Whirlpool's front-loading washing machines and dryers have so many bells and whistles that the manufacturer sends an information-packed DVD home with everyone who buys one.
"For someone who might have been out of the market for the past decade, they wouldn't even believe some of the things salespeople will tell them about washers and dryers," says spokeswoman Audrey Reed-Granger. "[Buyers] will say, 'You're pulling my leg.'"
Among Whirlpool's laundry list of luxuries: dryers that can detect how much moisture is in wet clothes and will stop whenever the fabric is dry, and a refresh cycle that can draw out wrinkles and odors from smoke, food, and perfume from dry-cleanable clothes.
Whirlpool's not alone. Nearly every washer and dryer manufacturer offers models that boast endless user-friendly and Mother Nature-approved features. Fisher & Paykel, for example, sells washing machines with up to 19 "lifestyle" cycles, ranging from a "blood stain" cycle to a "soft toy" cycle that determine how hot the water should be and how fast they should spin the clothes.
But the latest whiz-bang washday wonder might be something far more familiar. The top-loading washing machine, it seems, is making a comeback.
Top Choice
All but washed up by the increasingly popular, energy-efficient front-loading machine—which manufacturers are making in bold colors suitable for showing off in new, main-level laundry rooms—the water-guzzling top-loader in the past few years had taken its place among the ordinary and outdated. Some even predicted its eventual demise as government regulators imposed ever-stricter water- and energy-use limits on washing machines.
That pity party was short-lived. Most manufacturers learned from polling their customers that 70 percent prefer top-loading washing machines either because that's what they're used to or because they don't like bending over to stuff their clothes into a front-loader.
"Occasionally I'll have an older customer who will complain [about bending over]," says Penny Murray, owner of Penny Lane Home Builders in Bozeman, Mont., who always recommends front-loaders to her custom home clients. She pushes matching pedestals, which raise both the washer and dryer to a more comfortable height for loading. "They're not thrilled about it, but they buy them."
In response, manufacturers have figured out how top-loading washers can comply with the government's call for greater efficiency and are introducing models that are cleaning up with consumers and holding up against their front-loading competitors.
Fisher & Paykel, for instance, renewed its resolve in 2007 to make only top-loaders, and boasts that its 3.7-cubic-foot Ecosmart model uses just 24 percent of the energy of a traditional washing machine. The 4.6-cubic-foot Kenmore Elite Oasis eliminates the center agitator to allow more space for clothes—up to 24 bath towels in one load, the manufacturer claims—and saves 63 percent more water and 65 percent more energy than a traditional model.
"We're now at a period where high efficiency crosses both platforms, both front-load and top-load," notes Larry Costello, Kenmore's public relations director.
Front Runners
Still, the most efficient top-loading washer doesn't match the efficiency of the most ecologically friendly front-loaders, which use up to 77 percent less energy and 73 percent less water than traditional top-loaders.
In fact, of the 280 washers that bear the Energy Star seal—which means they are 25 percent more efficient than the government requires—just 10 are top-loaders.
The reason: The front-loader's horizontal drum cradle-rocks clothes until they're clean, using around 1,000 revolutions per minute and just 14 gallons of water per load. The top-loader, by comparison, has a vertical drum that fills to the top with as much as 40 gallons of water and swishes clothes clean with an agitator that takes up space in the middle of the drum.
Because the front-loader spins so fast, it wrings most of the water out of the clothes, which means they need less time in the dryer. Some manufacturers claim their washers allow users to cut drying time by up to half.
A front-loader typically costs several hundred dollars more than a top-loading machine, but even the blue-collar workers among MasterCraft Builders' customers in Kenosha, Wis., are asking for them, says Danielle Plank, the builder's selections coordinator.
"A lot of people, with the cost of the electric and gas these days, are really trying to be conscious of that and look for the most efficient machines they can buy," she says. "They're looking for … the biggest bang for their buck."
Style Reigns
Rising energy costs or not, others, like custom home customers of Paramount Construction in Rockville, Md., are still more interested in style than in savings.
President Rob Maggin says most of his buyers care more about what their washers and dryers look like than about energy efficiency. He typically recommends what will fit the space best, and that's usually a front-loader, he says.
"They look better, they're more fashionable, and they're different colors," notes Maggin of front-loaders.
Home buyers who do ask about the energy efficiency of front-loading machines, he says, are more curious than serious about it. "It's always a question, not a huge demand," he says.
Manufacturers are catering to customers who crave color, especially for homeowners whose laundry rooms are on display near the kitchen, where guests will see them, rather than hidden in the basement.
Kenmore, for instance, makes front-loaders in bold blue, red, and champagne, in addition to white. Whirlpool has introduced a crisp green and a chestnut hue. "Color is very much important to consumers now," says Reed-Granger.
Convenience runs a close second, as consumers embrace washers and dryers with "smarter" features that automatically steam, pre-treat, sanitize, and choose water temperatures, taking the guesswork out of getting clothes clean. But energy savings will continue to be the big story in the laundry room, which is quickly becoming no place to waste water or energy.
When President George W. Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, he made laundry history.
For the first time, washing machines will have to adhere to a "water factor" beginning in 2011—a measure of how much water is used in proportion to the capacity of the machine.
About 80 percent of a washer's energy use goes to heat the water. A machine that uses less hot water uses less energy, explains Bryan Berringer, project manager for the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Star program.
Past energy bills have set limits on the "energy factor" of washing machines, and the 2007 law sets it at a more efficient level than the last rulemaking, which was adopted in 2001 and raised the standards in 2004 and 2007. The new law ups the stakes in 2011 and opens the door for a second boost in both energy and water efficiency in 2015.
