I'm in Winona, MN visiting friends who are remodeling their kitchen. Here are some pics. By the way, they're getting a new Maytag to replace it. Flame away, kids, LOL!
KitchenAid DW: KDI-15
- Thread starter frigilux
- Start date
The vitals: What year was this produced?
The money shot!
Calling all KA experts: Anyone know the vintage of this machine? It's a KDI-15. For that matter, is anyone interested in it? I believe it still runs, or close to it.
The 15 series was produced from 1965-68. The first series with the Hydro-Sweep wash arm, larger tank and racking capacity.
The inside of this machine looks very nice - save the racks if nobody wants the whole machine, they are getting pretty scarce now.
Thanks for posting pics - it's fun to see machines this old that still have life left in them!
The inside of this machine looks very nice - save the racks if nobody wants the whole machine, they are getting pretty scarce now.
Thanks for posting pics - it's fun to see machines this old that still have life left in them!
stevet
Well-known member
OOPS!
The coarse filter is sitting upside down in the bottom of the machine!
Looks just like our first machine. But we had the KDS15 which had 4 cycles and the sani rinse on it which meant it had the sump heater which this model lacks. We even had the same color machine as this one. Definitely a "hurricane in a box" unit! Some Dynamat should quiet it down a bit!
The racks DO look perfect and the lower rack will fit most of the later models up to the 23 series. The top will only fit the 15 since the 16 and up had the timers mounted in the door and they had to add the bulge in the door to accomodate the components up there.
The coarse filter is sitting upside down in the bottom of the machine!
Looks just like our first machine. But we had the KDS15 which had 4 cycles and the sani rinse on it which meant it had the sump heater which this model lacks. We even had the same color machine as this one. Definitely a "hurricane in a box" unit! Some Dynamat should quiet it down a bit!
The racks DO look perfect and the lower rack will fit most of the later models up to the 23 series. The top will only fit the 15 since the 16 and up had the timers mounted in the door and they had to add the bulge in the door to accomodate the components up there.
Eugene, I'd save the machine itself. But most definitely the racks, they arent' the original racks that's for sure!!!
This machine was in my friends' kitchen when they bought the house 12 years ago. They started it once, but said it was very loud, so they never tried it again. It's been sitting idle ever since.
Greg---Thanks for the information; I had guessed it was from the very early 1960's because of the location of the control knob and the lack of an upper spray arm. When did KA add the upper spray arm?
Spent quite a bit of time in a great appliance store, today, in Winona, MN. The place had its own cat; a friendly, small, gray short-hair. Apparently, the owner found it wandering around near the store and took it in. Now it lives there.
Greg---Thanks for the information; I had guessed it was from the very early 1960's because of the location of the control knob and the lack of an upper spray arm. When did KA add the upper spray arm?
Spent quite a bit of time in a great appliance store, today, in Winona, MN. The place had its own cat; a friendly, small, gray short-hair. Apparently, the owner found it wandering around near the store and took it in. Now it lives there.
stevet
Well-known member
Times they are a-changing!
KitchenAid used the single arm designs up until the 18 series which came out in Nov of '76 and was replaced by the 19 series in Oct. '79
The original 18s featured a washarm under the top rack as well as the small "constant rinse" arm mounted to the top of the tank which sprayed water on top of the cups and glasses in the top rack. This helped get rid of all the, as AndrewinOlrando would say: "yibbles" that collect up there!
The 16 and 17 series started that trend with the upper constant rinse spinner. It was always much smaller than any arm that you might see on the top of a GE or Hotpoint machine and really did little to help clean anything up there.
The 19 series for all of its unusual features, did away with the constant rinse and included a larger diameter washarm under the top rack which was designed to get into the corners of the rack better than the old 18 arm. It had to be at least 4 inches or more wider and was used up to the 23 series. The upper arms you see in all the KenWhirlAids are based on that design which obviously must have worked effectively.
When you think about it, the single arm of the Hydrosweep would have to pump out a greater volume of water since the machines all came with a 1/2hp pump and pumped all of its water thru that arm. Add additional arms and that volume will be cut down as well as some of the pressure. But the flexibility of racking options far outweighed the better cleaning ability of that one arm so that is how the 2 arm design came along, though it was probably more because the public demanded a second arm because other machines had them.
Hope that helps.
KitchenAid used the single arm designs up until the 18 series which came out in Nov of '76 and was replaced by the 19 series in Oct. '79
The original 18s featured a washarm under the top rack as well as the small "constant rinse" arm mounted to the top of the tank which sprayed water on top of the cups and glasses in the top rack. This helped get rid of all the, as AndrewinOlrando would say: "yibbles" that collect up there!
