You guys have had me searching for this for a while now and.....

Automatic Washer - The world's coolest Washing Machines, Dryers and Dishwashers

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twintubber

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2012
Messages
266
Location
Toronto
since I was just browsing the site, I decided to check out my local Craigslist postings.
Can you believe what literally popped up as the first ad and was only posted 36 minutes before I checked in?

I can't seem to copy the link to it, but here's an image scan of it:

Dishwashing machine - $25 (North York)

image 1

image 2


Kitchen aid. $25 or best offer.

•do NOT contact me with unsolicited services or offers

post id: 4752135981

posted: 43 minutes ago

It seems to be in pristine condition.
Should I offer 20 bucks and try to grab it?

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And already....

the seller offered for me to come and look at it today before 4.
But I can't do it today.
Waiting for his reply to see it tomorrow and to see if he'll hold it for me after I pay for it so I can pick it up later in the week. If I take it that is.....
I'm pretty excited 'bout this all of a sudden.
Seems to be the TOL model for that series, but I'm not familiar with KA's series numbers.

I'll tell you all one thing:

I'D TOSS MY BOSCH IN A HEARTBEAT FOR THIS BABY!!!

All you vintage KitchenAid folks, am I right about that?
 
Pretty much a done deal.

Meeting the seller on Monday to try out the machine. If I like it, I'll pay for it and he's willing to hold it for me until I can arrange a pick up.
If it's in the shape I'm hoping it is, then it sounds like it's mine.

Thanks again to all you vintage appliance lovers for sending me down another path in my life to explore-vintage dishwashers.

It started with the twin tubs 2 years ago, and now the dishwashers are possibly going to become a reality.
Now I just need to find me a nice Maytag RR to compliment the KA and BOTH the Bosch's can go!
 
GOOD LUCK TwinTubber!!!

i don't know anything about dishwashers myself, but like you said, it does look to be in very nice condition from the outside. i'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you that the inside & workings are in just as nice condition as the outside!!!

keep us posted whether you end up getting it or not!!!

:o)
 
Thanks hippiedoll

I'll keep you all posted.
And congrats on your new score yourself.
Nice set of Maytags you acquired for yourself.
Hope you are enjoying them.
 
KDS-20

A world class dishwasher.

Only to be second to the Inergalactical KDS-18. This machine can scrub the chrome off a Trailer Hitch

Looks to be beautiful and in great condition. The porcelain looks super.

Always a good cleaner and some mechanical parts can be used between the 18-20 series. KDC, KDI, KDP, and KDS.

Anything less than $20.00 is a insult to the machine. If only one of us were sooooo rich, we could open a Manufacturing Plant that could duplicate these quality machines.

That could Whack out a cycle with the BobLoad of a life time in 40 minutes ???

I think I would spontaneously combust.

Wouldn't that be sumtin' ?

Imagine paying a Premium Price for a machine that you knew was going to last 30+ and having parts that were available.

Just think about the machine that could be built better like a more durable material than Bake o Lite.

Imagine a Turbo Charged KDS-18 with all SS components in the sump, SS Chamber, Triple Sound Insulation, Higher GPM pump, Reinvented Triple Spray Arm HydroSweep on 3 levels, Double the Heated Dry System with a on board Instant Water heater ?

But You would have to keep that Loud, Crisp "Snap" of the Drain Solenoid just to make sure you knew it was on.

Whoooops. Do ya think I'm a tad bit passionate about Older KA's ??? Sorry to get a little off topic.

I hope you land that machine. Noisy, but Delicious.
 
"A world class dishwasher. "

Wow!!! How can I resist this thing now after that?
Thanks toploader55.
Your passion for these machines is incredible and wonderful.
I'm learning about these KA's through you fellow members and Lovers of these finely built and wonderful machines.
Have been reading through older threads and watching your vids on YouTube to learn more about it.
Can't wait to give it one of my nasty "if it can't clean this load, it's outta here" loads and put that sucker to the test!
The condition from the pics has me really hopeful, and for the price.....?
I just gotta have it. I mean....I just GOTTA :O
 
Looks like a beaut!

