A portable dishwasher is one of my favorite appliances. It is so convenient, saves a ton of money, and is a fraction of the price of a built-in dishwasher.
However, sometimes a portable dishwasher faucet adapter doesn’t fit. It can be frustrating to buy a new dishwasher and see that you can’t use it right away or move to a new place where your faucet adapter isn’t compatible with the new kitchen sink.
Let’s see why this happens and what your options are for solving this problem.
What Is a Portable Dishwasher?
A portable dishwasher is a perfect choice of appliance for anyone who moves a lot, doesn’t have enough space in the kitchen, or lives in an RV. It is a dishwasher with wheels that you can connect to a faucet and run at your own convenience.
You don’t have to change your plumbing or deal with complicated reorganizing of kitchen elements when owning a portable dishwasher. You just connect it to a hot water source when you need to clean dishes and store it away when you don’t need it anymore.
Can You Hook Up a Portable Dishwasher to Any Faucet?
The short answer is no, you cannot hook up a portable dishwasher to any faucet. Most portable dishwashers come with an adapter that fits most faucet types, but some faucets are just not compatible.
This doesn’t mean that you have to return your dishwasher or buy another one. It just means that you will need to make some adjustments to your faucet in order to use the portable dishwasher.
Why Doesn’t My Portable Dishwasher Faucet Adapter Fit?
In case your portable dishwasher adapter doesn’t fit your sink faucet, don’t worry, there are ways to fix this issue. Let’s talk about the reasons this may be happening.
1. Your Sink Has An Aerator
One of the possible reasons the faucet adapter of your portable dishwasher won’t fit is if your sink has an aerator.
An aerator is part of a sink that is attached to the faucet. It is designed to minimize the water splashing around and to mix the oxygen with the water, making it tastier. Another advantage of a faucet aerator is that it controls how much water comes out, lowering your water bills.
Aerators sit at the top of the faucet, changing their natural shape. If your portable washer faucet adapter is not compatible with your faucet, try detaching the aerator first. It may be that the adapter is designed to fit a tap without an aerator.
If the aerator on your faucet is non-detachable, you will need to try some of the other options listed below.
2. The Faucet Adapter Is the Wrong Size
There is a chance that the faucet adapter you got with your portable dishwasher is not the appropriate size for your faucet. It may not fit because it is either bigger or smaller.
It is easy to recognize this problem. Try to connect the adapter to the faucet and if it can’t fit it is too small; if it goes around the tip of the tap, the adapter is too big for your faucet.
3. The Adapter Has an Incompatible Thread Type With Your Faucet
Faucets have different thread types. The thread can be either male or female. If your faucet has threads on the inside, it is considered a female type. If the faucet threads are on the outside, your faucet is male.
You will need a female adapter for a male faucet and vice-versa. Otherwise, your adapter won’t be able to fit your tap.
4. You Have a Pull-Down Faucet
A pull-down faucet is a faucet that you can pull down, as the name says. It is convenient for washing dishes and the sink, but it is usually not compatible with dishwasher adapters.
In case you have a pull-down faucet hose, there is a chance that you can detach the pull-down extension and use the tap to connect to the portable dishwasher.
5. Your Sink Is Non-Traditional
If you’ve checked the previous possible issues and none of them are true for your case, it may just be that you have a non-traditional sink. It may have been imported from another country, specifically designed for you, bought a long time ago, or it’s just not a standard size.
In this case, sadly, most standard faucet adapters won’t work for you.
What To Do If Portable Dishwasher Faucet Adapter Doesn’t Fit?
Not being able to use your portable dishwasher because it won’t connect to the faucet adapter is annoying. However, it is not the end of the world. There are things that you can do to fix this issue. Let’s talk about them.
1. Check If There Are Multiple Adapters
Some portable washers conveniently come with multiple adapters to fit different faucet types. Make sure to check the box and see if there are any parts of the dishwasher you might have missed.
If you indeed find a compatible adapter, you can sell the rest of them since you won’t be needing them. In case you move a lot, save them for another apartment as it is likely the next one won’t have the same faucet.
2. Buy a New Portable Dishwasher Adapter
If there is no way that your dishwasher adapter connects to your faucet, you will need to purchase a new adapter. These are typically not expensive. However, the challenge can be finding out what is the exact type that you need.
- Figure Out the Correct Adapter Type Yourself
If you like a challenge and you want to figure out what type of adapter you need yourself, you will need a measuring tape.
First, determine if your kitchen faucet is male or female. Next, measure the diameter of your faucet after detaching the aerator. Once you have a number, find the adapter of the same measurements.
Remember that you need a male adapter for the female faucet and a female adapter for the male faucet.
While you can find out which type of adapter you need by yourself, we recommend that you contact professionals, at least to double-check your findings. It would be even more frustrating if you ordered a new adapter and it didn’t fit either.
- Contact Manufacturer
If none of the advice above worked for your specific case, you will need to contact the manufacturer of your portable dishwasher. You can do this either through the manufacturer’s website or by calling customer support.
When you reach out to one of the company’s representatives, make sure to give as many details about your situation as you can. Be descriptive, but also send pictures if possible. Customer support should be able to give you information about which adapter you need.
In some cases, the manufacturer may be able to send you a replacement adapter if you still have a warranty. This is not guaranteed, but it is worth trying. You can save some money if you manage to convince them to do this.
- Contact a Plumber
Another option you have is to contact a local plumber or go to a nearby store that sells plumbing supplies. If your manufacturer doesn’t know what type of adapter you need, a plumber definitely will.
Make sure that you reach out to a reliable and well-reviewed handyman. Remember that you shouldn’t pay if a person you contacted can’t give you factual and useful information.
3. Buy a New Faucet
If nothing else works, you may need to buy a new faucet, especially if the reason you can’t find a fitting adapter is a unique sink.
This may be a slightly more expensive option, but it will be worth it if you are planning to live in the current place for a long time.
When buying a new faucet, make sure that it is compatible with the adapter you already have.
4. Return a Portable Dishwasher
Returning a portable dishwasher you bought is the last resort. However, if you don’t have any other options, it’s much better to return the machine and get your money back than to have it sitting around without any use for it.
Another option is to replace the dishwasher. Go to the store where you bought it and ask for store credits. In the meantime, research which model of the portable dishwasher would fit your sink faucet, and then buy that one.
This option is highly unlikely though. If you try the options we gave you in this article, you will likely solve your problem easily and fast.
Conclusion
It’s a hassle buying a new appliance only to find out that your portable dishwasher adapter doesn’t fit your faucet. Luckily, you have tons of options and ways to fix this issue.
Some of the reasons your adapter isn’t compatible with your faucet are the aerator that stands in the way, the wrong adapter size, the wrong thread type, a pull-down faucet, or a unique sink that doesn’t match the standard adapter types.
You can find out what type of adapter you need and buy a new one, or you can buy a new faucet. In the unlikely scenario that none of these options are possible, you can return or replace your portable dishwasher.
We hope this helped you solve the problem! If something is unclear or you have any questions, please send them our way!