1952 American Kitchens Electric Sink Dishwasher First Water Test

This Electric Sink was manufactured by The American Kitchens Division of the AVCO (Aviation Corp.) in Connersville, Indiana.
This Electric Sink had also came from a home in Connersville.

[@patcola7335]

Amazing water action from an impeller ! I think I actually like this wash action better than a spray arm. Very powerful water throwing action.

[@williamdierolf8477]

Wow wish my dishwasher had that kind of power! Running time is awesome too.

[@michaelasebedo8392]

What is sad is this old machine does a better job than the new ones out there

[@mauromazzoncini5711]

I love these old machines surprisingly not that noisy with its door closed .very nice

[@soap1919jt]

Don't you just love it? This is awesome! Love the powerful spray action. This is better than some modern models.

[@erossinema8797]

It seems to spray in a still pattern on the bottom. That's not good.

[@kerryincolumbus]

absolutely awesome video!! I sure wish dishwashers were made like that now-a-days - the ones we have now are JUNK!

[@hankaustin7091]

I agree with Kerry.. today's dishwashers are pieces of SHIT!

[@alecvip7562]

Not all of them. Miele and Bosch are very good dishwashers.

[@ToyKingWonder]

I have the same/similar model without the sink. My control knob is slightly different. I bought mine from a gent back east and it had been a display unit years ago and just spent years in a strorage room. Everything works and the interior is perfect. The exterior has a few minor scratches. I love it. Every once in while I hook it up to the sink and let it run. I am fortunate that I have a small "back house" on my property where this unit and my 1963 GE fridge have found a home.

[@DishwasherRules]

Thank you for sharing this video with us. We had similar machines in the late 50s here in Italy, mostly in the same configuration (sink+dishwasher). I think these dishwashers were actually made in the USA and then imported to Italy (and other European countries) where they underwent some changes in their electrical system to suit the higher voltage we use. I have some pics in an old cooking magazine, I'll send them to you if you want :o)

[@regplate4139]

No dirt is going to survive that! Much better that the sorry little splashing we have today.

[@BroccoliBeefed]

Also, I don't mind eco-measure if everything else balances out. but it makes the machines take three times as long which can't be good for electricity consumption and most people like their dishes thoroughly rinsed, which many of the new machines won't do

[@soap1919jt]

Amazing video. This machine has a powerful spray action, capable of scrubbing pots. It would be interesting to see how it would do with all the modern detergents, rinse aids and boosters. It would probably work better than some of the modern machines do. It would be great to restore and sell these units!

[@hankaustin7091]

Awesome video guys, great job!

[@BUBBLESPOGO]

Wow! Its really scrubbing those dishes thoroughly

[@compactc9]

My great aunt and uncle (dad's aunt and uncle) have a house with a complete American kitchen of this style, sadly the dishwasher is modern now, they didn't have an electric sink, I assume they made a stand alone unit? they have a portable machine in the gap left where the old one used to be.

[@DTW2LAX]

Cool! So now I know there's such a thing as a combination dishwasher/sink! And from what I see here, they weren't that uncommon, just before my time. What were they thinking putting the control knob/timer down so low! I'm not even sure why KZbin put this up on my page, but I'm glad it did.

[@robhingston]

I love that dishwasher and it's from 1952 and still working, I am still washing by hand and it's 2012

[@karinjeffrey7981]

Great video, very interesting. What a great machine and what a cool handle. Lasagna dishes are clearly no problem for this beast. Thanks, guys, I'm on the hunt now, lol.

[@erossinema8797]

Lasagna dishes are easy because they are glass. Just like corning ware does well in automatic dishwashers too. But steel and aluminum.? Getting steel pots or aluminum pots clean in an automatic dishwasher is a wild card.

[@soap1919jt]

Actually, this dishwasher was operated by latching the door at the top. The control dial at the bottom was simply a cycle monitor, but could be rotated manually to advance the cycle.

[@Bob-ml1mv]

It’s like the original kitchenaid dishwasher s with the cycle monitors at the bottom and you can advance the cycle manually. Although the kitchenaid models did not have the upper roto rack. There 4 way hydro sweep action cleaned everything from top to bottom

[@vintageappliguy]

Great video...I hope you have the whole dishwasher sink unit reporcalined...it maybe expensive but it is worth it since this is such a rare beast..... FYI this machine does not have a Calrod it has a heating element...according to my research only GE and Hotpoint stoves water heaters dryers,and dishwashers have a Calrod...if I am not mistaken Calrod was a GE Trademark....Westinghouse had Chromalox elements while Frigidaire used the Radiantube element...but still it is an awesome unit

[@dishwashercrazy]

@vintageappliguy Thank you. Yes, at some point, I would like to have the sink top reporcelained. But that means having to disassemble the who unit, and I am not ready to tackle such a project right now. You are also correct - Calrod was a registered trademark of GE - I used the term incorrectly, but I do not remember what American Kitchens term was used.