Hey Scott ... I, too, can attest to the quality of those old Kitchenaid dishwashers! About 10 years ago, I got a BOTL model with a black glass front - very spiffy - for $25 off Craigslist. As Eddie (toploader55) attests - they COULD wash the chrome off a trailer hitch (gotta remember that one!)

Made by Hobart in the "old" days, the quality was amazing. Another testimonial to American engineering and quality of decades past, similar to Maytag!

When I installed mine, I discovered a leak. After disassembling the entire machine, I discovered the culprit was one cracked ceramic disk - can't remember the name for it, but the spinning mechanism rested on it (thus the necessity for it to be made of ceramic). The appliance store sold a repair kit, in which that one little part was included - couldn't buy the one part alone. After re-installation - that machine worked like it was new! Eddie is right, however, they are noisy. But, oh how they clean!
 
Great dishwasher TwinTubber, and great price. I know you will love it to pieces, just like I love my KDS-58 (the portable version of a KDS-18). Once you try it, you will never go back to anything else.
 
All that has been said is true!

That looks to be a great DW. Many of the pump and motor components are also interchangeable with some Hobart WM series commercial dishmachines.

One word of caution though, this like any commercial dishmachine pump is NOT meant to ingest large amounts of garbage. While there is certainly no need to rinse dishes they should be scraped.

Otherwise pack it as full as you want and let it go. You will find spotless dishes when it is done. You have found one of the BEST DW's ever made!
WK78
 
Great Dishwasher.

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">My KDS20 is my primary machine.  It cleans everything.  The other night I baked some chicken on a rack and purposely didn't spray the pan.  I drained off the grease and ran it through the Soak and Scrub cycle rack and all.  Came out perfect.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">These machines really are amazing.  I hope you get it.  I should have taken pictures!</span>
 
Looks to be in very nice shape!

Is this a KDS-19 or KDS-20?

All I can make out from the pictures is "Energy Saver V".

 
 
I'm soooooo excited!!!!!!!!

I'm heading off to see this unit in a couple of hours.
Hoping to be able to run it for a bit while I'm there and make sure it functions as it should.
I have a TON of questions for you guys about this machine, but I'll wait until I've seen it to know if it's functioning and therefore worth purchasing.
Something tells me this is going to work fine and be as clean and wonderful as I'm hoping from the posted pics. And for $25.00??? How can I lose, really?!

@bradross: Thanks for the info. Glad to hear you are happy with yours. I hope this machine has the reversible panels, (I think it should), so I can switch the front to black as well. I don't care for white appliances and my other dishwashers are black, so this hopefully will be as well. And I also hope to NOT have to do any work on it. If I have my way, I want this to be a "plug-and-play" unit with nothing more than some general cleaning up.

@barcoboy: I remember when you scored that beauty of yours. Man, that's a nice one you got and glad to hear that it has worked alright for you and that it has a good home. I'm sure that thing is your little Baby in the kitchen! :)

@whirlykenmore78: Thanks for the tip about swapping parts between models.
I never throw food scraps into the machine having encountered issues years ago doing such.
And with the European designed machines I have, they have no disposers either-just filters that will clog if the machine is overly abused.

@chachp: That's good information to have. I'm certainly going to show this thing no mercy when I get it up and running. After all, that's what dishwashers are SUPPOSED to do-scrub/wash/rinse/dry and hopefully resulting in....CLEAN dishes.

@a440: Question answered. Thanks whirlykenmore78!
And not that it matters much, but what is the difference between a 19 and a 20? And the KD S/I/U letters?
Am I correct in assuming this is the TOL model of that series?

I just can't wait to see this thing today. Will post info about it later and even try to take some pics while I'm there today.
Thanks again to all of you for your tips, advice and most of all, your enthusiasm.
Not one of my Friends will understand why I'd do this, swap a newer modern dishwasher for 1970's and earlier technology.
But we all know better, don't we!
 
