Fisher & Paykel Home Appliances
What is Fisher & Paykel and who owns it?
Fisher & Paykel is a New Zealand luxury home appliance brand founded in 1934 in Auckland. It holds over 420 patents, operates in 50 countries, and is best known internationally for the DishDrawer, the world’s first drawer-style dishwasher, first launched in 1997. The company bases its identity on human-centred design — a philosophy of deeply understanding how people live around their appliances — and has won multiple prestigious international design awards including the Red Dot Design Award and the iF Design Gold Award.
Since 2012, Fisher & Paykel has been owned by Haier, the Chinese multinational that is also the world’s largest major appliance brand by retail volume. Haier acquired over 90% of Fisher & Paykel’s shares in 2012 without making changes to the company’s manufacturing or board of directors at the time of acquisition. Fisher & Paykel operates as an independent premium brand within the Haier Group portfolio, retaining its Auckland headquarters, its own design philosophy, and its distinctive New Zealand identity.
In the UK, Fisher & Paykel is positioned as a luxury appliance brand, sold through premium kitchen retailers, architect and designer specification channels, and the Fisher & Paykel UK website.
The origins of Fisher & Paykel: Auckland, 1934
Fisher & Paykel was founded in 1934 in Auckland, New Zealand, by Sir Woolf Fisher and Maurice Paykel. The company began as an importer of domestic refrigerators from established American manufacturers including Crosley, Maytag, and Pilot — a sensible starting point in a market that was beginning to develop consumer demand for modern appliances but did not yet have domestic manufacturing capability to meet it.
The shift to manufacturing began in 1938, when the First Labour Government of New Zealand introduced import tariffs designed to protect domestic industry and encourage local production. Fisher & Paykel responded by beginning to manufacture Kelvinator washing machines under licence, gaining engineering experience that would form the foundation of the company’s subsequent development as an independent manufacturer with its own technology and design capabilities.
In 1955, Fisher & Paykel acquired H. E. Shacklock Ltd, a Dunedin-based electric oven manufacturer that dominated the New Zealand domestic appliance market under the protection of government trade policies. The following year, a purpose-built factory was opened in Mount Wellington, Auckland, incorporating flexible manufacturing techniques developed in collaboration with raw material suppliers that allowed significantly increased production capacity. These foundational investments in manufacturing infrastructure and engineering capability created the platform from which Fisher & Paykel would develop its own innovations in subsequent decades.
Fisher & Paykel’s history: from Auckland importer to global luxury brand
1934: Sir Woolf Fisher and Maurice Paykel found the company in Auckland
Beginning as an importer of American domestic refrigerators, Fisher & Paykel establishes the commercial foundation that will eventually develop into one of the world’s most design-awarded appliance manufacturers. The founding philosophy of curiosity about how people live with products is present from the earliest days.
1938: Manufacturing begins under government tariff protection
Following the introduction of import tariffs by New Zealand’s First Labour Government, Fisher & Paykel begins manufacturing Kelvinator washing machines under licence. The move from importing to manufacturing is the pivotal transition in the company’s development, building the engineering competence that will drive future innovation.
1955: H. E. Shacklock acquired
Fisher & Paykel acquires Dunedin electric oven manufacturer H. E. Shacklock Ltd, which dominated the New Zealand domestic appliance market. The acquisition significantly expands the company’s product range and manufacturing capability.
1956: Purpose-built factory opens in Mount Wellington, Auckland
A major new manufacturing facility opens, incorporating flexible machinery manufacturing techniques developed with raw material suppliers that allow Fisher & Paykel to greatly increase production. The factory becomes the centre of the company’s engineering and manufacturing capability for subsequent decades.
1979: Fisher & Paykel publicly listed
The company publicly lists on the New Zealand stock exchange with authorised capital of NZ$40 million, providing the capital base to fund the international expansion and technology investment of the following decades.