[@BroccoliBeefed]

The KitchenAid dishwasher, I'm talking about the ones made by Hobart before they sold out to Whirlpool and let Whirlpool destroy the name, were known to be hurricanes in a box. Cleaned your dishes like no one's business. Now KitchenAids are just rebadged Whirlpools - awful machines. Our 1977 Maytag dishwasher worked better than any of the crap made today with the exception of Bosch and Miele and only took 35 min, not 2 hrs

[@kimhollingshead9146]

Hi from Arizona. Stumbled across your posting about the American Kitchens Electric Sink today after finding one of these units in an old mine cabin in Arizona. My brother and I discovered this while ATVing and exploring some old mine ruins, miles away from any paved road or electric service. Do you have any idea how much one of these would cost back in the 1950s? And how much is one worth today? I am not thinking of trying to retrieve it since it is on a old mining claim, but just curious. Thanks.

[@slreiff]

Oh yes I agree and I know what you mean. Would be nice to see advances in performance as well as energy or environmental advantages.

[@Dog-Lover36]

That washing machine and matching dryer brand and model in the background is the original Maytag Neptune, which became introduced around 1997. The company that designed this dishwasher probably doesn’t exist anymore. The motor and dish trays resemble Kitchen Aid Superba, Hobart, Insinkerator models

[@williamslater-o5b]

It reminds me more of the Sears Kenmoe Roto-Rack with the spinning top rack.

[@Dog-Lover36]

You misspelled Kenmore.

[@jamespolcyn8441]

Thank you for this video! I love it.

[@thomasrpoulsen]

Gunk, great word.

[@latui7350]

Ah the 50s, when America was still innovative.

[@Michael_in_Vt]

Several years ago out 1983 dishwasher died...and we miss that thing. It would clean a set of dishes in 45 minutes, had an all-metal interior and a HUGE copper roped motor...today the motors are plastic and it takes hours to clean dishes due to the environmental junk.

[@AsloAso]

Michael T nope motors still use copper today, the interiors of modern dishwashers use Chrome plated and antibacterial plastic. Which is cheaper. But the major difference is the older ones used an impeller where today’s use wash arms.

[@erossinema8797]

What brand and model was your 1983 machine?

[@mrmjb1960]

I love your friend's last name..I'm also a Boyce,too!

[@slreiff]

I am wondering, why is it that these old dishwashers have such short cycle times and seem much more powerful in terms of water pressure than modern dishwashers? Is it a matter of noise level or energy, or just cheaper components?

[@kerryincolumbus]

The reason being is today's dishwashers are regulated by a bunch of tree-hungers who DEMANDED that all new dishwashers use a lot less water and that the water they DID use only use a certain amount of pressure to conserve water, therefore longer wash and rinse cycles to get things clean. Dishwashers prior to the 1980s were total work horses that had an amazing amount of water pressure, therefore, it didn't take as long to clean the dishes.

[@erossinema8797]

Our automatic dishwashers and clothes washers in the USA are so screwed up today for several reasons. 1. The government forced manufacturers to come up with ways to make them use less water. 2. Manufacturers faced a marked increase in the price of materials (plastic, steel, iron, copper, etc.) So to compensate and not shock consumers any more than they already have with outrageous prices, they simply started using cheaper materials. This translates into parts that aren't made as well as the vintage stuff. 3. They don't want your major appliances lasting 15 years like they used to. They have employees to pay and stockholders to satisfy.

[@unknownunknown1740]

So powerfull water pump, like 100 % stonger then new ones today

[@patcola7335]

These used an impeller to spray the dishes.

[@soap1919jt]

Fantastic!

[@JoshuaAndMom]

These are definitely much. better than today's crap

[@markmessa5888]

The water jet seem to be so strong that I guess it could damage several more delicate utensils.

[@hankaustin7091]

maybe so, but, stuff certainly got a LOT cleaner with these older models of dishwashers than ANYTHING produced now-a-days, in a much shorter period of time!

[@slreiff]

huh, that was kind of what I was thinking- an eco measure. Too bad.

[@latui7350]

Who latex paints metal lol