Well at least it's New Old Stock

[Unimatic1140]

So my 1957 picture-window KitchenAid dishwasher after 15 years of use has developed a leak so off to the basement it goes for a few months for a complete overhaul.

As a "temp" I just found this never used, still in it's box Bottom of Line Whirlpool dishwasher from 1985/1986. I will be fun to use for a few months and then off it goes as it doesn't go in my kitchen. At least there is no woodgrain on it! All I saw in the FB Marketplace posting was a picture of the box so I had absolutely no idea what was on the inside. I brought it home and ran it's first load last night. Everything came out clean albeit a noisy little machine with minimal outside sound insulation.

 

[foraloysius]

Best I can say about it that it blends in. lol. But white on white in your kitchen, it must be a first.

Good luck with bringing the KitchenAid back to life.

 

[petek]

Noisy is an understatement I'll bet.

 

[turquoisedude]

And it'll still outclean anything you'd bring home NIB from Home Depot today....   The control panel is soooo classic Whirlpool, too!

 

[qsd-dan]

WHAT?!?!

Robert installed a dishwasher with more than one wash arm?

Just when I thought I saw it all!

 

[bradfordwhite]

Exciting.

It's probably not absolue BOL given the fact that it is W-o-W and it also looks like it has interchangeable color panels for the front.(?)

If I remember correctly the absolute BOL would have had a black plastic control panel with a aluminum control panel insert and it only came in white with a preformed aluminum lower access panel and the knob would have been chrome with a black center. The rest would most likely be the same.

Yes, classic performer from Whirlpool. I've no doubt they made millions of these and a significant percentage of new apartments, condos, and starter homes built in the 70s into the 90s had a version of this.

Does it have the rear wheels Robert, to make it easier to install?
I also like the Whirlpool door latch. It's so simple yet affective. No clunky slide bar like a Kenmore or GE, and no lift up handle like a KA.

Robert with that plastic door.... it would be much easier to cut a window into this, just saying.

And maybe you could do a little experiment with a decibel meter app on your phone. Find the reading with it as is installed.
Then get some spray foam, take the DW outside and apply your own custom sound insulation blanket. Once it's reinstalled test it again and see what the difference is.

 

[qsd-dan]

no lift up handle like a KA

 

[Unimatic1140]

Trust me if it wasn't brand new in the box it wouldn't have come anywhere near this house much less get installed in the Kitchen. Nothing like the smell of a brand new 38 year old dishwasher. It will make a good temp however and I don't have to rush to fix the KitchenAid. Love the blue racks however, blue racks are a thing of the past for sure. Capacity wise it's about the same as the Roto-rack as the center tube in the lower rack does reduce it a bit.

Robert installed a dishwasher with more than one wash arm?
Does the upper spray tube in the '65 Lady Kenmore Roto-rack count Dan lol???

also looks like it has interchangeable color panels for the front.(?)
No it's just one thin sheet metal panel without any color changes. No rear wheels either, just four leveling legs.

It's probably not absolue BOL given the fact that it is W-o-W
I'm positive it is absolute BOL. Here is the entire 1980 line of Whirlpool dishwashers and my 1985 matches the bottom of the line 1980 machine with the exception of the colors and knob.

 

[bradfordwhite]

lol

Oh I'm sorry Dan. For what it's worth I also dissed my babe - Kenmore.

I like the KA handle better than the slide locks. It is like a step up and reminds me of lifting the door handle and opening the door to a 1984 Lincoln towncar, Grand Marquis, or Crown Vic. Solid.

Yet the Whirlpool easy press handle is almost Tesla-esque.

See what I'm saying here? It's just different worlds.

Don't even get me started in analyzing how far over the tracks the GE and Kenmore slide handles were.

 

[qsd-dan]

"Does the upper spray tube in the '65 Lady Kenmore Roto-rack count Dan lol???"

1.25....Ok, maybe 1.5 wash arms but even that's pushing it

 

[combo52]

WOW BOL 1986 WP DW

Hi Robert, this should do the job well, but once I got used to the power-clean pump system and temperature hold in the main wash I would never want to permanently go back to one of these.

 

However when you get done with it I would like to buy it from you to replace one of my DU8000XR PC machines, I would put a PC pump in it along with the controls from mine and the in door silverware basket, mine are showing some water after 35+ years of use.

 

John L.

 

The main door panel should flip over to black.

 

[nmassman44]

That dishwasher will clean very well. I had one in a condo my ex and I were renting. Yeah its a bit noisy but this dishwasher can move a good amount of water thru that wash system , like 50 gallons per minute. It does not heat the water or maintain water temps. The silverware basket is a ample in size if I recall right and granted it isn't in the door but this dishwasher will hold a good sized load. The cycles are not long either. As long as your water heater temp is set at 140F and the run is short to the dishwasher it will do well.
Where I lived in Maine where the condo was, Portland's water came from Sebego Lake and was naturally soft so there was no need for rinse aid to be used. I dont know how the water conditions are there but I am assuming if its anything like Chicago's a rinse aid is needed. Here in Florida a rinse aid is definitely needed.

 

[qsd-dan]

No worries Bradford, I was just giving you a hard time.

Dig the 80's box Towncars. Parts are getting hard to find for them though, especially the TBI ones from '80-'85. I remember when these could be had in the mid 2000's for $3k-$4k with low miles and in pristine condition. Not anymore!

 

[bradfordwhite]

Look at the model line up in #7

Do you see any door handles/latches/grab bars...anything? No. It's sleek. Just under the control panel in the center.

Back then it seems like Whirlpool was the only one with that kind of handle.

-------
Robert,
"Trust me if it wasn't brand new in the box it wouldn't have come anywhere near this house ..."
We wouldn't expect anything less.
When reports start coming through that you've taken to perusing the trade-ins in the back alley of the Lowes store we'll know it's time to pull the metaphoric plug on you.

"I'm positive it is absolute BOL."
Yes, I know functionally it was BOL. Back then, (I used to get the GE and Whirlpool appliance catalogs each year) with some models, usually the most BOL, they would offer it in different trim lines. GE used to do this with their most BOL gas stove too. Some would be standing pilot, some would have a light, some had a bottom drawer, some had two oven racks vs. one. But it was all the same model.

What I'm saying is you've got a more deluxe BOL model.

 

[bradfordwhite]

Here is a more BOL of the BOL, Robert.

You've got W-o-W. That was like TOL of the BOL.
lol

-------

The second from the top in the model line up in #7 was the dishwasher that they had in Mr. Mom.

 

[peteski50]

Whirlpool!

Robert Good Luck with this great find!

 

[combo52]

Reply # 11

 

Hi this DW does run the heater durning the washing and rinsing periods and does help maintain the water temperature, It does not do a thermostac hold however, but consider no Hobart KA ever did either and almost no Maytag ever did either.

 

John L.

 

[goatfarmer]

Nice dishwasher!

 

But that is one evil looking cookie jar.....

 

[Unimatic1140]

I would put a PC pump in it

So John a Power Clean pump and related parts would fit in this machine's tub, all the mounting holes are exactly the same?