I started real basic and then just tried things to see if it works. I put a lot of large trays and cutting boards down the right hand side. I put a lot of small bowls on the shelves to the left. Large utensils like bbq tongs in the place they say serving dishes. I learned how to load glad bowl lids by trial and error. I will say that unlike standard dishwashers you can really pack this thing and it still gets everything spotless. The upper right front corner on top is the only spot that is a dead zone. They have diagrams. One for New Zealand has a lot of wine glasses. One for UK has a lot of tea cups and serving dishes. One for US that uses both drawers. Best part is that the captain of the dishwasher loading police, my bil, is rendered speechless since he doesn't know the right way to load it.

ChiSue, The drain hoses flex every time the drawers are opened/closed but there's no immediate concern unless they're leaking. They're designed to be flexible but cracking at some point of aging is a fairly common thing. The fill hoses also flex but they're more of a stretchy/rubbery material than the drain hoses. My lower drawer drain hose had a crack a few inches behind the drawer. Both had cracks where they exit behind the unit and made a sharp turn toward the left through the cabinetry partition. Impossible to see back there when the unit is in place so I have no idea how much bend is in effect on the new hoses. :-| KA discontinued drawer dishwashers a few years ago. The only brand currently on the US market is F&P, and possibly DCS (which is owned by F&P). I considered updating to the latest model (tall upper drawer!) and the racking is more adjustable now ... but decided to fix the DD603.

I have the F&P DD24DCHTX6, it has a tall drawer on top and a regular one on the bottom. I think it's great; no splashing, no open door to block traffic or bash in your shins again. Like Bireland it took awhile to learn how to load it. Unlike Bmorepanic I've found the cleaning to be great. Some things are much cleaner than ever before. Tea strainers etc. very nice. Coffee and tea stains never on mugs anymore. Tired old wineglasses so sparkly. For the first little while I tested it daily with incrementally cruddy pots and plates and it always got them clean. Like Kimkitchy, if I could do it over again I would put a single drawer on either side of the sink. I love not having to bend over at all to load or unload the top drawer which I use most of the time. I live alone but I cook & bake all the time and there are always lots of dishes. If I could do one on either side of the sink I'd select a tall single and a regular one and put pot drawers underneath them. Others have mentioned how useful the 2nd drawer is for loading when the first one is already full or running. I do that as well but also love it for a drain-board for hand-washed items. No stupid ugly rack on the countertop. With regard to the noise I think they are very quiet and friends have commented on just how quiet. There is some sound but it's not annoying at all. Silly to admit but I wait until bedtime to put them on because then, when the house is completely quiet, you can hear them and I like the lulling swishing as I drift off to sleep.

My assumption is that the filter design and cycle changes on Phase 8 are to meet the new/upcoming energy regulations (maximum 3.1 gallons per cycle, presumably based on "Normal"). Six cycles (Heavy, Normal, Normal Eco, Fast, Gentle, Rinse only). All cycles on Phase 8 have only one wash period (the first fill). Normal, Normal Eco, & Fast have two rinses. Gentle has 3 rinses. Heavy has 4 rinses. Phase 7 has nine cycles (Heavy, Heavy Eco, Normal, Normal Eco, Fast, Fast Eco, Delicate, Delicate Eco, Rinse only). For comparison to Phase 8, my older DD603 has seven water changes on Heavy (prewash, rinse, rinse, main wash, rinse, rinse, rinse). Phase 8 Heavy is five water changes (wash, rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse). My Normal is prewash, rinse, wash, rinse, rinse. Phase 8 is wash, rinse, rinse. My Normal Eco is prewash, wash, rinse, rinse. Phase 8 is wash, rinse, rinse. Can't say what effect the Phase 8 revisions have on performance. There are fewer water changes but the wash and rinse periods are accordingly longer (total cycle times are equivalent or longer than earlier revisions). Adjustable side shelves accommodate taller items on the shelves (with a reduction accordingly on what will fit beneath depending on the adjustment). Once in a while I have an item that I'd like to place on a side shelf but it's too tall to fit (blocks the lid from sealing).