"High tech looks put new spin on Laundry"


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Thread Number: 31353
"High tech looks put new spin on Laundry"

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Post# 473345 11/4/2010 at 07:12 (4,915 days old) by washernoob ()
Checkrate/Likes Saw this article on yahoo.com- discuss* :) finance.yahoo.com/real-estate/art... _______________________________________________ Sleek, High-Tech Machines Rolling Out The lowly washer and dryer—for years condemned to toil in the basement—are increasingly becoming the showpiece of the first-floor laundry room. So more appliance makers are gearing them toward high-end, tech-savvy consumers. Taking cues from the technology and fashion industries, appliance manufacturers are developing laundry machines with more specialized settings and chic-sounding finishes, such as blackberry and lemongrass. Some can even tell consumers when something goes wrong. "As people have thought about their living space differently and found ways to make daily chores easier and quicker, the machine has migrated up to the living area," says Betsy Owens, vice president of Sears Holdings Corp.'s Kenmore brand. "People think of it almost like a piece of furniture. It needs to fit in with the style of the home and reflect the personality of the owner." Whirlpool Corp. (NYSE: WHR - News) in August launched its top-load Vantage washers and dryers, priced at $4,000 for the pair—the most expensive in its line. The machines have 33 different settings for clothing and other items, such as blankets and shower curtains. Settings are made using an LCD touch-screen similar to one found on a smartphone. The company says it is also introducing other models at lower prices. Appliance makers are also coming out with new technologies that they say will do a better cleaning job. BSH Home Appliances Corp.'s Bosch Vision washing machine, priced at $999 to $1,549, has a stain-removal button as well as paddles that saturate clothing with water to evenly distribute detergent, the company says. Sears and LG Electronics Inc. are launching machines that vary cleaning motions, such as scrubbing, swinging, tumbling and rolling, to get clothes cleaner. LG's new front-load steam washer with the technology is priced from $1,399 to $1,799, while Sears's Kenmore Elite steam washer with different washing motions, slated for release in December, is priced at $1,499 to $1,599. One appliance maker has added a feature that allows consumers to do small loads of laundry overnight and have them ready by morning. General Electric Co.'s new Profile Steam Washer, priced at $1,399 to $1,499, has a cycle that can wash clothes and remove so much moisture from them that they are ready to wear without putting in the dryer. New products come amid tough times for the industry. The world's two biggest home-appliance makers, Whirlpool and Electrolux AB, posted declines in third-quarter earnings and pointed to lower sales in Europe and North America. Still, new laundry appliances reflect how companies are "making significant capital investments for the long term," says Michael Deneen, senior industry analyst at Freedonia Group in Cleveland. "They're getting themselves ready with new products to take advantage when things pick up." Such recovery may not come anytime soon. "As the economy continues to sputter, sales of appliances have declined, and the fourth quarter will be an especially critical time period to watch," says Mark Delaney of NPD Group, a research firm in Port Washington, N.Y. Write to Anjali Athavaley at anjali.athavaley@wsj.com

Post# 473353 , Reply# 1 11/4/2010 at 10:06 (4,915 days old) by Pulsator (Saint Joseph, MI)
Checkrate/Likes I saw the Vantage set at Best Buy recently when I was home visiting for the weekend. I have to say, they are pretty! They are also smaller in person than they seem in the pics. The dryer seems very small inside... Also, it took me several minutes to figure out how to start the damn things! (They were plugged in! I've never been to an appliance store in Michigan where they plug the things in!) The touch screen is very cool but, they really should try to make it easier to start the things! The lid on the washer was awesome, only had to lift it about 2 inches then some hydraulics lifted it the rest of the way just like the trunk of a car. Closing it though took some effort.

Post# 473381 , Reply# 2 11/4/2010 at 14:34 (4,915 days old) by ronhic (Canberra, Australia)
Checkrate/Likes *Also, it took me several minutes to figure out how to start* ...isn't that why we get manuals with a purchase?

Post# 473388 , Reply# 3 11/4/2010 at 14:58 (4,915 days old) by mrb627 (Buford, GA)
Checkrate/Likes *Lids* I know. I expected to see a close button on the underside edge of the lid so it would close itself like the liftgate on my Lexus SUV. LOL Malcolm

Post# 473541 , Reply# 4 11/5/2010 at 14:50 (4,914 days old) by Hunter (Colorado)
Checkrate/Likes *33 different settings* I wonder what each of them do?

Post# 473729 , Reply# 5 11/6/2010 at 18:17 (4,913 days old) by washernoob ()
Checkrate/Likes Yep, when Greg had his vacuum mini meet in september, we all went to Nebraska Furniture mart. It seems that this set was the highlight of the trip. Everyone was messing with it. Robert wanted to see its spin speed. Went through an entire cycle, but it never did go fast! Still kind of a neat machine.

Post# 473735 , Reply# 6 11/6/2010 at 20:07 (4,913 days old) by supremewhirlpol ()
Checkrate/Likes "Robert wanted to see its spin speed. Went through an entire cycle, but it never did go fast!" That's probably because it has so many sensors on it that its harder to "fool" unlike the more primitive machines.

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