Laundry
Washers, Dryers and Laundry Rooms
Clotheslines Bring Back Pleasant Memories
I’m not old enough to remember the time when a clothesline was the most common way to dry the week’s washing, and I don’t plan to give up the convenience of my washer and dryer, but I do use a rack outside on my deck to dry delicate clothes. Preserving energy (and fragile fabrics) is one reason [...]
Previous Stories
- More Consumers Choosing Energy Efficiency
September 20th, 2008The cost of running a household has always been the biggest part of most family budgets. As utility costs have risen, that cost keeps going up too. One way to decrease monthly utility bills is to use less water and energy on daily household tasks. More and more consumers are replacing their old, top-loading washers [...]
- Washing Machine Care From Whirlpool
September 18th, 2008Last year at this time, Whirlpool introduced Affresh, the tablet that cleans the inside of high efficiency washers, helping to reduce the musty smell that some washers get. Now, Whirlpool introduces the Affresh washer cleaning kit. The kit includes Power Puck tablets and Grit Grabber cloths to more effectively remove and prevent odor-causing residue than [...]
- College Laundry Basics
September 8th, 2008For those lucky kids whose clean clothes and sheets magically appeared in their rooms all these years, the first week away at college will be a shock. About this time next week they will awake to the fact that Mom is no longer doing the laundry. When they call in a panic, you can refer [...]
- Electrolux to Give Portion of Profits to Cancer Research
September 3rd, 2008September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and to help raise awareness, Electrolux, leading is teaming up with Kelly Ripa to launch its premium laundry collection in North America. At the centerpiece of the new collection is a front-loading washer and dryer in “Turquoise Sky,” inspired by the brightly-hued ribbon that is the nationally recognized [...]
- Miele Earns Robb Report “Best of Best” for Washer
August 28th, 2008German appliance manufacturer Miele reports that their super large capacity Honeycomb Care™ laundry system has been awarded the top honor in the Robb Report’s “Best of the Best” issue featuring the “Best” products for affluent lifestyles.
The Robb Report “Best of the Best” issue is currently in its 20th year of compiling the finest examples of technology, [...] - Win a New GE Profile Washer/Dryer Pair
August 20th, 2008Visit Times Square on August 26th for a free demonstration of GE’s newest washer/dryer pair. Between 8 a.m. ET and 4 p.m. ET, be sure to enter this event’s sweepstakes for a chance to win your own GE Profile frontload laundry pair with a SmartDispense pedestal and dryer storage pedestal.
The Washer:
Uses H2ition to sense the right [...] - Laundry Tips From Whirlpool
July 28th, 2008If you want good advice, go to the experts. I know I’m not alone in my opinion that laundry takes up way too much of my time. Whirlpool, a leading manufacturer of washers and dryers offers their advice on getting your clothes clean with the least amount of hassle.
As your laundry accumulates, [...]
- Save Energy and Save Money or Not?
July 25th, 2008Energy costs are going up and we’re surrounded by warnings of global warming. What’s a conscien-tious consumer to do? Buy an energy efficient appliance of course.
From washing machines that use steam instead of hot water, to refrigerators that use low-energy compressors, to low-power computer screens, electronics companies are furiously developing energy-efficient products and heavily promoting [...] - Samsung Sivercare Washer and Dryer Vibration Reduction
July 16th, 2008One of the reasons to love front loading washers, is the potential for them to run quietly. Nevertheless, the Bosch washer currently in our test lab often sounds like a jet taking off. Manufacturers are working on the technology to make them quieter. Here’s a video from Samsung on how they [...]
- Will GE’s Appliances Suffer Under a New Owner?
June 23rd, 2008By now, GE’s upcoming sale of their popular appliance division is common knowledge and many people are wondering what will become of one of the most popular brands in the US when it is sold. GE appliances rank highly with sources such as Consumer Reports. When news that GE was considering a sale of the [...]
