Dishwasher doesn't fit a standard dinner plate

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AklBen

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#324011 16-Feb-2026 08:33

In early January, we bought a new AEG dishwasher from Harvey Norman.

It has three racks, a lower and upper tray, plus a cutlery drawer. The installation and quick guide manual indicates that with the upper tray in its lower position, it can fit a 27cm dinner plate (this is considered a standard size). The problem is that it cannot. The upper arm hits the plates. Also, the upper tray being in this position means no wine glasses can be put in the dishwasher!

The only real solution to this is removing the cutlery drawer, using a cutlery basket and keeping the upper tray in the higher position. The dishwasher is otherwise very good, but it's a pain to stack.

I think this is unacceptable. Is this something that can be challenged and therefore returned and swapped?

Note, I have emailed their care department to confirm what they consider a standard-size dinner plate.

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#3461792 16-Feb-2026 08:54

The problem you have is the term Standard dinner plate, AEG will have what they call standard dinner plates that fit so you may be out of luck with the size of your plates

Common sense is not as common as you think.

Behodar

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#3461796 16-Feb-2026 09:00

I'm not sure whether they'll entertain a return for something like that after ~six weeks. If you'd gone back to HN immediately then they'd probably have been receptive, but after you've already been using the thing since last month?

fearandloathing

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#3461811 16-Feb-2026 09:16

Have you tried flipping the plates over? So the top of the plate is facing down.

Eva888

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#3461812 16-Feb-2026 09:20

There is a way to change the dish drawer position so there is more room. My daughter in Sydney had this problem until I visited and read the instructions. Check it out.

AklBen

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#3461814 16-Feb-2026 09:21

Behodar:

I'm not sure whether they'll entertain a return for something like that after ~six weeks. If you'd gone back to HN immediately then they'd probably have been receptive, but after you've already been using the thing since last month?

Fair point. We have been trying different configurations, even using a non-supplied cutlery basket to try make it work.

It has got to the point where my patience has worn out.

AklBen

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#3461815 16-Feb-2026 09:22

fearandloathing:

Have you tried flipping the plates over? So the top of the plate is facing down.

Yep, but this reduces space in the bottom drawer.

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kiwifidget

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#3461816 16-Feb-2026 09:23

Beware the F&P DishDrawer, our dinner plates are a bit big for that too.

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#3461817 16-Feb-2026 09:24

But your plates then fit and smaller items will fit the bottom draw. Its one of those damned if you do situations.....

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AklBen

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#3461818 16-Feb-2026 09:24

Eva888:

There is a way to change the dish drawer position so there is more room. My daughter in Sydney had this problem until I visited and read the instructions. Check it out.

Yes, have given that a go.

The upper drawer in the upper position is very limited. A tall beer glass, for example, wouldn't fit. Even when the upper drawer is in the lower position, the tops of the wine glasses (which aren't that tall) scrape against or hit the cutlery drawer.

Eva888

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#3461822 16-Feb-2026 09:36

My Bosch won’t take tall wine glasses either. I sort of half lay them or hand wash. I don’t buy the tall ones anymore. Bench height is the parameter these machines need to fit under so there is a limit to how much height is available for adjustment. I put taller items near the edges where the arm can’t reach.

Take a plate to HNorman and check out the other dishwashers to see what their fit is like. You can say that you didn’t wash any of your 'other' dinner set until you had guests six weeks later and realised they don’t fit.

johno1234

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#3461826 16-Feb-2026 09:44

kiwifidget:

Beware the F&P DishDrawer, our dinner plates are a bit big for that too.

There are DishDrawer "tall" models - either single or double with a deeper top drawer - supposed to fit a 310mm dinner plate.

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AklBen

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#3461833 16-Feb-2026 09:58

Electrolux has escalated to their escalation department.

Will keep y'all posted.

eracode

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#3461835 16-Feb-2026 10:10

AklBen:

The installation and quick guide manual indicates that with the upper tray in its lower position, it can fit a 27cm dinner plate (this is considered a standard size). The problem is that it cannot. The upper arm hits the plates.

If your plates are 27cm and won’t fit, it sounds somewhat prima facie to me. OTOH it’s unlikely that the AEG manual would be incorrect on such a fundamental point.

Maybe something not quite apples v apples here.

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turtleattacks

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#3461847 16-Feb-2026 11:01

AklBen:

The only real solution to this is removing the cutlery drawer, using a cutlery basket and keeping the upper tray in the higher position. The dishwasher is otherwise very good, but it's a pain to stack.

This is exactly what I had to do with the brand new mid-tier Bosch dishwasher.

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richms

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#3461854 16-Feb-2026 11:19

I got a whole lot of big dinner places from a restaurant supply place so that I didn't have to split my meal over 2 plates to carry thru to where I eat, and then found they only would fit if I laid them down like you would a frypan or casserole dish. Oops.

Richard rich.ms

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