1997: The DishDrawer dishwasher launches — a world first
Fisher & Paykel launches the DishDrawer, the world’s first drawer-style dishwasher. The innovative product replaces the conventional door-opening dishwasher with a drawer that slides out horizontally, making loading and unloading significantly more ergonomic and allowing two independent drawer dishwashers to be stacked and run separately. The first DishDrawer is purchased by Dawn Brockwell of Mosgiel, New Zealand. It becomes an immediate commercial success and the product most closely associated with the Fisher & Paykel brand globally.
2004–2006: US and Italian acquisitions
Fisher & Paykel acquires Dynamic Cooking Systems, a US-based cookware manufacturer, in 2004, and Italian cookware company Elba in 2006. The acquisitions expand the group’s cooking range and give it a presence in two important premium appliance markets.
2012: Haier acquires over 90% of Fisher & Paykel
Haier, the Chinese multinational and the world’s largest major appliance brand by retail volume, acquires over 90% of Fisher & Paykel’s shares. At the time of acquisition, no changes are made to manufacturing or the board of directors. Fisher & Paykel continues to operate as an independent premium brand within the Haier Group, retaining its Auckland headquarters and its own design philosophy and identity.
2015: iF Design Gold Award — first New Zealand project ever
Fisher & Paykel’s Social Kitchen Experience wins the iF Design Gold Award in Germany, the first time a New Zealand project has ever won the top prize at the prestigious iF Design Awards. The win cements Fisher & Paykel’s international standing as a design-led brand rather than simply a functional appliance manufacturer.
2017: 1.8 million DishDrawers manufactured
Twenty years after the DishDrawer’s 1997 launch, Fisher & Paykel marks the milestone of 1.8 million units manufactured. The product that started as a world-first curiosity has become a standard specification in premium kitchen design globally.
2020: Red Dot Design Awards for touchscreen ovens and column refrigeration
Fisher & Paykel receives the Red Dot Design Award for its new range of touchscreen ovens and its column refrigeration system, from a jury that evaluated over 6,500 entries worldwide. The awards reinforce the brand’s position at the intersection of engineering excellence and considered product design.
The DishDrawer: a world-first born from asking a better question
The DishDrawer is the product that best illustrates Fisher & Paykel’s design philosophy. The conventional dishwasher, a large box with a door that swings down and out, had existed in broadly the same form for decades by the time Fisher & Paykel’s designers began questioning whether it was actually the best solution to the problem of washing dishes.
The answer they arrived at was the drawer. A drawer slides out towards the user rather than swinging down, which means the contents are presented at a comfortable working height rather than requiring the user to bend down to reach the back of the machine. Two drawers stacked vertically can be run independently, allowing a small load in one drawer while a full load runs in the other — addressing the common household inefficiency of running a half-empty dishwasher because it is more convenient than waiting.
When the DishDrawer was first launched in 1997, its drawer configuration was a world first. The design was patented and has remained unique to Fisher & Paykel in the drawer-format category, making it one of the clearest examples in the domestic appliance industry of a manufacturer solving an ergonomic problem in a genuinely novel way rather than incrementally improving an existing solution.
By 2017, Fisher & Paykel had manufactured 1.8 million DishDrawer units. The product appears regularly in premium kitchen design publications and is a standard specification in high-end kitchen installations globally, including in the UK market where it has become well known among kitchen designers and architects.
Fisher & Paykel’s technology heritage
Fisher & Paykel Technologies, a subsidiary focused on motor and control development, represents one of the less visible but most significant aspects of the company’s engineering contribution to the appliance industry. With more than 30 years of experience in magnetic design, control development, and system integration, Fisher & Paykel Technologies was the first company in the world to develop direct drive motor technology for laundry applications — a development that has subsequently been adopted across the industry and is now a standard feature on premium washing machines from multiple manufacturers.
