Reader Question: Dishwasher Dilemma

It's always nice to have someone help out with some content for the blog. Thankfully, there are tons of great blog readers and occasionally I'm able to answer some questions and share some thoughts.

Today's question is one that designers are hearing more and more and appliance companies have stepped up to the plate with some solutions.

"I can't bend over to load the bottom rack of my dishwasher because of chronic back issues. I don't want to give up using the dishwasher altogether but what can I do to prevent running nearly empty loads of dishes? My husband and I are planning to build a house and we need some advice. Help?"

Between homeowners with back or neck issues and those just getting a bit older, the bottom of the dishwasher can be problematic.

Designers are more cognizant of designing spaces that are ADA(Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant and feature spaces and appliances that lend to ease of use and allowing homeowners to gracefully age in their homes without making drastic construction modifications. 

Planning on the front end is key! 

I love dishwasher drawers. Problem is, with a stacked dishwasher drawer that's only 24"(that's standard dishwasher width) wide, you still have that pesky bottom drawer. 

Fisher & Paykel recently released their DishDrawer Wide. It's a magical 36" wide!

Now before you ask why the 36" measurement is magical, it'll hold 9 place settings of dishes!

Tons of adjustable(and folding) racking, accommodations for stemware and only using 3.5 gallons per cycle are just a few of the features. 

Hopefully this helps with your dishwasher dilemma. If you have trouble bending over and want to maintain a large dishwasher, the Fisher & Paykel DishDrawer Wide is an easy choice. 

Miele Futura Slimline Dishwashers

Bigger is not always better. Many home products and appliances have grown(literally) in past years and even though we are seeing a trend toward smaller homes, there are still a limited amount of quality appliance products that are truly small-home friendly.

A good friend of Cupboards, Paul Anater from Kitchen and Residential Design shared some awesome information last week on the Futura Series of dishwashers from Miele. The technological advances from Miele in Futura Series is nothing short of remarkable. From capacity improvements to completely blowing away efficiency markers, the Futura really has set itself apart. Take a look at Paul's post- he covers lots of the technical specs.

One of the shining features of the Futura Series is option to have a Slimline model. Trimming down the standard 24" model to 18" without sacrificing capacity is an amazing feat!

Are you counting dishes? Think there'd be no room in a dishwasher that's only 18" wide? 

The silverware tray on top is a convertible of sorts, accommodating a variety of utensils and flatware. The upper tray is also adjustable for varied heights.

The Slimline Futura is available in both a prefinished  door(above) or a fully-integrated version(below).

While perfect for condos and apartment living, I think the Miele Futura Slimline is also ideal for small families. There doesn't seem to be a better model for efficiency! 

Next-Gen - Mono Dishwasher

With the movement toward smaller homes and smaller spaces, it's only sensible that appliances follow suit. One of the proto-types out now for small living dish washing is the Mono Dishwasher. Designed by Daniel Simonini, the Mono is suited for singles or couples as well as office situations.

The Mono can hold four plates, four glasses and place settings of silverware- perfect for a small family! 

Perhaps the best feature of the Mono is that the pressurized water not only cleans the dishes but also powers the internal battery... No power cord!

Check out this video that shows some of the inspiration behind the Mono.

What do you think? Pretty sweet, huh?