Fisher & Paykel Home Appliances
Fisher & Paykel is a New Zealand luxury home appliance brand founded in 1934 in Auckland by Sir Woolf Fisher and Maurice Paykel. It has been owned by Haier, the world’s largest major appliance company, since 2012, and operates as an independent premium brand across 50 countries. The brand is best known for the DishDrawer – the world’s first drawer-style dishwasher, launched in 1997.
This page provides an independent overview of the Fisher & Paykel home appliance brand for UK consumers. All information was accurate at the time of writing. Sources are listed at the foot of this page.
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. It 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 manufacturing or the 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, it is positioned as a luxury appliance brand, sold through premium kitchen retailers, architect and designer specification channels, and the Fisher & Paykel UK website at fisherpaykel.com/uk.
How did Fisher & Paykel begin in Auckland in 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.
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.
What is the full history of Fisher & Paykel?
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.
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. 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.
2004 to 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.
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.
What makes the DishDrawer a world-first design?
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. By 2017, Fisher & Paykel had manufactured 1.8 million DishDrawer units, and the product appears regularly in premium kitchen design publications across the UK and globally.
What is Fisher & Paykel’s engineering and motor 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. 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.
Direct drive motors connect straight to the drum rather than driving it via a belt. That means fewer moving parts, quieter running, longer service life, and finer drum control. Fisher & Paykel pioneered the approach in laundry; you now see variants of it across LG, Samsung, and other premium washing machine brands.
What appliances does Fisher & Paykel make for the UK market?
Fisher & Paykel’s most distinctive and best-known product category in the UK. The 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. No other major appliance manufacturer produces a direct competitor in the drawer dishwasher format.
Separate, modular refrigerator and freezer columns can 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 to maintain optimal conditions for food storage. The range received the Red Dot Design Award in 2020.
The 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. The touchscreen oven range received the Red Dot Design Award in 2020.
Designed to integrate with Fisher & Paykel 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.
Washing machines and dryers with Smart Drive technology, using 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 broader Fisher & Paykel kitchen specification.
Looking up an issue on your Fisher & Paykel appliance?
If your Fisher & Paykel washer, dishwasher or oven is showing a fault code, find the meaning in our error code library, locate genuine spare parts, or check whether the fault is worth repairing.
How does Fisher & Paykel fit within the Haier Group?
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 home appliances, Hoover home appliances, and Candy home appliances for more on the wider Haier Group portfolio.
Where can you buy and service 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. 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 also service Fisher & Paykel appliances – see our guide to booking an appliance repair for the options available.
Genuine Fisher & Paykel spare parts are available through our appliance spare parts section, and fault codes can be looked up in our appliance error codes guide.
If your Fisher & Paykel appliance is within the manufacturer’s guarantee period, contact Fisher & Paykel directly – repairs under guarantee are carried out at no charge. For your statutory rights when an appliance develops a fault, see our guide to the Consumer Rights Act and faulty appliances.
Premium appliances such as Fisher & Paykel use specific electronic controls, proprietary motor systems, and refrigerant circuits that should only be worked on by trained engineers. Disconnect from the mains before any inspection, and never attempt work on gas connections or sealed refrigeration systems. If in any doubt, book a qualified engineer.
Fisher & Paykel in numbers
Year Sir Woolf Fisher and Maurice Paykel founded the company in Auckland, New Zealand
Year the world’s first DishDrawer dishwasher was launched
Patents held by Fisher & Paykel, including 40+ motor technology patents
Countries in which Fisher & Paykel operates globally under Haier Group ownership
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 alongside Hoover and Candy at other tiers.
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. 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, and 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.
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.
How do I get a Fisher & Paykel appliance repaired in the UK?
If the appliance is within the manufacturer’s guarantee, contact Fisher & Paykel directly. Out of guarantee, you can use Fisher & Paykel’s authorised assistance network or an independent appliance repair company. See our guide to booking an appliance repair for the options available, and repair or replace if you are weighing up whether a fix is worthwhile.
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 include the Fisher & Paykel Wikipedia entry (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher_%26_Paykel), the Fisher & Paykel UK website (fisherpaykel.com/uk), and public search results for Fisher & Paykel history and DishDrawer launch (April 2026). All sources accessed April 2026.
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