Great news for Kiwi design – appliance maker Fisher & Paykel Appliances has joined the ranks of global brands like Bose, Playstation, Stella Artois, Blackberry, Audi and Chanel – based on a list of “CoolBrand Leaders for 2005” says an article in the NZ Herald.
The articles says F&P “has long been a firm favourite in New Zealand for its sturdy, reliable, washing machines and fridges”.
“It seeks fresh and dynamic ways to produce appliances turning conventional thinking on its head. It is a brand, which prides itself on catering for the modern consumer delivering intelligent and technologically superior products.”
A visit to product rating website Epinions confirms that, in the United States, F&P appliances generally rate highly with consumers for both ‘style’ and ‘ease of use’.
The Herald articles adds that it’s “F&P Appliances’ state-of-the-art spin on traditional appliances – like its two-drawer dishwasher – that is turning heads offshore”.
However, their flagship two-drawer dishdrawers don’t rate well on Epinions. A closer look at the reviews show that while the products rate well for ‘style’ and ‘ease of use’, they rate much lower for ‘durability’ and ‘ease of cleaning’.
So what’s going on here? Have F&P sacrificed ‘sturdy and reliable’ for ‘style and ease of use’?
While a love affair with style might land them first-impression honeymoon sales, what will this mean in the long term when their appliances have crapped out and annoyed customers have to fork out for expensive repairs or another machine?
In New Zealand F&P’s success was built on the back of ‘sturdy and reliable’, followed by some sensible, but not overly outrageous, aesthetic design.
The world is already full of enough flashy breakable applicances – don’t go there F&P…
10 responses to “Flashy Breakable Fisher & Paykel”
We bought the FP dishwasher 3 yrs ago for two reasons. 1. Sturdy/reliable 2. Style. The product catches eyes but does not live up to the S/R which we were sold on. In 3 years we have a had 3 service calls ( BTW they are the most expensive Field repair rates on the market). Most recently the plastic link support snapped causing the hoses to break and leak all over the floor. F/P has redesinged these link supports to resist breaking but will not recall nor reimburse the cost of the parts. So I am stuck with a high service call, labor and parts for a F/P design flaw.
This will be my last F/P product !!
PS I have a 20 yr old Whirlpool d/w at another house which is still washing away without a problem-ever!
Got a new F&P range. But F&P need to fix the following:
– Gappy, non-aligned panels.
– Sharp edges on back panel, & front bar under warming drawer.
– Non-aligned warming drawer.
– Chrome is flaking off from the new oven racks!
– Enamel bits flaking somewhere from under cooktop.
The installer got cut on the finger due to the sharp edges at the wiring point, so be careful all those electricians out there…
Have an F&P Nemo dishwasher on which the entire latch mechanism (and much of the plastic door front mounting hardware) has completely disintegrated. Also have an F&P
fridge with misaligned door seals and a washer with an intermittent control unit. OVERALL am completely unimpressed with F&P so called quality. F&P has been coasting on the backs of Kiwi consumers who until recently had few other options.
I also have a F&P Nemo dishwasher and have had the same problem as the previous review on which the entire latch mechanism (and much of the plastic door front mounting hardware) has completely disintegrated also. we have had both replaced as well as the door springs that snapped and the door hinges have dropped, and the bottom of the door now rubs on the bottom panel, we use it as it is, and it isnt worth spending any more money on it ,will definitly buy a different brand in the future.
Hi, we also have a "Nemo" with a broken latch … I would like to fix it but we arnt sure where to get the parts from. We would value any help with this. Thank you in advance
I have found a contact number for the parts dept of Fisher and Paykel 0800287746 and they were really helpful. I ordered the parts required and paid by visa all over the phone, New handle and front top consol with power button on it all for around $70 and the parts arrived by courier door to door the very next day. My faith has been restored
I have a dishdrawer, looks the part but have been unimpressed with the cleaning of dishes, my very old F & P dishwasher in last house was brilliant compared to this. Dont often use bottom dishdrawer just too low too ground, not user friendly. Would be better installed side by side.
Deja vu all over again…we also have a relatively new Nemo whose control panel has entirely disintegrated, the button label has punched through, etc. It is now held together by gaffer tape, bits of string and sealing wax. The control panel plastic molding has a label which says it is a trial part for field testing – not a good idea to use your customers as part of the design verification process. We also have an F+P top loading dishwasher – who was the design brainiac that decided it should have a CURVED top surface – you can’t even put a packet of soap powder on it. No more F+P products for me either…
Our nearly 7 year old F & P Dishdrawer has given problems nearly all of it’s short life. The main board has been replaced twice, the bottom drawer has never emptied for the last 2 years despite 2 attempts to repair, the top display is water damaged and cannot be read, both rinse compartments fill with water, 3 days ago the top drawer stopped and an alarm sounded, the following day the bottom drawer completely malfunctioned, alarms and flashing displays and leaked water over the kitchen floor.
Called F&P, sorry now out of their hands but may, may, help with the cost of parts, awaiting prognosis.
I feel we will be throwing good money away if we continue to repair this lemon.
F & P are moving production overseas, sure this will improve the quality.
I also have a F&P Nemo dishwasher in a rental property and another in the office at work and both have had the same problem as mentioned above on which the entire latch mechanism (and much of the plastic door front mounting hardware) has completely disintegrated also. Amazing. Will try the 0800 number for spare parts.