Washing Machine

LG’s 11kg washing machine – big load, small space

By Jeff Salton

04:30 September 5, 2009 PDT

If you have to wash for a large family or find that you’re constantly in charge of the whole team’s soccer uniforms – or if you’ve ever tried to wash king-size bedding - then you should be interested in what LG has to offer. And while it mightn’t be as sexy as 108-inch flat screen TV or the latest 12-megapixel smart phone, an 11kg washing machine that still fits inside a standard 24-inch cabinet should delight consumers who are burdened by laundry tasks. Read More

Visions of the future with Electrolux Design Lab

By Paul Ridden

18:49 September 1, 2009 PDT

Every year home appliance giant Electrolux throws down a design gauntlet to students from all over the world and challenges them come up with some novel ideas for household gadgets of the future. The company has just announced this year's eight Design Lab finalists and extended an invitation to the public to get involved to choose a favorite. What sort of gadgetry do young designers think will be available to us over the next 90 years? Read More

‘Waterless’ washing machine cleans using nylon beads

By Darren Quick

20:52 June 25, 2009 PDT

A washing machine that cuts water usage by 90% is due to hit American shores next year. The Xeros washing machine, which takes its name from the Greek word for “dry”, cleans clothes using reusable nylon polymer beads with an inherent polarity that attracts stains. Read More

Laundry POD: from salad spinner to washing machine

By Karen Sprey

00:22 March 16, 2009 PDT

It’s a great example of thinking outside of the box: as industrial design firm RKS were redesigning a salad spinner they discovered women were buying them to wash their delicates, so they modified the technology and created a portable, hand-powered laundry machine. The Laundry POD is stylish, easy to use and eco-friendly, saving energy and water, and is perfect for delicate items, “in between” and small loads, camping and traveling. Read More

Six weird and wonderful things people have built with Twitter

By Tim Hanlon

19:32 March 9, 2009 PDT

For the uninitiated, Twitter is a "microblogging" service that invites you to share what you're doing with the world in 140 characters or less - and it's currently taking the world by storm, with everyone from Scoble to Shaq on board. Its charm is that its usefulness is entirely open to interpretation - while many just don't get it (including Google's CEO), some use it purely for self-promotion, others to connect with their peers, others to tap breaking news long before mainstream media covers it, and then there's the subset of users that like to build or hack devices to use its API. Read on to meet six devices (of varying usefulness) that use Twitter to communicate with their human overlords. Read More

Electrolux Sunny solar water front loader

By Emily Clark

01:04 June 4, 2008 PDT

Hot water use in washing machines in a big component of household energy use. One solution is to simply wash in cold water, but a new new front loader from Electrolux caters for another option by facilitating the use of water heated by solar energy so you can wash in hot water without turning on the heating element. Read More

Water saving Water Aid Top Load Washer from Electrolux

By Emily Clark

17:23 March 16, 2008 PDT

March 17, 2008 Top loaders have generally been considered the water wasters of the washing machine world, but the new Water Aid Top Load Washer from Electrolux addresses this issue by delivering water savings of up to up to 7,800 liters (over 2000 gallons) per year using sensors that determine the load size and only supplying the exact amount of water needed to wash and rinse. Read More

Dryer Miser: energy-saving clothes drying technology

By Emily Clark

20:32 February 13, 2008 PST

February 14, 2008 In another innovation that promises to aid us in reducing our carbon footprint, Hydromatic's new energy saving technology targets one of the biggest energy guzzling appliances found in the home - the clothes dryer. Launched at the 2008 International Builders’ Show in Orlando, the Dryer Miser system uses a specially-engineered fluid in the heat exchange process to reduce energy consumption by up to 50% and cut clothes-drying time by up to 41%. Read More

Whitegoods get a color makeover

By Emily Clark

19:24 November 15, 2007 PST

November 16, 2007 The term “whitegoods” may be headed for the scrap heap. Over the past few years, silver, grey and black have crept into the color scheme for bulky household appliances and now Electrolux has expanded on the trend by announcing its Color Passion range of kitchen and laundry appliances in a number of vibrant hues. Read More