The subsidiary holds more than 40 motor technology patents and continues to develop electric drive solutions across a broad range of applications beyond domestic appliances, including commercial and industrial motor systems. This engineering heritage underpins the Smart Drive washing machine technology and the broader Fisher & Paykel commitment to appliances that are precisely engineered rather than simply styled.
What appliances does Fisher & Paykel make for the UK market?
DishDrawer dishwashers
Fisher & Paykel’s most distinctive and best-known product category in the UK. The DishDrawer range covers single and double drawer configurations in integrated and freestanding formats. The Double DishDrawer allows two independent wash cycles to run simultaneously at different settings, or one drawer to be run while the other is being loaded. The range is a regular specification in premium kitchen installations and has received Architizer A+ Awards recognition. No other major appliance manufacturer produces a direct competitor in the drawer dishwasher format.
Column refrigeration
Fisher & Paykel’s column refrigeration system allows separate, modular refrigerator and freezer columns to be installed individually and positioned anywhere in a kitchen design — side by side, across the kitchen, or integrated into a run of cabinetry. The Active Smart technology continuously monitors and adapts the internal environment of the refrigerator to maintain optimal conditions for food storage. The column refrigeration range received the Red Dot Design Award in 2020.
Cooking appliances
Fisher & Paykel’s cooking range covers built-in ovens, gas and induction cooktops, range cookers, and professional-style ranges. AeroTech oven technology manages air movement within the oven cavity to provide even heat distribution across all shelf positions, reducing the need to rotate dishes and enabling consistent results across a full load. The touchscreen oven range received the Red Dot Design Award in 2020 and represents Fisher & Paykel’s premium built-in cooking statement for the UK market.
Cooker hoods
Fisher & Paykel’s cooker hood range is designed to integrate with its cooking appliances, with ceiling-mounted, island, and built-in configurations available to suit different kitchen layouts. The range follows the brand’s design language of considered aesthetics and engineering precision, offering effective extraction in forms that contribute to rather than detract from the kitchen design.
Laundry appliances
Fisher & Paykel produces washing machines and dryers with Smart Drive technology, which uses direct drive motor technology to deliver precise drum control and quiet operation. The laundry range is sold in the UK as part of the premium appliance suite, designed for installation in considered utility spaces that match the quality and aesthetic of the broader Fisher & Paykel kitchen specification.
Fisher & Paykel and Haier: a premium brand within a global portfolio
Fisher & Paykel’s relationship with Haier, which has owned over 90% of the company since 2012, is a good illustration of how Haier manages its multi-brand portfolio. Unlike many acquisitions where a parent company absorbs and eventually subsumes the acquired brand, Haier has allowed Fisher & Paykel to continue operating with its own identity, headquarters, design philosophy, and market positioning.
Within the Haier Group, Fisher & Paykel occupies the ultra-premium tier, complementing GE Appliances at the premium end of the North American market, the Haier brand itself at the premium tier in Europe, and Hoover and Candy in mid-range and entry-level positions. The brand architecture allows Haier to address virtually every segment of the global appliance market from a single corporate structure while maintaining the distinct brand identities that consumers value in each segment.
For UK consumers, the practical significance is that Fisher & Paykel’s service and parts infrastructure operates within the broader Haier Europe organisation, which provides a stable long-term support base for a premium brand that was previously operating at a more limited scale as an independent New Zealand company. See our brand guides to Haier, Hoover, and Candy for more on the wider Haier Group portfolio.
Buying and servicing Fisher & Paykel appliances in the UK
Fisher & Paykel appliances are available through premium kitchen retailers, interior designers, architect specification channels, and directly through the Fisher & Paykel UK website at fisherpaykel.com/uk. The brand’s positioning means it is not widely stocked in mass-market electrical chains, with the primary purchase route being through kitchen design professionals or direct from Fisher & Paykel’s own channels.
For repairs, Fisher & Paykel operates an authorised assistance network in the UK. Independent national repair companies listed in our national service providers guide also service Fisher & Paykel appliances. Genuine Fisher & Paykel spare parts are available through our appliance spare parts section, and Fisher & Paykel error codes can be looked up in our appliance error codes guide.
