I work in a store that's half appliances and half grills - mostly Weber and Napoleon with a few other brands

I had a customer today who spent almost 1,800 Euros on some Napoleon grill. We don't even offer a washer that expensive and if we did, no one would pay that amount of money.

It's crazy to me how much money customers spend on these grills that are realistically used for maybe only 1/4 of the year. Similarly, people are willing to spend a little more on ovens. I guess it's because they actually want to BBQ and eat. It's an enjoyable thing to do. Fancy coffee machines or food processors would also fall in that category.

But washers and dryers? Eww, yuck. That's a chore they want nothing to do with. So they gravitate towards the cheapest white box they can find that'll spin their clothes in a circle, while having great energy efficiency... because, well, energy needs to be saved. Never mind that gasoline is crazy expensive; people are still speeding down the highway like lunatics. But washing laundry, yeah, that's where the big savings are at. 🙄

Now, some customers will say that their old machine lasted 20 or 30 years. But it is generally accepted that their new purchase won't last as long. Maybe I should do an experiment and tell them to purchase a commercial machine for upwards of 2,000 Euros, which might last them that long again. But really, no one would do that. The vast, vast majority of people rather junk a cheap machine every so often that to make an investment in high quality. 🤷🏻‍♂️

To add to what Louis said about margins: well, by selling that one grill, I have probably generated more revenue than by selling ten washers. While a grill might have a margin of around 30% or more, appliances are usually around 5 to 10 % (if that).

1. Can an over engineered washer (or any appliance) be made? Yes. It's been done before.
Should they be made? The number crunchers and those who are looking out for the long-term survival of our society are saying NO we won't be doing that.

2. Traditional top load washers and even wash plate washers are:

A. harsher on clothing 

B. use much more water

C. use more detergent

D. use more electricity

E. do not clean as well

3. It is one thing to like the appliances and furnishing we grew up with in ...what ever decade it was.  To have pictures or furnishings as memorabilia; not a problem. 

However to want to actually incorporate things that were a bad idea or were hurting society in our lives on a daily basis is very stupid.

For example: we may like some of the products that were made of asbestos but to ACTUALLY pine for products anew made from asbestos is really, really dumb considering how much of a health risk it is.

4. About a 1/3 of the U.S. is affected by drought.  REAL TIME people.  And that number seems to be growing each year.  And that is just here in the U.S.

Other countries, especially those that are developing and adopting things like washing machines would be absolutely foolish to try and do a top load machine given the water situations affecting such countries.

It is totally irresponsible for any of us, if we care about society and our own lives, to try and encourage wasting water and resources on a bad product like a traditional top load washer.

Anything that can be done to get as many water wasting appliances and habits REMOVED from society makes us a better society.  That should be obvious.

Anything we can do to save water resources from not watering lawns unnecessarily, not wasting water on excess showering or shower heads that waste water, not having toilets that waste water, and of course not doing laundry in a topload machine is crucial.

Time to grow up. 

Put your washer fetish into perspective. 

Like the machines you like but certainly don't use the water wasting ones or encourage others to do it.

I don't know who made that first video but it's got a limited audience as most people will not care or understand the points.

Literally, yesterday I stopped at an older laundromat as I sometimes do, to check out the retro vibe.  They had traditional toploaders but the majority of machines were front loaders.  On the lids of the topload machines were signs stating to the affect of "because of the drought the topload machines have been turned off.  Please use the front loader washers"

(I wish I had my camera with me to get photos of the laundromat and the sign.  Maybe this week I will stop back for that.)

That's serious and that's taking responsibility.

Personally- I grew up with top loaders.  My parents first washer was a mid 60s frigidaire, then we got a 1976 Whirlpool belt drive sudsaver washer, then a 1985 GE FF TOL Spotscrubber washer, then I got Whirlpool made Direct drive models and a 1991 GE Filter flo washer.

And of course the 100+ other such top loaders I collected at various points in my life.

Do I have fond memories?  Yeah.

Would I ever do laundry in a top loader again?  NO. 

Would I collect the machines to look at as furniture, as people do with many other items?  Yes.

I first tried a friends front load Whirlpool Duet in 2007 and was sold.  So much better.

Many people these days have budget constraints.  

Front loaders are not a new thing any longer and can be readily found listed in the same places you'd find other appliances and at reasonable prices.

A front loader will probably be easier to reach for people who are wheel chair bound.

Regardless of what type model you choose, it might be a good idea to shop and buy a back-up ahead of time so you're not under stress when shopping.