POD

[rinso]

Very good dishwasher line, even back then. My mom had one. It performed excellently, and with no repairs. The only thing they really sucked at was vertical space. If your dishwashing loads consisted of mostly routine dinnerware, glasses, and silverware, you were OK. Long stemmed glasses and tall pans were a bit of a challenge. Mom eventually replaced it with a Maytag, which was better at handling utility, odd-shaped items.

 

[fnelson487]

My Absolute Favorite Dishwasher

Replaced a brand new TOL KitchenAid tall tub with this KDS-17 which is running now. Washes great and dries too. Every dishwasher has its loading quirks. Gansky in Omaha has a KDC-14 that he loves as well. It's all a matter of what you get used to. These machines were built like Sherman tanks. Amazing, my almost 30 year old machine, still looks great and washes like a trouper. Bought another one just for a backup.

 

[tolivac]

fnelson487: Did as you did-replaced a newer WP made KA machine with a KDS-17-and the KDS-17 is like you found-so much better-I will have to replace the detergen t shutter "drives" One of 'em burned up-but the machine does work beautifully and washes in HALF the time-also like the heated blower forced drying.The new machines don't have that.

 

[fnelson487]

Tolivac - I have history with the KDS-17

Bought one new in 1976-77. Have also had an 18, 20, 21 and 22. I still think that these are the best. Short cycle, cleans and dries beautifully. Also beautifully styled and built!!

 

[fnelson487]

BTW Rinso

Stemware and big cookware - this machine was the first that was designed to handle them. The tilting upper rack and adjustable tines work great. Not as much capacity as the new ones, but could handle loading almost anything.

 

[rinso]

Sorry, fnelson487 my memory is bad, but not that bad. The machine I remember looked similar to the one in the POD and was made in the mid 1960's. The racks were neither adjustable, nor did they tilt. Of course, we could have had a BOL model, but ours was one of the machines that only had a single level wash arm with four "spokes." Like I said, it did a great job, but I stand by my observations.

 

[fnelson487]

I think you are thinking of the KDS 15

The KDS 15 was the first machine with the 4 way hydro sweep arm. No adjustable racks. The POD was the KDS 17 which could tilt and had four level adjustments on both sides. No ill will intended. I have the POD machine in my kitchen and wash stemware and large pans all the time. Works great!

 

[rinso]

Hi fnelson487 LOL no ill will taken...that's the only problem with postings, you can't hear the other person's inflections, so sometimes the words read more sternly than intended. I have always thought KA dishwashers were among the best. Can you tell me if they have been "Whirlpoolized" or do they still retain their own unique design? My sister has one of the newest ones it she says that it performs flawlessly.

 

[fnelson487]

I Have One Of The New KitchenAids

The KDS-17 replaced the new tall-tub design KitchenAid (TOL SS)now sitting in my basement. My only gripe with the new ones is the lack of flow-through drying. The new KitchenAids wash great and hold everything but the kitchen sink. It would take me at least a week to fill the thing. They run long (well over an hour) and inevitably left the dishes wet. I think that, like the Mieles, you are supposed to adjust the rinse agent dispenser but ended up leaving the machine open to dry the dishes or using a dish towel.

I don't know about the Whirlpool machines, but KitchenAid brands their machines for Kenmore as well. I think that the Whirlpools may be different. (Shouldn't talk about that here) The old KitchenAid design was unique. The KDS-17 was the pinnacle of the single wash arm design. Required some loading engineering not to block the top, but you got used to it. Cleans like nothing else and leaves the dishes bone dry in less than 40 minutes, unless you used the "Party Cycles" which cleaned even quicker. They stumbled a bit when they added the upper wash arm, but perfected that design by the 21 model which I had for years in California. Glad I can still find these machines in great shape. Mine is a brushed chrome machine. Love it!!

I also have a KDS-14P in my laundry room. The old cast iron single wash arm and much smaller wash chamber. They wash as well and even faster. They really take some loading engineering. Of all that I have had, the POD KDS17 is my favorite.

 

[fnelson487]

Here's An Add Touting the Tilting Rack

This would have been when the KDS-16 was introduced. Notice the stemware and giant bowl on the top rack! Brilliant design.

 

[fnelson487]

OK - Here she is in all her chrome glory!

As installed and working in my kitchen. 30 years old and still going strong.

 

[fnelson487]

Inside Ms. Tilty-Top

I always leave the tines down on the left side for bowls and pans.

