WHat can my Euro friends tell me about Schulthess? Are they related to Bosch? The Eco model looks like it shares some DNA but the others are beautiful square set control panel that could look vaguely retro and an unusual door.
Schulthess is a commercial brand of washers in Europe, with a domestic segment as well in Switzerland. In fact the launderette down the road from me has avocado green Schulthesses from the early 70s. Very very good machines! They offer low water level prewash and mainwash, then 3 rinses which fill 3/4 up the window! What's more, instead of draining all the water before the spin while tumbling, the tub zooms straigt up to 450rpm and spin drains the water out of the tub, creating a nice big vortex at the window!! You would think this would create heaps of suds, but actually they are very very good at rinsing. The final spin is of a similar affair, however instead of slowing down into the next rinse after a 30 sec spin of an (empty of water) drum, the tub speeds up to 750rpm - probably the fasted spinning bolt-downs available!
I think they are related to Bosch in some way or the other (probably in the BSH group), but they're still independent enough to have their own unique features, and their own styles of cycle. And the rounded-square door is just beautiful :-).