Some historic/modern dishwasher questions

[maytagbear]

My experience of dishwashers has always been with front loaders. I have seen, but never used top loading dishwashers.

For those of you who have experienced both, what do you like and dislike about top loading dishwashers?

Obviously, the market seemed to prefer front loaders.

However, if there were new ones today, would you be interested?

When my sister and brother in law bought their first house back in the early 80s (83-84?), it came with a GE Mobile Maid, and it lasted several years.

I remember one time when they were back here, and I said that I would have liked a top loader, and my sister wanted a front loader!

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[fnelson487]

My experience with top-loading dishwashers was with my parent's first Kenmore portable, then with a GE and also a KitchenAid. I must say that the front loaders tend to be more user friendly in loading. If you load the top first it is difficult in loading the bottom. Most loads tend to be mixed sometimes top-heavy and sometimes bottom-heavy, especially without a top spray arm. My experience makes me lean towards the front loader. Sales of dishwashers has proven that through economics. How many top-loaders do you see today? I have a KitchenAid top-loader with the flip-up rack and even with that, a front loader is much easier.

 

[tlee618]

I agree with Fred. My parents had a Kenmore roto rack top loading dishwasher they got in 1964 I believe. Even with half of the upper roto rack removed which you could do it still was harder to laod than a front loader. None the less still much much better than no dishwasher at all. Terry

 

[petek]

Only for a brief time

did I have a toploader. I got it 2nd hand or more when I moved into my first apartment away from home. It was an Eatons Viking with only the impeller wash and a couple of cycle buttons on the back dash. Woudn't know now if it was a GE or WP. It sparked and fizzled a few times and that was enough for me to toss it out. Bought my new KA Portable FL after that experience. One thing about the top loaders is that if you have a very very small kitchen with little manouvering room they're better because you don't have the drop down door taking up what space you don't have.

 

[rinso]

When I was married, my wife and I bought a Whirlpool top loading portable. I actually liked it as well as my subsequent front load machines. It was nearly as easy to load because when you opened the lid, half of the upper rack came up with it, swung over the other half of the upper rack, and left a huge opening with which to load the lower rack. This meant that you could load all three rack levels without have to scoot racks back and forth like a front load machine. I also liked the fact that you could load drippy things without accidentally spilling them on the floor. It was a dual spray arm machine with a self cleaning filter. Worked well for years.

 

[mikepaquette]

top load dishwashers

I have a few of them in storage & my best performer is the Westinghouse 6 cycle. Great machine Never used, like new. Michael

 

[rinso]

Yup, it may say Westinghouse, but it is nearly identical to my top-loading 1969 Whirlpool. I loved the way it loaded.