Meanwhile, the Energy Star program, which awards a designation to appliances that are 25 percent more efficient than government requirements, is raising its qualifying efficiencies for water and energy, effective in 2009.
Berringer estimates that half of today's Energy Star-qualified washing machines already meet the 2011 standard set by the new energy bill.
The Energy Star program does not include clothes dryers, whose efficiency barely varies among manufacturers.
Once a mish-mash of drying racks, ironing boards, and unfinished shelving, the jumble of laundry room accessories has gone upscale.
"People have mismatched solutions, like crates and wooden shelves," says Whirlpool spokeswoman Audrey Reed-Granger, who compares most laundry areas to college dorm rooms. "Now we make organizational accessories that match the finish and heft of the washer and dryer themselves."
Manufacturers offer ironing stations, folding surfaces, and soap storage bins that match their colorful washers and dryers and make a tidy hideaway for the work tools of washday.
Whirlpool's Laundry 1-2-3 system, for example, includes a laundry "tower" with a retractable hanging rod and oversized drawers that fits between the washer and dryer and hides laundry supplies within easy reach. The manufacturer also makes a seamless, flat surface that sits across the top of a front-loading washer and dryer for sorting, treating, and folding clothes.
Kenmore's Laundry Plus+ includes vertical storage units, laundry work surfaces, and an ironing station that allows for hanging wet clothes and minimizing laundry-room clutter.
Most manufacturers of front-loading washers also make matching pedestals that raise the height of the washer and dryer from 12 to 15 inches so users don't have to bend over to load the machines.
Kenmore. The Laundry Plus+ ironing station includes a cordless iron and charging dock with a swing-out ironing board for convenient, touch-up ironing of items as they come out of the dryer. The unit features easy-glide drawers and is part of a group of accessories, including work surfaces and vertical storage units. 800-469-4663. www.kenmore.com.
Bosch. The Nexxt line of front-loading washers and dryers features an energy-saving setting that doesn't affect the cleaning and drying results. The EcoAction program decreases the temperature and amount of energy used during the wash cycle by up to 20 percent, while the dryer's EcoSensor feature uses less energy than conventional dryers by adjusting the temperature based on the moisture level of the contents, the company says. The 800 series features settings designed to remove tough stains and remove up to 99.99 percent of bacteria. 800-921-9622. www.boschappliances.com.
Kenmore. The Elite Oasis washer and SteamCare dryer combine powerful cleaning in a top-load washer with steam function in the dryer. The front-loading dryer has a TimedOxi option for oxygen-based stain fighting and eliminates up to 99.9 percent of certain bacteria, according to the manufacturer. The dryer uses a 35 percent larger blower to increase airflow, drying a load of laundry more quickly than it takes to wash one, the maker says. 800-469-4663. www.kenmore.com.
Miele. The W 3000 series front- and top-loading washing machines automate the temperature, spin, and mechanical action by clothing type, says the firm. Homeowners can customize wash options using six spin and six heat settings. The washer uses MasterCare technology, a program with more than 18 settings for cleaning items like beach towels, table linens, and outerwear, as well as silks, wools, and delicates. The dryer's Touchtronic microprocessor monitors moisture levels and drying temperatures and makes adjustments as needed to prevent over-drying and overheating, the manufacturer says. 800-843-7231. www.miele.com.
GE. Profile front-loading washers and dryers use SmartDispense, a system that stores and automatically dispenses detergent and fabric softener based on each load's size, soil level, water hardness, and fabric or cycle type, according to the company. The washer features a stain-removal system that treats more than 40 combinations of stains and fabric types, including wine, grass, blood, and chocolate, the manufacturer says. 800-626-2005. www.geappliances.com.
LG. The front-loading SteamWasher is the first washing machine proven to reduce allergens, according to the manufacturer. The Allergiene cycle uses real steam to help wash clothes at the appropriate temperature necessary to break down and wash out more than 95 percent of allergens without harming fabrics, the company says. The SteamDryer features settings that freshen clothing, eliminate odors, and reduce wrinkles and static. The SteamLaundry pair is available in stainless steel, blue, red, and white. 800-243-0000. www.lgusa.com.
KitchenAid. The Pro Line series features a stainless steel washer and dryer pair with a sound insulation system and optional pedestal drawers. The front-loading washer has 11 settings ranging from heavy duty to hand wash with adjustable cycle times, water temperature, and spin speed controls, the company says. The dryer features six temperature settings and five pre-set programs, including an extra-care option to minimize wrinkles. 800-422-1230. www.kitchenaid.com.
Whirlpool. Laundry is going green, literally, with this brand's Aspen Green Duet Steam front-loading washer and dryer. The washer uses up to 73 percent less water and 77 percent less energy compared to traditional top-loading washers, according to the manufacturer. The dryer features a Sanitize cycle that removes up to 99.9 percent of bacteria from items such as stuffed animals, towels, bedding, and sleeping bags, the company says. 800-253-3977. www.whirlpool.com.
Fisher & Paykel. The AquaSmart top-loading washer can clean clothes in high efficiency or traditional wash mode. This washer also has an automatic water-level sensor that detects the size of the load and adjusts water use accordingly. The AeroSmart top-loading dryer has 18 settings, including an allergy cycle and a blanket-drying cycle. A self-cleaning lint filter continuously removes buildup and deposits it into a lint bucket that doesn't have to be emptied for up to 15 cycles, the manufacturer says. 888-936-7872. www.fisherpaykel.com.
