As far as product names go, drawer dishwashers couldn鈥檛 be more on the money. Instead of using a hinged door, the racks slide in and out like, well, a chest of drawers.
Available in single and double designs and almost exclusively made by Fisher & Paykel (in Australia), this style of dishwasher is often touted as being a great space-saver. But there are other advantages and a few notable shortcomings.
Are they better or worse than conventional dishwashers? Do they consume less water and energy across the course of the year? Are they easy to use? Our lab experts have the answers.
These dishwashers come in two flavours: single- and double-drawer. Double-drawer systems are basically two single drawers stacked on top of each other. They鈥檙e about the same size as a conventional dishwasher.
Drawer dishwashers are available in single and double configurations.
Should I buy a Fisher & Paykel drawer dishwasher?
In Australia, if you’re looking for a drawer dishwasher, you don鈥檛 have much of a choice. As of 2026, Fisher & Paykel is the only major manufacturer of drawer dishwashers with widespread distribution in Australia.
Smeg, Inalto, Omega and a few other brands gave it a shot but ended up sticking with conventional models, for the most part. If you come across a drawer dishwasher that isn鈥檛 made by Fisher & Paykel, it鈥檚 probably old stock, a factory second or pre-owned.
How much do drawer dishwashers cost?
Single-drawer dishwashers start at around $1500 while double-drawer models range from $2200鈥�$3000. Prices have steadily gone up since we started testing these models and though they aren鈥檛 the most expensive options in our test, they鈥檙e getting close.
At around $200 per year, double-drawer dishwashers aren鈥檛 exactly cheap to run. In fact, they鈥檙e among the models with the highest annual running costs in our test.
Single drawers aren鈥檛 so bad, costing around $100 each year. This is comparable to most small or slimline dishwashers. Though these costs could blow out if you find yourself running excessive loads each week, because of the washer鈥檚 smaller size.
Our testers found that the cleaning performance and energy consumption of drawer dishwashers is mostly good, but not great. Dishwasher expert Shafi Noor explains.
鈥淒rawer dishwashers earned OK to good cleaning results in our tests, which is fine for everyday loads,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut we haven鈥檛 come across any models that match top performing conventional dishwashers.鈥�
鈥淭he main recurring weakness is redisposition of certain foods like cereal and spinach, instead of cleaning these things away. They also tend to struggle with stubborn, dried-on foods and sauces.鈥�
鈥淎nd as for efficiency, a fully loaded, double-drawer dishwasher uses a similar amount of water and energy as a conventional model during a cycle, but that doesn鈥檛 tell the whole story,鈥� he adds.
鈥淒rawer dishwashers don鈥檛 have as much interior space, so on a per-item basis, they actually tend to use more water and energy. The water and energy advantages only really come through if you鈥檙e constantly running small loads.鈥�
Are drawer dishwashers hard to install and maintain?
Experienced DIYers shouldn鈥檛 have much trouble installing a drawer dishwasher. They鈥檙e similar to conventional models with a few quirks, according to Shafi.
Double-drawer dishwashers use two drain hoses so they can operate independently, which may be a problem if the kitchen plumbing only has a single drain line.
鈥淵ou can fix this with a supplied drain hose joiner,鈥� says Shafi. 鈥淭hough that adds a bit of extra work compared to a conventional install.鈥�
鈥淟eveling is also more important,鈥� he adds.鈥� Conventional dishwashers tolerate small misalignments more gracefully whereas drawer dishwashers need to be pretty precise.鈥�
Be wary that maintenance can get expensive and may not be within the abilities of some less experienced general appliance technicians.
Be wary that maintenance can get expensive
鈥淔isher & Paykel design and dominate the drawer dishwasher format, so most components come from them,鈥� says Shafi. 鈥淭here鈥檚 almost no aftermarket competition, which keeps part prices firmer than they would be for other brands.鈥�
鈥淪ome general appliance techs can work on them, but the unique drawer mechanism, lid seal and motor may mean less-experienced service people could require more repair time, which can get expensive,鈥� he adds. Equally, if you live in a regional or rural area you may have trouble finding someone with the requisite skills.
That said, Fisher & Paykel鈥檚 warranty service is generally well-regarded and readily available across the country.
Text-only accessible version
Should you buy a drawer dishwasher?
Drawer dishwasher pros:
Space saving: Single drawer models may suit small kitchens. Flexible cleaning: Double drawer models can run different cycles at the same time. Smaller loads: Can reduce water and energy bills with a smaller load in a single drawer. Easier to access: Don’t need to bend down as far if the top drawer is level with the bench. Easier to load: Can still fill most of the drawer if it’s partially closed.
