Fisher & Paykel numbers its ranges 5, 7, 9 and 11, and unlike Bosch's even-numbered tiers the gaps are uneven: Series 5 and 7 are the volume products in most categories, Series 9 is the built-in and integrated line for designed kitchens, and Series 11 appears only at the very top of a couple of ranges.
The short version: buy Series 5 unless you want a specific Series 7 feature, and treat Series 9 as a cabinetry decision rather than a performance one.
What each tier means
| Series 5 | Series 7 | Series 9 | Series 11 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positioning | Contemporary, freestanding | Contemporary with more features | Integrated and built-in, designer finishes | Flagship, limited categories |
| Dishwashers | 15 settings, 4 energy stars | 15 settings, 42dB, Wi-Fi | Integrated DishDrawer | — |
| Laundry | Front and top loaders | Larger heat pump dryers | — | — |
| Cooking | 60cm ovens and cooktops | 90cm cookers, pyrolytic ovens | Built-in ovens, 76cm | — |
Dishwashers
Series 5 at around $1,000 gives fifteen place settings and a well-rated freestanding machine; owners rate it 4.7 from more than 35 reviews at The Good Guys.
Series 7 at around $1,300 adds Wi-Fi, an internal light, capacitive touch controls and drops noise to 42 decibels with 4.5 energy stars and 206kWh a year. Owners rate it 4.7 from more than 40 reviews.
Both are 895mm tall, which is worth measuring against your benchtop before ordering either.
Series 9 in dishwashers means the integrated DishDrawer models, where the drawer takes a cabinet panel. These rate lower than the freestanding machines, between 3 and 4.1 across small review pools, and cost $1,800 to $2,400.
The full comparison against Bosch is in Bosch vs Fisher & Paykel dishwashers.
Laundry
Series 5 covers the mainstream washers: a 9kg Contemporary front loader around $840 rated 4.8, and the top loaders that are among the best-selling washing machines in Australia. The 9kg top loader is rated 4.6 from more than 180 owners.
Series 5 also covers the heat pump dryers from about $1,040. Series 7 appears on the larger 10kg heat pump dryers around $1,600, and Series 9 on the 10kg at around $2,800.
For dryers, the series number mostly tracks capacity and finish rather than the drying technology, which is heat pump across all of them.
Cooking
Series 5 is the 60cm built-in oven line, around $960 for a seven-function model that includes a pyrolytic clean setting. Series 7 covers the 90cm freestanding cookers, from around $2,700 for the gas model to $6,750 for the induction version, and the 60cm pyrolytic ovens around $2,000. Series 9 is the 76cm built-in range for designed kitchens, from around $5,400.
The 90cm Series 7 cookers are the ones with owner reviews: 4.4 from more than 20 on the $4,950 dual fuel model.
Where the money goes furthest
Dishwashers: Series 5, unless 42 decibels matters, in which case Series 7.
Laundry: Series 5. The top loaders and front loaders here have the biggest review pools and the best ratings in the brand.
Cooking: Series 5 for a 60cm built-in oven. Series 7 and 9 are about the look of a designed kitchen and the 90cm format, not about cooking better.
What every Fisher & Paykel shares
A two-year Australian warranty, an Australian and New Zealand service network, and a design language built around flush handles and simple controls. The brand is New Zealand's and design remains there, but manufacturing moved offshore, largely to Thailand and China, after Haier acquired the company in 2012.
FAQs
Why are there no Series 6 or 8 models?
Fisher & Paykel uses odd numbers where Bosch uses even ones. There is no relationship between the two systems, so a Series 7 Fisher & Paykel is not comparable to a Series 7 anything else.
Is Series 9 better built than Series 5?
Not in the sense of a different chassis. Series 9 is the integrated and built-in line with premium finishes and cabinet-panel compatibility. The wash and cook performance is close to Series 5 and 7; the price difference is cabinetry.
What is a DishDrawer?
A dishwasher in a drawer. A single drawer holds about half a normal load; a double gives two independent drawers. They suit small households and butler's pantries, and they cost more per place setting than a conventional machine.