- Tips for Saving Money and Energy Around the House
June 17th, 2008Looking for ways to save money? Look no further than your kitchen. The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) offers these simple energy savings tips to consumers looking for ways to cut energy bills this summer.
The energy consumed by home appliances has dropped sharply since 2000.
Refrigerators, dishwashers and clothes washers combined account for a 43% [...] - GE CEO cites five potential bidders for appliances
June 12th, 2008General Electric Co Chief Executive Jeff Immelt on Wednesday named five non-U.S. appliance manufacturers, including China’s Haier, South Korea’s LG Electronics, Sweden’s Electrolux, Mexico’s Controladora Mabe and Turkey’s Arcelik, as potential bidders for the company’s century-old appliances business.
The chief of the second-largest U.S. company by market capitalization said it was “obvious” who would be interested [...] - How to Save Money Buying a New Appliance
May 22nd, 2008Buying a new appliance is expensive and everyone wants to get a good value for their money. Sometimes getting less can be more. According to Consumer Reports, some of the extra features offered on new washers and dishwashers are not needed and just add unnecessarily to the final cost.
Take new dishwasher cycles with names like “turbo [...] - Is it Time to Replace Your Old Appliances?
May 21st, 2008If you’ve been thinking about whether it is time to replace your aging appliances, or if you are wondering whether you could be saving the big bucks in energy costs if you had an all new suite of kitchen appliances, Alina Tugend at the New York Times has some thoughts to share.
One of the first [...] - Basic Appliance Care and Safety
May 14th, 2008If you are lucky, you rarely need to pay much attention to the appliances that run, some of them 24 hours a day, in your home. But to keep everything trouble free, it’s good to follow some basic guidelines for care and safety when using or installing appliances in your home. Handymanclub.com offers some [...]
- Kelly Ripa helps bring Electrolux Kitchen Appliances to America
May 9th, 2008Electrolux, known mostly for vacuums in the US is known in Europe for its premium appliances. This spring they are trying to make a splash here in the US with Kelly Ripa.
- Sears Brings Samsung Refrigeration Line To Its Stores
May 7th, 2008Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Samsung Electronics, have announced the addition of Samsung refrigerators to Sears line-up of leading appliance brands. Beginning in March 2008, Samsung side-by-side refrigerators are available at Sears stores nationwide. Samsung front-loading washers and dryers have been available at Sears since November 2007.
Sears will carry Samsung’s Twin Cooling side-by-side [...] - Fisher & Paykel is Moving to Mexico
May 2nd, 2008Fisher & Paykel, the New Zealand appliance manufacturer well known for it’s dishwasher drawers and washing machines is consolidating it’s manufacturing and moving to Reynosa, Mexico, just south of the U.S. border.
The range and DishDrawer factory in Dunedin, New Zealand, the refrigeration plant in Brisbane, Australia and the DCS manufacturing plant in Huntington Beach will [...] - Recall: General Electric Gas Dryers Due to Shock Hazard
May 1st, 2008Name of Product: GE Gas Clothes Dryers
Units: About 2,100
Manufacturer: GE Consumer & Industrial, of Louisville, Ky.
Hazard: A short circuit in the dryer’s wiring poses a shock hazard to consumers with ungrounded dryers.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported.
Description: The recalled gas dryers are 42 inches tall (back with backsplash) and 27 inches wide, and were sold in white. GE [...] - Staber’s New Electric Clothes Drying Cabinet
May 1st, 2008Staber, an American manufacturer and online retailer of washers and dryers offers a new clothes drying cabinet as an addition to your laundry room equipment. Although drying cabinets have been used in Europe for years, many Americans are not familiar with them. They are in a simple form a box in which clothes [...]
- How to Pick an Energy Efficient Appliance
April 9th, 2008If you are confused by the different claims of energy efficiency by appliance manufacturers, JamesDulley of the Detroit Free Press has some helpful advice.
Depending upon the type of product and the fuel it uses, efficiency ratings can mean different things. Also, some manufacturers and/or salespeople play fast and loose with the accuracy of efficiency claims.
