We live in an old farm house with a kitchen that was not built for dishwashers and limited cupboards. We are wanting a dishwasher, but don't have room for a permanent, but we don't like the idea of hooking up to the kitchen sink every time to do dishes either. We have a place for a dishwasher, but it would not be surrounded by cupboards so we were wanting the portable for the look; butcher block top and finished sides. My question is; can a portable dishwasher be hooked up to a permanent water source. I was thinking that if it could I could run the water source and drain hose through the floor. I know it sounds weird, but if the dishwasher can handle the permanent connections I think it would work. Thanks in advance for your help.

Sure, you can hook the dishwasher up to the hot water up to your portable on a permanent basis. However you MUST have a high loop or a counter top air gap installed on the drain hose. How will you be draining your washer? Back to you, Tom

Well, without given it much thought I was thinking about running the drain hose to the basement floor drain which is the same spot my clothes washer and basement sink drain to. Bad idea? I'm not sure what the air gap consists of.

Well, without given it much thought I was thinking about running the drain hose to the basement floor drain which is the same spot my clothes washer and basement sink drain to. Bad idea? I'm not sure what the air gap consists of.
Ya can't simply drop the hose down to the floor drain. If you do you the dishwasher won't fill but will let all the water drain out. I guess you could install a hose check valve but you would have to terminate the hose a inch or so above the drain to make it a indirect waste. A better idea would be a high loop,(see image) rather then a counter top air gap,(see image) the reason being that the loop or air gap will prevent backflow from the sink into your washer. Good luck, Tom

You said that you have a space for a dishwasher but it woud not be surrounded by cabinet. Have you considered building an enclosure or cabinet for it? Two sides and a back out of say birch plywood (depending on the style of cabinets you have) with your butcher block top and you have a free standing cabinet. You may have to work out drain considerations depending how far you are from the sink drain.