dreamed of having a dishwasher , and it was strange we got one the same time as my classmates parents all around 1991 , perhaps when parents turned 50 washing up became boring ! I still have recurring dreams about filling dishwashers , kitchens with 2 dishwashers etc etc ( god knows what psychologists would make of that) but it may explain my quest to get a working vintage one ha ha .
My parents hob was like you describe I think but I was only 7-8 when it changed. I remember it was blue with aluminium trim kitchen , and as we lived in an old cottage and the walls were poor, my parents covered the walls with this thin boarding that looked like knotty pine cladding ( all the rage in the 70s) , my mum tiled over this behind the hob and a few days later whilst cooking tea the ceramic tiles fell off one by one into the pans of food! I'll see if I can find some pics and post them !
Richard .
kenmoreguy89
Well-known member
It will surely throw water better than a modern one.... 
Better of my Bosch for sure...
Better of my Bosch for sure...
ricky5050
Well-known member
Yes made in uk
Yes British made rear view
Yes British made rear view
ricky5050
Well-known member
Close up
Ratings plate
Ratings plate
parnall_doug
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2011
- Messages
- 54
Wow! Great find, and lovely to see this model of dishwasher again, after 30+ years!
I grew up with this model, and I remember when my parents got theirs new (mid 70s).
My grandparents also had the same model.
Yes, very noisy machines indeed, Lol! I remember the 'roar' that they made as they operated, and the kitchen doors in both households were always shut after lunch, when the Kenwoods were switched on!
Now that I have a model number to Google, I shall keep an eye out for any others (not that I would have room to accommodate one, sadly!).
Enjoy your machine.
Doug
I grew up with this model, and I remember when my parents got theirs new (mid 70s).
My grandparents also had the same model.
Yes, very noisy machines indeed, Lol! I remember the 'roar' that they made as they operated, and the kitchen doors in both households were always shut after lunch, when the Kenwoods were switched on!
Now that I have a model number to Google, I shall keep an eye out for any others (not that I would have room to accommodate one, sadly!).
Enjoy your machine.
Doug
ricky5050
Well-known member
Latest on kenwood
Hi guys I've been tinkering with the dishwasher , the pump had seized and needed sealing , it was then only needing someway of stoping it leaking around the door. It had me puzzled as the door seal looked good. I tried reversing it as it's basically a squared c shape piece of rubber that goes along sides and top of cabinet edge. It still leaked , then I noticed when closing the door it was a bit off square. I twisted the door a few times and tested it , success! It didn't leak ! Well I've got it down to a few drips, but that's fine as it only dribble on vinyl floor. I very put it in place of my existing dishwasher. I've tried a proper ish load, I say that as these were things in my existing dishwasher. I've forgot to take before photos but will show after ones. From what I've discovered I is long wash II ( the program I've used now ) is short wash with wash times of about 10 mins ( I would have used longer but didn't know this was short ) III is rinse but heated rinse. The machine fills, heats the water completely and then turns on the motor. It's very noisy and I mean really noisy ! It does this each cycle. For drying the motor turns the impellor as a fan to blow the hot air over the dishes for about 2 mins.
Ill do some photos but have to switch over to my phone.
In the mean time I googled kenwood a1212 and got this link about testing dishwasher detergent ingredients I'm not sure if it's from uk or USA and to be fair I don't understand most of it. High school chemistry was 24 years ago! But they used this model of dishwasher using cycle II to test them. Do any of you American/Canadian guys know if this was ever sold in the USA / Canada ?
Richard
http://www.google.com/patents/US3763047
Hi guys I've been tinkering with the dishwasher , the pump had seized and needed sealing , it was then only needing someway of stoping it leaking around the door. It had me puzzled as the door seal looked good. I tried reversing it as it's basically a squared c shape piece of rubber that goes along sides and top of cabinet edge. It still leaked , then I noticed when closing the door it was a bit off square. I twisted the door a few times and tested it , success! It didn't leak ! Well I've got it down to a few drips, but that's fine as it only dribble on vinyl floor. I very put it in place of my existing dishwasher. I've tried a proper ish load, I say that as these were things in my existing dishwasher. I've forgot to take before photos but will show after ones. From what I've discovered I is long wash II ( the program I've used now ) is short wash with wash times of about 10 mins ( I would have used longer but didn't know this was short ) III is rinse but heated rinse. The machine fills, heats the water completely and then turns on the motor. It's very noisy and I mean really noisy ! It does this each cycle. For drying the motor turns the impellor as a fan to blow the hot air over the dishes for about 2 mins.
Ill do some photos but have to switch over to my phone.
In the mean time I googled kenwood a1212 and got this link about testing dishwasher detergent ingredients I'm not sure if it's from uk or USA and to be fair I don't understand most of it. High school chemistry was 24 years ago! But they used this model of dishwasher using cycle II to test them. Do any of you American/Canadian guys know if this was ever sold in the USA / Canada ?
Richard
http://www.google.com/patents/US3763047
ricky5050
Well-known member
Just opened door
Looks clean
Looks clean
ricky5050
Well-known member
Bottom rack
I used finish powder about a tablespoon, there wasn't any rinse aid in dispenser. Everything is vey clean , even the frying pan
I used finish powder about a tablespoon, there wasn't any rinse aid in dispenser. Everything is vey clean , even the frying pan
ricky5050
Well-known member
Top rack
Not the easiest to load but all clean
Not the easiest to load but all clean
ricky5050
Well-known member
All was left were a few pips !
Pips
Pips
ricky5050
Well-known member
Wash video
I did a quick video , sadly you cannot see inside I'm working on that one !
I did a quick video , sadly you cannot see inside I'm working on that one !
mikepaquette
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2004
- Messages
- 338
Love your approch
Got my attintion from the get go
I do love impeller dishwashers. [email protected]
Got my attintion from the get go
I do love impeller dishwashers. [email protected]
xpanam
Well-known member
Very cool
Thanks for sharing this Richard! What year is this machine from?
Thanks for sharing this Richard! What year is this machine from?
ricky5050
Well-known member
Thanks
I think this model came out in 1965 to replace their top loading dishmaster and went on until early 70s I believe I'm guessing this model is later as has rinse aid dispenser , which I'm not sure works as yet on this machine
Richard here's the pathe news link to early model, she fair old chucks in the dishes !
http://bps.britishpathe.com/hls-vod/flash/00000000/00043000/00043428.mp4.m3u8
I think this model came out in 1965 to replace their top loading dishmaster and went on until early 70s I believe I'm guessing this model is later as has rinse aid dispenser , which I'm not sure works as yet on this machine
Richard here's the pathe news link to early model, she fair old chucks in the dishes !
http://bps.britishpathe.com/hls-vod/flash/00000000/00043000/00043428.mp4.m3u8
1212
Richard
Absolutely brilliant that you got it going and it seems to perform well. It might look low in your kitchen but I am presuming it does not have the optional plinth with it. This machine was designed to be floor standing, set on counter top or even hung on the wall. I have seen several instances of it being built in too.
It is just so great that you have rescued this machine and got it going too
Al
Richard
Absolutely brilliant that you got it going and it seems to perform well. It might look low in your kitchen but I am presuming it does not have the optional plinth with it. This machine was designed to be floor standing, set on counter top or even hung on the wall. I have seen several instances of it being built in too.
It is just so great that you have rescued this machine and got it going too
Al
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