A [...] - Appliance Design Magazine’s Excellence in Design Winners Announced
April 8th, 2008Appliance Design magazine has announced the winners of its 21st Annual Excellence in Design competition.
Entrants were evaluated by an independent panel of three experts in the field of design. The products were judged by four criteria: aesthetics, human factors, innovation, and technical merits.
Products were entered into one of several categories. The winning entries, listed by [...] - Whirlpool Earns Third Energy Star Award
April 5th, 2008Whirlpool Corp. has been recognized with its third consecutive ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence award. Provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the award honors Whirlpool Corp.’s contribution to providing innovative efficient products that help consumers reduce utility bills and greenhouse gas emissions.
Whirlpool will accept the award at [...] - LG Electronics Upgrades Laundry Palette With New Colors
April 1st, 2008Delivering on its promise of bringing stylish design into all of its home appliance products, LG Electronics, announced the addition of two new designer finishes -Bahama Blue and Emerald Green - bringing its front-load laundry palette to eight colors. The new models incorporate feature-rich packages at an array of price points to suit a variety [...]
- Inside a Washing Machine
March 28th, 2008We don’t often consider how our household appliances work, we tend to take them for granted. But when I stop to think about all they do, I wonder about the mechanics of it all. The site howstuffworks.com is so much fun. It has a wonderful way of explaining how our everyday world works. Below is an excerpt from the [...]
- Appliance Maintenance Tips and Lifespan Estimates
March 27th, 2008I think it’s good to be reminded regularly to look after these appliances we spent so much to acquire. So I feel justified in offering this list from the Sun Herald that nudges you to take a minute and check up on your household appliances. It could add years to their lifespan.
Refrigerator
Average life span: 14 years
What you need [...] - Is a Steam Appliance Right for You?
March 26th, 2008Steam is hot right now. It is showing up in a variety of appliance and is touted as the way to sanitize, freshen and even shorten cleaning times. Consumer Reports weighed in on steam use in appliances at abclocal.go.com sharing their opinion of steam’s usefulness.
One thing to be aware of before even considering a steam [...] - Appliance Sales are Down
March 24th, 2008Here’s some bad news for appliance dealers (if they haven’t already noticed the effect in their own markets)
Twice.com reports that according to AHAM (Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers), January shipments of major appliances fell 17 percent to 3.9 million units compared with the 4.7 million major appliances sold during the year-ago period.
Taking the biggest hit was the home-comfort [...] - Is Your Clothes Dryer Working Effectively?
March 22nd, 2008We invest a lot of money in our clothes and want them to last and look good. Over-drying and over heating clothes wears them out faster. If your dryer is working effectively, you can dry more quickly, sometimes at lower temperatures. If preserving your clothes, possibly preventing wrinkles and saving energy [...]
- Buying a Washing Machine?
March 21st, 2008If you are looking for a new washing machine, you’ve probably asked yourself these questions - Top loader or front? How can I be sure to buy an energy efficient washer? We’ll try to answer those and some others with help from the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) site on consumer protection.
To help consumers [...] - A Jaunt for the Weekend- A Virtual Trip to the Washing Machine Museum
March 15th, 2008If you’re looking for a museum trip without the drive, just click here to visit the Washing Machine Museum. If you want to make the trip a real, not virtual experience, the museum is located in Eaton, Colorado with tours by appointment.
The virtual tour offers glimpses of the forgotten world of early hand, gas and [...] - Installing and Using Your Clothes Dryer Safely
March 14th, 2008Whether you are installing a new dryer, relocating an old one, or just looking to remind yourself of some basic household safety guidelines, you can clickon our link to The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers(AHAM) handbook on dryer care and safety.