OMG.........

I'm so freaking GIDDY about this thing.
It's in an old house that is being completely gutted and renovated. Other than the newer fridge and stove, it was like stepping right back into the 50's. The first thing that caught my eye was a copper range hood that is obviously original, but to stay on topic, the dishwasher.
I hit the jackpot guys. This baby has seen very little use.
The racks are in mint condition with only the tiniest little chip in one of the tines on the lower rack-and I do mean tiny. And absolutely no discolouration of them either. That's always a plus.
The interior has no rust and only a small chip in the door, (you can see that in the original pic I supplied), and a slightly larger chip on the top of the inner door-near the latch but not rusting in any way.
Spray arms in good shape and the filter although it had been a little neglected, not badly by any means, but some, is in excellent condition.
The guy had his Father there to meet me cause he was at work. Although I was expected and invited to test the machine, I think the Father got impatient after about 10 min. of me playing around cause he was supervising the contractors.
But I digress.......
The fun part:
Started it up on a Rinse Hold, and it launched into action and purred like a giant kitten. But after the timer advanced through to that spot, I cancelled the cycle to put some water into it with a kettle so as to not to run it bone dry-which it was.
Got the cycle cancelled, opened the door to add the water and saw a trail of water spots on the door, which was good sign as I knew it had attempted to fill before I had cancelled the cycle.
Poured the water in, started the Rinse Hold again, the timer advanced as it was supposed to, the machine filled, and worked up quite a storm inside as it did so, then it paused as the timer advanced and the lights followed the sequence of advancement. And then it happened..........
It started up and just ROARED with torrential power-WOW!!!
So there's that "Hurricane-in-a-Box" I've heard about.
:O
:)
So after a few seconds I opened the door and "caught" both the spray arms turning, (an extremely good sign!).
I also spun them manually as well.
Started it again and ROAR.....
Opened the door again and saw the amount of water it uses and some of that crud from the filter floating around.
We let it finish the cycle while talking about getting it picked up and how much his son had advertised it for-he was NOT impressed at the price. He knows I'm getting a deal ;)
So, final conclusion:

Hardly used-(yay).
Well cared for-(phew).
Timer works and cycles through the motions-(so important!).
Fills, sprays, drains-(as it's supposed to).
Should have the reversible panels-(hopefully).
Is definitely a 'true' Hobart machine! (I knew that anyway).
Canadian made-(I didn't know Hobart had a Canadian division).

Oh, just got interrupted with an email confirming it is now mine and being held until I pick it up or they deliver it this weekend-my option.
YAAAAYYYYYYY....I'm in KitchenAid heaven here!!!!!

Continued features:

This model being a TOL, has the adjustable height upper rack. Seems like it was 4 positions and not the 16 setting some machines have.
2 flexible and 2 foldable upper rack tines.
Small items basket.
No constant rinse though. I would have liked that, sigh........

So, I've rambled on enough, and even got the confirmation it's mine while typing this.
I have to thank ALL of you on this wonderful site.
This is my second most wanted vintage dishwasher EVER! (Sorry, the Maytag RR still is my favorite and most desired). And it's a TOL model at that in excellent condition.
To all you KA lover's an extra "hug" and thanks for your passion and enthusiasm for these most awesome wonders.
Hurricane in a Box huh? Well, I'm gonna find that out soon enough.
It will need some really good exterior cleaning though-that's the not so great part of it for now, but I will have questions and any suggestions on what I should do BEFORE I start just washing away would be most appreciated.
THANKS EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!

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Questions, if I may?

Although it's not going to be here until the weekend, could someone please possibly give me the cycle breakdowns of this machine?
I would like to know how I will be using this for my regular use as it will become my daily driver.
Also, if someone knows the manufacture date from the serial # that would be most awesome.
Thanks for all your help :)
Can't wait to play with my new "classic" toy!!!

Model: KDS-20C
Serial: 580 550
 

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