Key facts about Fisher & Paykel
Year Sir Woolf Fisher and Maurice Paykel founded the company in Auckland, New Zealand
Year the world’s first DishDrawer dishwasher was launched — Fisher & Paykel’s most iconic invention
Patents held by Fisher & Paykel, including 40+ motor technology patents
Countries in which Fisher & Paykel operates globally under Haier Group ownership
Own a Fisher & Paykel appliance that needs attention?
Whether you need to look up a Fisher & Paykel error code, find a genuine spare part, or understand your repair options, Whitegoods Help has guidance across all major Fisher & Paykel appliance types.
Frequently asked questions about Fisher & Paykel home appliances
Who founded Fisher & Paykel and when?
Fisher & Paykel was founded in 1934 in Auckland, New Zealand, by Sir Woolf Fisher and Maurice Paykel. The company began as an importer of American domestic refrigerators and began manufacturing in 1938 following the introduction of New Zealand import tariffs. From these origins, the company grew into a global luxury appliance brand operating in 50 countries, now owned by Haier following its 2012 acquisition.
Who owns Fisher & Paykel?
Fisher & Paykel has been owned by Haier, the Chinese multinational and the world’s largest major appliance brand by retail volume, since 2012 when Haier acquired over 90% of the company’s shares. Fisher & Paykel continues to operate as an independent premium brand within the Haier Group, retaining its Auckland headquarters and its own design philosophy. Within the Haier portfolio, Fisher & Paykel sits at the ultra-premium tier.
What is the Fisher & Paykel DishDrawer?
The DishDrawer is Fisher & Paykel’s most famous product and a world first when launched in 1997. Unlike conventional dishwashers which have a hinged door that swings down, the DishDrawer slides out horizontally like a drawer, presenting the contents at a comfortable working height and improving ergonomics significantly. A double DishDrawer stacks two independent drawer dishwashers, each of which can be run on different programmes simultaneously or one at a time. By 2017, Fisher & Paykel had manufactured 1.8 million DishDrawer units. No major competitor has produced a direct equivalent in the drawer format.
Where is Fisher & Paykel manufactured?
Fisher & Paykel’s manufacturing operations are based in Thailand, China, Italy, and Mexico. The company previously had manufacturing in New Zealand for almost 70 years and in Australia for nearly 20 years, but both facilities were closed as the company determined it could no longer compete with lower-cost manufacturing locations. The Auckland headquarters continues to house the company’s design, engineering, and management functions.
What design awards has Fisher & Paykel won?
Fisher & Paykel has won multiple prestigious international design awards. Key accolades include the Red Dot Design Award 2020 for its touchscreen ovens and column refrigeration, the iF Design Gold Award in 2015 for the Social Kitchen Experience (the first time a New Zealand project had ever won the top iF Design prize), and Architizer A+ Awards for the Double DishDrawer in 2016 and 2018. The brand is a regular entrant in premium design competitions globally.
Where can I buy Fisher & Paykel appliances in the UK?
Fisher & Paykel appliances are available through premium kitchen retailers, interior designers, and architect specification channels, as well as directly through the Fisher & Paykel UK website at fisherpaykel.com/uk. The brand is not widely stocked in mainstream electrical chains, with kitchen design professionals and direct channels being the primary purchase routes in the UK.
Content disclaimer: The information on this page was researched and written in April 2026 and was accurate at the time of publication. Company ownership, product ranges, and award details are subject to change. Whitegoods Help recommends verifying all current details directly with Fisher & Paykel before making a purchase or booking a repair.
Sources: Fisher & Paykel Wikipedia entry (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher_%26_Paykel); Fisher & Paykel UK website (fisherpaykel.com/uk); Google Search results for Fisher & Paykel history and DishDrawer launch, April 2026. All sources accessed April 2026.
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