You can read about:Proper installation materials and how to use them
How to clean and maintain [...] - Sears Unveils Kenmore Elite Oasis Washer and Dryer
March 11th, 2008Laundry Pair Combines High Efficiency with Deep Clean Functionality and SteamCare Technology
Kenmore Elite’s SteamCare technology, harnesses the power of steam by saturating dry clothing with a fine mist of water while simultaneously heating the interior of the appliance. The water and heat work together to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and odors, so consumers [...] - Drying with Liquid? A New Twist on the Clothes Dryer
March 7th, 2008For the most part, clothes drying technology hasn’t changed in over 70 years, but the people at Hydromatic Technologies have a new plan. They don’t make dryers, but at the 2008 International Builders’ Show, they debuted a new technology - Hydronics- that could make future dryers better.
Hydronics is the utilization of water or other [...] - Frigidaire Affinity Washer and Dryer Pair Receives NSF International Certification for Sanitization
February 11th, 2008Frigidaire announced that its Affinity Washer and Dryer pair received the NSF International certification for sanitization.
The internal heater of the 7000 and 8000 series washers raises water temperature during the cycle, while the stainless steel dryer heats air and clothing, both reaching temperatures high enough that 99.9% of bacteria commonly found on laundry are killed. Plus, [...] - J.D. Power Survey Shows Major Appliance Consumers are Happy
February 7th, 2008WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CALIF. — J.D Power and Associates, the market research firm, said consumers are largely happy with the performance, features, styling and price of their major appliances.According to the results of its 2007 Major Home Appliances Study, only one in 10 consumers report some kind of problem with their major appliance during the first two years [...]
- Is the Washer Eating Your Socks? -Missing Socks Form One of Life’s Little Mysteries
January 31st, 2008By Gary Dymski
Newsday
Two socks enter the washer. Two socks exit the dryer.
As household tasks go, what could be simpler? A pair of socks goes from drawer to feet to dirty clothes to washer and dryer and back into the drawer.
Of course, anyone associated with a social group that faintly resembles a family knows the truth. [...] - Whirlpool Aims for Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions
December 21st, 2007If you are shopping for eco-friendly appliances, here’s some good news from Twice.com:
Whirlpool will increase its commitment to environmentally-sound business practices by reducing total greenhouse gas emissions 6.6 percent by 2012, the company announced last week. The world’s largest majap maker will make these global, voluntary reductions while at the same time increasing production by [...] - You can Really Save - Choose Energy Star
December 20th, 2007Most of us want to save energy. It’s good for the environment and good for our pocketbooks. By choosing a new appliance with an Energy Star rating you are off to a good start. How much you will save though, depends on the type and age of the appliance you are replacing.
One thing seems certain [...] - Washing Machine Tips
December 17th, 2007A new washing machine can not only be a big investment, if it’s not used properly, it can have the power to cause great damage with floods of water. We’ve gathered some helpful tips for washer usage here:
Water taps for the washing machine should be shut off when the washer is not in use. Most [...] - Energy Aware Appliances can Help Save Power Grid
December 7th, 2007This may sound too good to be true, but its not. The future may be bringing us appliances that can sense when the national power grid is over-taxed and switch off or down to reduce energy use.
Scientists from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Wash., found that providing homeowners with smart appliances and information on how to [...] - Downsizing? Some Choice Advice for Baby-Boomers
November 13th, 2007As the population ages, many people choose to move to smaller homes or condos for ease of maintenance. Some Baby-Boomers are purchasing smaller, second homes that can become retirement homes in the future.
Marriette Mifflin at about.com advises:
Take a serious look at your appliances, large and small, and consider their age, general condition, capacity, performance, and [...] - You Probably Don’t Need That Extended Warranty
November 9th, 2007Straight from PR Newswire: J.D. Power and Associates Reports: High Reliability of Major Home Appliances May Reduce Need for Extended Warranties
According to J.D. Powers and Associates 2007 Major Home Appliance Study, most major appliances these days are quite reliable, yet many consumers continue to purchase extended warranties.