The 16 and 17 series started that trend with the upper constant rinse spinner. It was always much smaller than any arm that you might see on the top of a GE or Hotpoint machine and really did little to help clean anything up there.
The 19 series for all of its unusual features, did away with the constant rinse and included a larger diameter washarm under the top rack which was designed to get into the corners of the rack better than the old 18 arm. It had to be at least 4 inches or more wider and was used up to the 23 series. The upper arms you see in all the KenWhirlAids are based on that design which obviously must have worked effectively.
When you think about it, the single arm of the Hydrosweep would have to pump out a greater volume of water since the machines all came with a 1/2hp pump and pumped all of its water thru that arm. Add additional arms and that volume will be cut down as well as some of the pressure. But the flexibility of racking options far outweighed the better cleaning ability of that one arm so that is how the 2 arm design came along, though it was probably more because the public demanded a second arm because other machines had them.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for the info, Steve! I'm amazed there was no upper spray arm 'til '76. Guess there was no such thing as BobLoading® the lower rack then, eh?
I often load my dw's so that no water has even the remotest chance of making it to the upper rack.
I often load my dw's so that no water has even the remotest chance of making it to the upper rack.
I have an 18 series Superba in my kitchen with a 19 series upper rack and wash-arm. I thought about changing out the 800 watt heater with an 1100w unit from a 17 but decided against it as the heat is very hard on the vinyl coating on the rack above the heat inlet and I quite often use the sani-cycle so there is little need to add more heat to dry the dishes, the air circulation is plenty after a 180F final rinse.
With the 18 series, the gallon-per-minute rating of the lower wash arm fell to 34 (GPM) by feeding the upper wash arm. You're right, Steve, the 18's and above were a lot easier to load but once you get used to the racking and spray patterns of the earlier versions, it wasn't a big deal to work with only one wash arm. I fell deeply in love with my KDS-56 when we were remodeling and couldn't have asked for more in a dishwasher. If I had built-in version of that or a 17, I probably would have put that in the new kitchen.
With the 18 series, the gallon-per-minute rating of the lower wash arm fell to 34 (GPM) by feeding the upper wash arm. You're right, Steve, the 18's and above were a lot easier to load but once you get used to the racking and spray patterns of the earlier versions, it wasn't a big deal to work with only one wash arm. I fell deeply in love with my KDS-56 when we were remodeling and couldn't have asked for more in a dishwasher. If I had built-in version of that or a 17, I probably would have put that in the new kitchen.
Oh, tisk!
You can BobLoad™ these machines, you just have to get creative! Remember, there's the top rack to play with...
You can BobLoad™ these machines, you just have to get creative! Remember, there's the top rack to play with...
...and then...
...you just have to be ultra-clever about the bottom rack!
There are more vertical items in Heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in our philosophy ;-)
(This is a D&M Magic Chef, not a Kitchen Aid, but the racking principles apply.)
...you just have to be ultra-clever about the bottom rack!
There are more vertical items in Heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in our philosophy ;-)
(This is a D&M Magic Chef, not a Kitchen Aid, but the racking principles apply.)
OMG!!
Your kitchen is beautiful, Greg!!!! Wow!!
Your kitchen is beautiful, Greg!!!! Wow!!
Single Arm Tragedy
OMG, is that the Tragic Chef abomination? I'd forgotten about that - amazing that they actually were allowed to make this!
OMG, is that the Tragic Chef abomination? I'd forgotten about that - amazing that they actually were allowed to make this!
LOL
Oh, Greg, how could you forget? And remember, this machine kicked the butt of the GE I had and sent it home crying. (Also remember, we had neverending, REALLY hot water!) ;-)
Oh, Greg, how could you forget? And remember, this machine kicked the butt of the GE I had and sent it home crying. (Also remember, we had neverending, REALLY hot water!) ;-)
And no...
...it is not a single wash-arm! :-D
...it is not a single wash-arm! :-D
Hee hee. No wonder the bottoms of your pans are so clean!
LOL
Touché... ;-)
Well, considering that I've never had a Hobart-powered KitchenAid, I guess it's time I learn using the real thing, and cherish my flawless dishware and delicately sprinkled top-rack!
Touché... ;-)
Well, considering that I've never had a Hobart-powered KitchenAid, I guess it's time I learn using the real thing, and cherish my flawless dishware and delicately sprinkled top-rack!
Never had a KitchenAid - scroll down ;-)
Well, go get that KDS-16 in L.A. then and you'll be set for life! Thread 17981 in Imperial.
Well, go get that KDS-16 in L.A. then and you'll be set for life! Thread 17981 in Imperial.
Bah
I need turquoise, remember? I'm on a mission here.
I need turquoise, remember? I'm on a mission here.
Similar threads
