Machines of Ill Repute, Volume III - The Norris Industries Thermador/Waste King

[rp2813]

And Another Thing . . .

Remember those cheap bottom rack glides Nate mentioned in the WCI thread?  I think the Thermador could have benefited from a similar design.  Even when just partially loaded, the bottom rack would almost immediately run off one of the rails and get stuck.  We regularly had to reach across and over to the rear corner and lift the rack back into place.  And those same casters that de-railed also served to wear away the door gasket on both sides, as can be seen in the attached picture.  Once I had conquered the reliably exasperating lower rack with the pictured BobLoad, I was so over that machine.

 

[rp2813]

But it sure was handsome!

 

[roto204]

LOL

Thank you so much, Duane!!

 

"Is there a dishwasher in that pic?"

 

You're right, the thing in the middle sort of blurs out if you look at it just right...

 

...the bottom rack would almost immediately run off one of the rails and get stuck...

 

OMG, I forgot all about that!   I just asked David if that ever happened to him when he used it, and he shot me a look, so I'll say "yes."

 

Ralph, that BobLoad is priceless, and is a PERFECT example of the insane perching of items you had to do to conquer that bottom rack.  I agree, your ISE is a world apart in ease of use, ease of loading, performance, and quiet operation!

 

[kenmore71]

I ran accross this machine a while back at a friend's house.
I took a picture because that's what we do!
I think the front says "Thermador Masterpiece"
Could that be correct? Is this in the same line of machines?

 

[a440]

Great write up about your experience!
I have to defend the Kitchenaid KDS-19. It did heat the water while pausing, but only twice. And if your hot water heater was high enough it only did it once during the Sani Rinse. The pain was during the drying. Terrible. No heat at all. The blower came on every 8 -10 minutes. The dry cycle took forever. The KDS-20 went back to heated drying. The pause for the heating cycle was not bad at all. It was a great cleaner. The main wash seemed to be longer than most of the Hobart built machines.
Brent

 

[a440]

Mark,
That is an awesome Thermador picture.
It looks to be an original Thermador.
Great dishwasher if you ask me. And rare.
Thanks for the picture.
Brent

 

[a440]

Yea....I know...I said "Hot Water Heater".
That is the Southern in me.
Sue me!
Brent

 

[peteski50]

Pictured above!

At first I thought that coppertone DW might have been D & M but after looking at it more closely I think it is from the origional Thermador family. I wish you were able to take more closeups but I do have pictures of the origional Thermador from 1969 brochures and their is a big resembleance

 

[peteski50]

Thermador Masterpiece!

Interior!

 

[peteski50]

Thermador Masterpiece

specs

 

[peteski50]

Thermador Masterpiece!

more specs!

 

[peteski50]

Thermador Masterpiece!!

another model

 

[peteski50]

Thermador Masterpiece

more specs!

 

[kenmore71]

Here's the only other pic I took
Obviously a close-up of the controls

 

[polkanut]

Mark,

I see that either you or your friend enjoy a Grain Belt once in awhile as well.  I just wish that Grain Belt Light w/ blue label was available here too.  Oh well, next time I visit relatives southwest of the Cities I'll bootleg some home. lol

 

P.S. Gotta bootleg some McMaster's Canadian Whiskey also! 

 

[lovestowash]

Scarce in the South...

Always fascinated by these machines...

Would love to have one with the "Tower of Shower" just for novelty...

Notice a couple of the models have the single "Fan Jet" spray arm...

Are there pictures of this wash system anywhere?...

 

George

 

[mrcleanjeans]

Fun review as usual Nate! Actually, believe it or not, WK dishwashers in around 1975 held the TOP position in severe washing tests by CU, followed by Maytags WU-601 and WU-401. This was likely an accurate test. Waste King at that time had the raised goat's eye oblonged out jets as you'd call them, which created sweeping water-walls, instead of the now punched out slits and holes that you'd experienced!They even praised it's capacity and the ability to "double stack" cups but lamented its bottom of the barrel frequency of repair record,which I feel was mainly due to the exposed pump. Many people, who have been very careful not to let pits and other nasties get in there still have their Waste Kings years later!

 

[mrcleanjeans]

-P.S.wish I had one from then!

 

[roto204]

Goat's eyes

I remember Bob pointing out the goats-eye configuration and the superior performance it delivered.  They are good jets!

 

The coppertone beauty Mark posted is a REAL Thermador, not a Waste King-Universal design.  Square-tubular wash arms, micro-filtration, and the whole nine yards.

 

I love the way his cabinetry kickpanel is seamless underneath the dishwasher.  Too bad they can't make drawer rails so that dishwashers can pull out the way the silverware drawers do!