The study measures customer satisfaction in nine segments of [...] - Laundry Trends Around the Globe
November 6th, 2007Washer and dryer manufacturers around the world all recognise that the demands of the consumer drive their designs. The latest trends are for energy efficiency, quietness and, especially in North America, size.
In Globalizing Laundry, David Simpson of Appliance Magazine writes:
Consumers are more aware that efficient models are less costly to operate, their awareness advanced by [...] - Whirlpool Debuts Colorful Steam Laundry Pair
November 2nd, 2007Whirlpool is adding a new washer/dryer pair to their line-up with the Aspen Green Duet Steam pair. (Although the pair is available in white too.) “Whirlpool brand is proud to introduce this new technology and help consumers use steam to get more done in the washer and dryer,” said John Alexander, VP and GM Brand [...]
- New Release: Maytag’s Latest Washer/Dryer Pair
October 30th, 2007Maytag has released it’s newest HE washer/dryer pair, the EPIC z. Maytag says:
BENTON HARBOR, Mich., Oct. 19 /PRNewswire/ — The legacy of Maytag(R) brand laundry continues with the new Maytag(R) EPIC z(TM) front-load washer and dryer. The versatile design of this space-saving, high-performance laundry system allows it to be installed virtually anywhere in the home.
The EPIC [...] - Recycle Responsibly
October 21st, 2007Reuse, recycle, save energy- These ideas are ones many of us try to do daily. There is one way we may not have thought of before- disposing of an old appliance properly. Appliance Recycling Centers of America estimates that 55 million appliances will be removed from service this year. If yours is one of them, be [...]
- The Right Appliance for You
October 10th, 2007Do you find that you are drawn to a certain brand of appliance again and again? Did your mother always rely on one brand of washer and dryer? Whirlpool is aware of consumers conscious and unconscious preferences for specific appliances.
For every Whirlpool Corporation brand - including Whirlpool®, Maytag®, KitchenAid®, Jenn-Air®, Amana® and Gladiator® GarageWorks - [...] - Sears Going Green
October 5th, 2007Turn off the Lights! Turn off the water! Reuse and recycle!
I know I try to follow those simple guidelines and have installed low flush toilets, energy efficient appliances and compact fluorescent lights in my home. Sears is trying to help a bit by “rolling out the Kenmore Elite® dishwasher with Ultra WashHE technology, and the [...] - It’s not your grandmothers silver - Ionized Silver appliances
June 14th, 2007No its not your NANA’s silver its NANO silver from Samsung. Samsung, the monster Korean manufacturing conglomerate is taking advantage of silver’s ability to inhibit bacterial growth. By using Nano technology to drop create a mist of silver ions 1/75,000th the width of a human hair Samsung has created a [...]
- Famous for Doing Nothing
May 20th, 2007He has to be one of the most easily recognized pitchmen on TV. He does nothing. He’s the most bored, lonely guy we know and he’s been missing in action for months. But not any more. He’s back. They found him.
Could it be this guy? I’d pick him [...] - Whirlpool seeks new Maytag Repairman
February 1st, 2007Whirlpool Corp. is launching a nationwide search for someone to portray the Maytag Repairman — the lonely, iconic character that has represented Maytag for 40 years.
The Repairman has been under new ownership since Whirlpool purchased the Newton-based Maytag in March and announced that all Maytag’s Newton operations would close by the end of 2007.
The new [...] - I just gotta have that vintage appliance part
June 22nd, 2006What are you gonna do when you just have to have a Vintage 1970’s Mixmaster Governor Assembly? The great thing about the internet and search is that you can find most anything. But how do you know the information is reliable? Came across a great little site called Davesrepair.com run by Dave [...]
- Laundry Appliances - Location, Location and Location
June 20th, 2006It’s the fodder of cartoon strips and Erma Bombeck novels, but hauling laundry from bedrooms and bathrooms to remote laundry rooms and basements is the exhausting bane of leaving your parents’ nest and doing your own washing duties.
The July 2006 Consumer Reports discusses the efficient trend of moving the mountain of laundry closer to Mom [...]