Drawer dishwasher cons:
Single manufacturer: Fisher & Paykel dominates the market, limiting variety and increasing costs. Can be expensive: Single drawer dishwashers start at about $1500, double drawers range from $2200-3000. Limited vertical space: Rules out items like tall stockpots, large mixing bowls, oversized platters and so on. Can use a lot of water: Most double drawer dishwashers in our test use 18鈥�21 litres of water per cycle.
Drawer dishwasher pros
So far, drawer dishwashers haven鈥檛 presented an overly compelling case to ditch your conventional cleaner. But there are a few advantages.
They save space
Space saving is the big selling point, especially for single drawer systems. They can be a good option for smaller kitchens and living areas, like apartments and inner-city houses.
鈥淏ut they can also work in kitchens with small thoroughfares,鈥� says Shafi.
Think about it, have you ever tried to roll out the racks of a traditional dishwasher when the hinged door can鈥檛 open all the way down?
A drawer dishwasher doesn’t have this problem 鈥� even if you can only open it partially, you can still stack plenty of dishes inside.
You can partly load a drawer dishwasher without opening it all the way.
They have flexible cleaning cycles
Conventional and drawer dishwashers have a variety of cleaning cycles suited to different items. But conventional models can only run one cycle type at a time 鈥� a limitation that double-drawer dishwashers don鈥檛 face.
鈥淒ouble-drawer dishwashers can operate two independent cycles at the same time, which is a big timesaver,鈥� says Shafi.
鈥淵ou could set the bottom section to clean really dirty plates while the top half runs a delicate cycle for glassware, with everything finishing around the same time,鈥� he explains.
Single drawer dishwashers can run much smaller loads which should use less water (depending on the cycle). This may be a more economical option if you鈥檙e often running half-full loads in a conventional dishwasher.
You may also want to run smaller loads every few days, such as one up top and one below, rather than a single full load at the end of the week. This can keep clean kitchenware in constant rotation, though it may not be very energy efficient in the long run.
They鈥檙e easier to access
You don鈥檛 need to bend down quite as far to use a single drawer dishwasher if it鈥檚 installed at the same height as your benchtop. Loading and unloading can be much easier if you have limited accessibility, strength or dexterity.
鈥淲ith just one big brand dominating the drawer dishwasher market, you鈥檙e not going to find much variety in terms of performance, features and design,鈥� says Shafi. 鈥淭hey can also get pretty expensive.鈥�
While there are lots of integrated (built-in) dishwashers that can be designed to match your cabinetry, Fisher & Paykel鈥檚 selection is pretty limited. Only a handful of models can be customised and they start at around $2000.
Vertical space is limited
鈥淪tandard single and double drawer dishwashers don鈥檛 have a lot of vertical space,鈥� Shafi explains.
鈥淭his rules out items like tall stockpots, large mixing bowls and oversized platters.鈥�
Fisher & Paykel does sell a small selection of “tall” drawer dishwashers with extra headroom and customisable shelving (some state 310mm in the manual). But they still don鈥檛 have as much space as a conventional model.
Drawer dishwashers lack the height to accommodate tall or large items.
They can use a lot of water
Most of the double drawer dishwashers in our test use 18鈥�21 litres of water per cycle.
鈥淭his isn鈥檛 the worst we鈥檝e seen, but it鈥檚 up there,鈥� says Shafi. 鈥淭here are plenty of conventional dishwashers that use far less per load.鈥�
Are drawer dishwashers worth the expense?
Drawer dishwashers are more of an interesting alternative than a must-buy for most households. Though the models we鈥檝e tested performed quite well, they aren鈥檛 among the top performers in our test.
Still, Shafi says a drawer dishwasher might be the right move if you:
Rarely fill a conventional dishwasher and tend to wash smaller loads.
Have a small kitchen (single drawer is ideal).
Regularly wash delicate items, like glassware, separately from heavily-soiled cookware on the same day.
Have accessibility requirements that make it difficult to load a conventional dishwasher.
Just bear in mind that drawer dishwashers come with a mid-range to premium price tag and relatively hefty ongoing costs. Single drawer models are a more economical option, but you鈥檙e still paying more on a per item basis.
But what鈥檚 the best? Our experts have tested close to 500 dishwashers over the years, including a number of currently available and discontinued drawer models. Head over to our test results to see how the different models compare.
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Peter Zaluzny is a Content producer in the Digital home team. He covers everything from home entertainment and personal safety devices to tech for your car and mattresses.
Peter enjoys cutting through the nonsense to help people understand the products they鈥檙e considering to buy. He helps consumers make educated, informed decisions.
Peter has a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wollongong.
Peter Zaluzny is a Content producer in the Digital home team. He covers everything from home entertainment and personal safety devices to tech for your car and mattresses.
Peter enjoys cutting through the nonsense to help people understand the products they鈥檙e considering to buy. He helps consumers make educated, informed decisions.
Peter has a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wollongong.
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