Almost every kitchen I know has cabinets above the dishwasher. Many of those cabinets are used to store dishes. When you're unloading the dishwasher in such a kitchen, you have to lean over the dishwasher's door to reach the cabinets.

That bottom-hinged door really takes up floor space when open and thus gets in the way. Why don't we have dishwashers with doors that open to the side?
-- drzeus, Jun 26 2002

But then when you load it with mucky dishes and glasses that have a bit of drink in them still, the residue would fall on the floor, instead of on the door of the dishwasher. Assuming, that is, that the top and bottom racks would still pull out. Otherwise it would be quite a pain to load.
-- Matty, Jun 26 2002


If washing machines can hinge on the side then so can dishwashers.
-- DrCurry, Jun 26 2002


But you don't put wet clothes in the washer. If you had a bunch of wet clothes to put in, you'd be better off with a top-loader that catched drips, like a dishwasher. I rest my fish-bone.
-- Matty, Jun 26 2002


I'm torn between convenience and your convincing argument, Matty..
-- yamahito, Jun 26 2002


[Intrigued by the thought of someone who puts wet clothes in the washing machine...] [I usually put mine in the dryer.] [Which also hinges on the side.]
-- DrCurry, Jun 26 2002


What if your clothes are wet from your sweaty jog in the country? Or from being lovingly attacked by a muddy dog?

Clothes don't drip the way wet dishes do because they are made of fabric and that absorbs much wetness. A side opening washer is an entirely different thing altogether. A little leftover undried water, just a little, and there sits a small puddle on the floor.
-- polartomato, Jun 27 2002


Why not have one that opens from the top and the shelves rise up to the level of the cabinet top?
-- JLSeagull, Jun 27 2002


A drip sheet could roll out under the bottom shelf when it's pulled out.

The shelves could come in sections (4 per shelf?) to be lifted out for easy loading and unloading.
-- FarmerJohn, Jun 27 2002


why don't you get rid of the dishwasher,buy a cow and use plates made out of banana leaves.
-- dijit, Jun 27 2002


You could store your dishes somewhere else, but I realise that's not necessarily an ideal solution. Dishwasher doors are bottom hinged because, as [Matty] said, you need something to catch the bits of gravy and stuff that's left on the plates when you put them in. However, you could have a side-hinged door with an internal, bottom-hinged, drip-tray. You open the door, lower the tray, load the machine, raise the tray and close the door. After it's done its stuff, you open the door, leaving the tray raised.
-- angel, Jun 27 2002


Isn't it just a lot easier to pull the door open from the top then have to bend over and extend and retrieve a pull-out tray hinged at the bottom? People with disabilities (who could benefit otherwise- hence the use of side-loading ovens) would have difficulties with a side loader in that case. BTW, since side ovens already exist, maybe they could be a model for how a side washer could be created.

Also, maybe it's just me and my lousy washer, but I've had problems in the past with small amounts of clean water remaining and dripping at the end, rather than gravy at the beginning.
-- polartomato, Jun 27 2002


Perhaps I wasn't clear. [drzeus]'s problem appears to be that, with the drop-down door open, he cannot get close enough to the cabinet. A side-opening door solves that. My drip-tray is attached to the inside of the door, to which it is hinged at the bottom, thus solving [Matty]'s problem of gunk dripping off the plates when you put them into the machine. A bottom-hinged door already fills this role.
Your problem would probably be solved by Rinse Aid, available where you buy your washing powder (or tablets).
-- angel, Jun 27 2002


Your clarity is much appreciated, [angel].

I don't really think drips are that big a deal- you still have to carry the dishes to the washer anyway. If the shelves were set back far enough from the door, you wouldn't have a problem with goo dripping on the floor.
-- polartomato, Jun 27 2002


//you still have to carry the dishes to the washer//
Yes, but they're horizontal when you do that; they're on edge when you put them in. Also, the bottom-hinged door acts as a support for the lower tray as it slides out on runners (on my machine anyway).
I might mention at this point that I don't have an issue with the existing layout, but solving non-existent problems is what we're all about here.
-- angel, Jun 27 2002


I'm certain that angel's observation is spot on - that the door supports the bottom rack when it's pulled out (and catches drips from it).
-- waugsqueke, Jun 27 2002


My machine actually dries the stuff pretty efficiently, so very few drips - about as many as I get from the front-loading washing machine after a spin cycle. I don't have a problem with either design, but I have often thought a top-loading dishwasher, with racks that rise up when you lift the lid, would be a neat idea. Inconvenient under a counter top though; a whole section of worktop would have to hinge up to allow access. The point about the hinged down door making the user bend and reach is valid in my opinion.

Now, how about the "blades up" - "blades - down" knife-in-the-cutlery-basket-debate ?
-- 8th of 7, Jun 27 2002


I've stabbed my elf on an upward-pointing knife before, but that's the way they should go, according to the instructions for my machine. (Can't remember why though.)
-- angel, Jun 27 2002


I think downward pointing knives can cut the little plastic utensil tray enough over time that the utensils fall through. Or poke through and scratch the dishwasher.

The problem with drip sheets, etc, is that they might also block the ingress/egress of water and detergent. The water has to move freely throughout the appliance, know whud I mean?
-- Matty, Jun 27 2002


Well I vote for the cow banana leaves option but why not make a dishwasher door that can open both ways and please everyone.
-- tedhaubrich, Jul 29 2004



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