Fisher & Paykel's Series 7 is the better-specified machine at the price: fifteen place settings, 42 decibels, 206kWh a year and 11.1 litres a cycle for around $1,300, which is quieter and more efficient than a Bosch Series 6 costing $200 more. Bosch's advantage is evidence, with 380 owner reviews against Fisher & Paykel's 44, plus lifetime AquaStop leak protection and a far larger service network.
Fisher & Paykel also makes something Bosch does not: the DishDrawer, a dishwasher in a drawer that runs half loads without half-filling a big machine.
Bosch Series 6
Fifteen place settings, 44 decibels, 245kWh a year, 11 litres a cycle at 5.5 water stars, six programs, heat-exchanger drying and an adjustable top basket. AquaStop Plus leak protection warranted for the life of the machine. Owners rate it well from a large pool of reviews at The Good Guys.
It uses more power than the Fisher & Paykel and costs more.
What We Like:
- 380 owner reviews at 4.7
- Lifetime leak protection
- Large service network
What We Don't Like:
- 245kWh a year
Fisher & Paykel Series 7
Fifteen place settings, 42 decibels (the quietest freestanding machine in this hub), 4.5 energy stars, 206kWh a year, 5.5 water stars and 11.1 litres a cycle. Seven programs, Wi-Fi, an internal light, a full-width cutlery tray and capacitive touch controls. Owners rate it 4.7 from 44 reviews at The Good Guys.
The cabinet is 895mm high against Bosch's 845mm, which matters under a fixed benchtop. Leak protection is Aquastop plus flood protection rather than Bosch's lifetime-warranted system.
What We Like:
- 42 decibels, 206kWh a year
- Full-width cutlery tray
- Wi-Fi and internal light
What We Don't Like:
- 895mm high, so check the benchtop
Side by side
| Bosch Series 6 | F&P Series 7 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,400–1,500 | $1,200–1,300 |
| Place settings | 15 | 15 |
| Noise | 44dB | 42dB |
| Energy rating | 4 stars | 4.5 stars |
| Energy use | 245kWh/yr | 206kWh/yr |
| Water rating (WELS) | 5.5 stars | 5.5 stars |
| Water per cycle | 11L | 11.1L |
| Programs | 6 | 7 |
| Cutlery | Basket | Full-width tray |
| Wi-Fi | No | Yes |
| Height | 845mm | 895mm |
| Leak protection | AquaStop Plus, lifetime | Aquastop plus flood protection |
| Warranty | 2 years | 2 years |
| Owner rating | 4.7 (380) | 4.7 (44) |
Owner ratings are from The Good Guys.
What actually differs
Height. This is the one that catches people. The Fisher & Paykel is 895mm tall against the Bosch's 845mm. Standard Australian benchtops sit around 900mm, so the F&P fits but with little room for adjustment, while the Bosch has 55mm of slack. Measure the cavity before ordering.
Running cost. 206kWh against 245kWh, about 39kWh a year or roughly $12. Small, but it comes with a quieter machine and a lower price.
Cutlery. A full-width tray across the top means the cutlery basket stops eating bottom-basket space. Anyone who has tried to fit a stockpot around a cutlery basket knows why this is a feature worth having.
Evidence. 380 reviews against 44. Both at 4.7, but one number is far more certain than the other.
Service. Bosch's network in Australia is larger. Fisher & Paykel is a New Zealand brand with a long Australian presence and good regional coverage, but Bosch is easier to get serviced in most towns.
The DishDrawer question
Fisher & Paykel's single DishDrawer is a dishwasher in a drawer at around $1,530, rated 4.1 from more than 20 owners. It suits a household of one or two, a butler's pantry, or a kitchen with no room for a full machine, and it runs a small load without the guilt of a half-empty 60cm machine.
The trade-offs are real and owners name them: it costs more than a full-size machine for less capacity, and its rating is the lowest of the Fisher & Paykel dishwashers here. Double DishDrawer versions cost well over $2,000 and let two loads run on different programs.
FAQs
Is Fisher & Paykel still made in New Zealand?
The brand is New Zealand's and design work continues there, but manufacturing moved offshore, mostly to Thailand and China, after Haier acquired the company in 2012. Bosch's Australian dishwashers are made in Europe.
Why is the Fisher & Paykel quieter than the Bosch?
At 42 decibels it matches Bosch's own Series 8 and beats the Series 6 by two. Insulation and pump design account for most of the difference; there is no single feature that explains it.
Does the DishDrawer clean as well as a full machine?
Owner reviews suggest yes for normal loads and less well for heavily soiled pans, which is where the shallow drawer's spray geometry works against it.