 

[fnelson487]

Forgot to Mention

The beveled sides of the upper rack that allowed cookie sheets and other tall slim items to be loaded along the sides on the bottom. There was rarely a time that I couldn't wash something in this machine.

 

[rinso]

WOW! Beautiful machine to say the least. Too bad about the lack of forced air drying in the newer model you mentioned. I had a 1997 Maytag in my last home that had forced air drying, and it did a great job, although it was a total lemon otherwise. Speaking of Maytags, I liked their glassware on the bottom rack, and dinnerware on the top rack design. I suppose there must have been a good reason why it was abandoned.

 

[gansky1]

Your KDs-17 is beautiful, Fred! I always thought those chrome panels were so elegant. Although a little harder to accomplish on the 17 than your 14 series KA, you can remove the upper rack completely to wash larger items which was not possible on later versions with the center wash arm. Have you ever washed vac parts in your machines? My Kirby dealer wants to buy a dishwasher for that purpose - a vintage 17 would work perfectly for him. I have a KDS-16 in storage, but I think it's spoken for already.

 

[tomturbomatic]

We had a 15 series in our "new" house built in 1966. It did have an adjustable upper rack, if you looked closely. At each place where the upper rack attached to the 2 rails, there were three places in the side of the rack that could sit in the hook of the rail. The rack could go up or down or sit at an angle. When we finally moved mom out of the house in June, 2003, the machine was still going. Granted, it needed hotter water than today's machines, but it was still a very good dishwasher.

I like the KDS-18 with a water source under each rack. I bought my first one in 1977. When the 19 series came out with the longer upper arm, I installed the longer arm and bigger China Guard. It is still washing and drying just great as is the second modified KDS-18 in the kitchen. I also like the Constant Rinse sprayer at the top of the tank. I had a 21 and 22 without it and that was just one more thing that I did not like about both machines.

The KSD-14P downstairs is a great performer, but now is mostly used to clean up after candy making. The KD-2P original top loading portable actually holds more than the last TL portable which my mom has in her apartment. As far as we know, the KD-2P was the only double-walled portable that was all porcelain, outside as well as inside. The tub has much more vertical height than the front loading KAs of the time and, depending on which, or how many, of the three sections of the top rack you wish to remove, it will easily accommodate most anything that I want to put in it.

 

[fnelson487]

I Have Never Seen a 15 in Person

I was wondering whether or not those 15s were somewhat adjustable since the 14s have two levels available for the upper rack (not tiltable though). Between the two knobs on either side of the upper rack of the 17 the advertising literature claims it to be a 9-position upper rack. I never upgraded the 18 (replaced it for a short time with reverse rack TOL Maytag electronic which blew up). Those original reverse-rack Maytags were great, but very noisy.

Greg - I don't' wash my vacuum parts in the dishwasher, but Charlie does. I would probably set up a separate one in the basement. I have a KD-5 top-loading portable as well. Charlie also uses the dishwasher to wash car parts!!! Both he and his partner are very fastidious so I am surprised by that. They just bought a new KitchenAid like Kenmore and Charlie put a bunch of vacuum attachments in there. I asked if Todd went nuts, but he didn't. I guess after 15 years, he's used to it. Is that 16 built-in or convertible? I bought a 17 convertible (in Harvest Gold) which you will see in a few weeks. Just like new and purrs like a kitten. It's in the laundry room with the 14. When my friends from California came in and we had dinner, I ran all three machines (two 17s and the 14) at the same time. What a blast!!

 

[air-waycharlie]

Vacuum Part In The Dishwasher

Fred and Greg,

Yes, I do run vacuum parts through the dishwasher but they usually are vacuumed or brushed off thoroughly before they go through. I use the extra heated cycle and any really delicate parts go in the top rack and are removed to be hand dried.

As far as car parts go, the last time I did that, I ran the hubcaps to the Olds 98, (1965 Town Sedan), and used Dawn dishwashing liquid. Long story short, DON'T do that! It ultimately wrecked the dishwasher from the soap not any dirt which was only finite grit.

Now when I run things through the dishwasher that might be deemed, "questionable", I make sure I am home alone! And, the new Kenmore seems to be handling things fine.

Charlie

 

[tomturbomatic]

You mentioned cookie sheets in the KitchenAid. I found I got much better results when I loaded them in between the first and second row of pins, FACING THE TANK WALL with the lip at the front so that it does not scratch the tank as you roll the rack in like it would if it were at the back. That way, the full force of the water from the wash arm scrubs the side that is tilted down instead of loading them facing the center so that they are either standing straight up or have the business side leaning slightly away from the spray.