Samsung's Vibration Reduction Technology (VRT) washing machine

By Mike Hanlon

May 9, 2007 If your washing machines often makes more noise than mating walruses, you’ll be pleased to hear that at long last there’s a solution for the vibration and noise caused by unbalanced loads during the spin cycle. Samsung’s new Vibration Reduction Technology (VRT) washing machine is claimed to be the quietest ever during the spin cycle. The new VRT Washing Machine can be seen for the first time at the 2007 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (K/BIS) this week in Las Vegas. Read More

New clothes washer uses steam and no detergent

By Mike Hanlon

April 23, 2006 The electric-powered clothes washing machine was invented less than 100 years ago. Before that time, was the washboard (now better known as a musical instrument) and before that clothes were washed by hand using a variety of instruments, most notably the worlds’ favourite all-time multipurpose tool, the rock! The science of cleaning our clothes has advanced rapidly in the last few decades, and a new washing system from LG that incorporates steam technology to clean clothes without the use of detergent is a significant breakthrough. The steam capability can be used as a stand-alone 20-minute SteamFresh Cycle, which refreshes clothing, or combined with a normal hot or warm water wash cycle for better cleaning and a reduction in wrinkles. Not quite as historically significant but worth a mention for those interested in making the most of their time, is the Remote Monitoring System. Also from LG, the system has a remote monitor that enables consumers to monitor cycle progress while they focus on other activities around the home. The remote monitor shows the progress and remaining time on the washing, refreshing and drying cycles. This system, which utilizes Power Line Communication (PLC) technology, is easy to use and works by simply plugging the monitor into any electrical outlet within the home. Read More

The washing machine that dries and irons too!

By Mike Hanlon

February 16, 2006 If there’s one aspect of daily life that has changed little in the last 50 years it is the washing of clothes. Clothes must be washed, then dried, then ironed, before they can be worn. Each is a separate and distinct process and the three processes consume a fair amount of time and brain space. Now there’s a new machine on the horizon called the WashDryIron – a washing machine that does just what its name suggests - it washes, dries AND irons your clothes in totally separate compartments - meaning no more colour runs, no shrinkage and, most importantly, no more ironing. The creator of the world’s first ‘drum-less’ washing machine, Oliver Blackwell – a University of Plymouth product design graduate – believes it can save an average person around ten days a year in ironing time, which equates roughly with our calculations when we looked at Siemens ironing machine. Read More

Samsung set to launch Silver Nano Wash system that kills 99% of bacteria

By Mike Hanlon

August 31, 2005 Samsung’s Silver Nano Health System has been applied to a new range of front-loader washing machines that are launching later this year in Australia. A breakthrough function, ‘Silver Wash’, kills 99 percent of bacteria in the wash load and coats the clothes with antibacterial protection which lasts for up to 30 days. To feature on five flagship front-loader models from 5kg to 7.5kg capacity, Samsung’s patented Silver Wash is the first technology that combines disinfectant and antibiotic properties in washing machines. When activated, the Silver Wash releases up to 400 billion silver ions during the first wash and the last rinse cycle. After the wash cycle is completed, Samsung claims that the washed clothes are totally devoid of bacteria. Whereas some other brands use a silver ion coating on the washing machine drum, Samsung claims its approach is far more effective as it ensures that all parts of the clothes are penetrated with the silver ions, rather than short-term surface contact by only some of the clothes on an otherwise silver ion coated drum. Read More

New Hitachi machine washes and dries clothes all in one

By Gizmag Team

November 2, 2004 A new Air Jet Dry system from Hitachi not only washes clothes - but dries them as well, all in the one compact machine. Perfect for busy households, the Air Jet leaves clothes dry, tangle-free and ready to wear once ironed. And because the air is not heated, it won't damage your clothes like a dryer can. Ideal for ever-increasing hectic lifestyles and limited living spaces, the new Air Jet is available in stores now. "People have always thought of washing machines as having a single purpose - to wash clothes," says Shibily Moidy, Product Manager, Home and Life Solutions, Hitachi Australia. "But with innovations like the new Air Jet, we are engineering a new phase of development where washers and air dryers are interactive and able to serve multiple purposes." Read More

No Washing Powder Required

By Mike Hanlon

Sanyo has announced it will begin marketing a washing machine which does not require washing powder or soap of any kind. Read More