Forno Polo FDWBI8041-18S Dishwasher Review

The Forno Polo earns its place by fitting where a 24-inch machine cannot, and by carrying the equipment a compact built-in is expected to carry.

It fits a narrow, shallow cabinet.

At 17.7 inches wide, 22.6 inches deep and 32.5 inches high, the Forno Polo slides into a slim slot. It is shallower than a standard 24-inch dishwasher, so it also suits cabinets that are tight front to back, not just side to side.

A stainless tub with practical racks

The tub and door liner are stainless steel, and the racks are nylon-coated steel. The lower rack has fold-down tines for pots, the upper rack adjusts for taller items, stemware holders keep glasses upright, and the silverware basket lifts out and sits in either rack.

Six programs and the options that matter

Heavy, Normal, ECO, Glass, Rapid and Rinse cover the everyday jobs. On top of them you get High Temp Wash, Heated Dry, Sanitize, a 24-hour delay start and a child lock.

52 dBA in an open kitchen

At 52 dBA the machine will not dominate conversation in an open-plan room. It is a background hum, not a whisper.

Sensors that earn their keep

A soil sensor adjusts the wash to how dirty the load is, and a leak sensor watches for water where it should not be. On a compact unit tucked under a counter, that second one is worth having.

Efficiency figures

The Forno Polo is ENERGY STAR certified at 240 kWh per year and 3.2 gallons per cycle, compared with federal standards of 307 kWh and 5.0 gallons. That is about 22% and 36% better respectively.

The cycle chart, in plain numbers

Water use and run time per program are the most useful figures for planning a routine.

Warranty and indicators

The warranty runs 2 years, limited, covering parts and labor. The display shows remaining time, and indicator lights cover rinse aid, cycle end and a water-supply warning, which takes the guesswork out of a compact machine.

The limits of the Forno Polo are the limits of a compact machine, plus a few that come from how it is built and installed.

Eight place settings is the floor of the class

Eight settings across two racks is fine for a small household. A household of four cooking most nights will run it every day, sometimes twice.

No third rack

There are two racks and no dedicated cutlery drawer, so the silverware basket takes up rack space.

Drying is the basic version

Drying is heated dry with rinse aid, not a fan-assisted or zeolite system. The rinse-aid indicator points the same way.

It needs hot water at the tap

The supply has to be 120 to 131°F. This is not a cold-fill machine.

Hardwired, with no cord in the box

There is no power cord and no plug. The unit must therefore be hardwired.

Clearance and drain reach

The door needs 44.6 inches of clearance when open 90 degrees, and the drain hose reaches 9.8 feet, so the buyer must plan the space in front of the unit and the distance to the drain.

No smart features, no interior light

There is no Wi-Fi, no app control and no interior light. The Sanitize option runs at 156°F, which is not the same claim as an NSF-certified sanitize cycle.

Eleven inches of lower-rack height

With the tines folded and the upper rack adjusted, the lower rack tops out at 11 inches. Tall stockpots and stemmed glasses need planning.

A thin track record

This is a low-volume model with a small body of owner reviews in the US.

The figures a buyer actually checks are the ones that decide whether the machine fits, what it holds and what the install asks of the buyer.

Fit

The cutout is the number to measure first: 17.7 inches wide, 23 inches deep and 32.5 inches high. The base does not adjust, so the height is fixed at 32.5 inches and the cutout needs 32.5 inches of height.

Capacity

Eight place settings across two racks means plates, bowls, glasses and a basket of cutlery in one load. It is a load for a small kitchen, not for a dinner party.

Power and water

The machine runs on 120 V and needs a hot supply at 120 to 131°F. It is hardwired, so the connection is a junction box, not an outlet.

Efficiency

The machine's energy use is rated at 240 kWh per year.

Finish

The finish is stainless steel, with a front control panel and a recessed handle, so the front sits flush with the cabinet line.

The cutout, the hot-water supply, the electrical connection and the clearances decide whether this is a weekend job or a contractor job.

• The cutout: 17.7 inches wide, 23 inches deep and 32.5 inches high.
• The hot-water supply: 120 to 131°F at the tap, not a cold line.
• The clearances: 44.6 inches of door swing and a drain hose that reaches 9.8 feet to the sink.