Long wash times - a recent phenomenon
European h-axis washers have very long wash cycles, largely dictated by the requirements to meet EU performance ratings - the AAA rating being the nominal 'best'.
Before the advent of EU ratings, h-axis washers in Ireland and the UK had significantly shorter cycles, partly because hot and cold fill was common (only disappearing here in the last few years), and more significantly because the machines used much more water than is deemed acceptable now. Lower water levels require more mechanical action to remove dirt, so tumbling time is increased. A by-product is that the action is far rougher - formerly the tumbling action was cushioned by the water in the tub (and the turbulence in the water would help the washing action), now the laundry is effectively thrown against the wall of the wash-drum - rather like beating the laundry against a rock (albeit a stainless steel one - progress eh?). US and AU readers should probably read through the ad-men propaganda that describe the 'new' tumbling action HE washers as gentler on laundry that top-loaders - I doubt there is very much in it in the long term.
The cold-fill issue is a bit misleading - someone else has noted that the 14-20 litres of water in the average wash component of a cycle wouldn't take too long to raise with a 2.5kW heater on 220v. The 'washing powders perform better' stuff is a bit of ad-men work too - UK detergents are for all intents and purpose 'universal' - with different ingredients that are effective at different temperatures - enzymes at cool and warm temperatures and bleaches at higher temperatures. Organic stains set of course at high temps, but wash out in cool and warm water.
My Bosch FL is sold with claimed total cycles times a few minutes proud of an hour at 40 (US warm) and 60 (US hot) on a cotton cycle - not bad for a front loader, and ostensibly far better than much of the competition. The rub is that none of the basic default cycles is actually A rated!! To achieve the mythical A for performance, one has to select a 'Wash Plus' option which surprise, surprise doubles the total cycle time. Bosch users will know that there is a default 60 stains cycle - which takes over two hours. In addition the rinsing is poor even with the extra water option - especially if liquid detergents are used. Two hours might not seem excessive if one has one load to complete and other things to get on with - after all the washer is automatic, but when one has a back-log if is a total irritation - four loads takes longer than the average working day. I find this totally infuriating when one thinks that the now abandoned Hotpoint V-axis Top Loader would do a 60 cycle in about 40 minutes, with outstanding results (and that was in spite of an EU G rating). In other words, where an EU h-axis machine would take 8 hours for four loads, an American TL would have that done in about an hour - progress indeed...
So the laudable aims of conservation have given us washers that take much longer to complete their cycles. The Cold-Fill only business is now subject to the onset of a somewhat ironic back-lash, as people with green-sourced hot-water (from solar/geo-thermal etc) are wondering why they can't use this in the washers. I predict a full-circle point where we see manufacturers selling us Hot and Cold fill machines as the latest new eco-feature. Indeed I recently read an article in a 'How to be Green' directory which gave as advice point 3 'connect the washer to fill with hot water which will be more economical than heating it in the machine'....
Incidentally have any US readers tried the new Maytag Bravos with built-in heater? These machines seem like a great idea (and look cool) - I wish Maytag would bring them to the UK...I'd buy one
http://maytag.com/catalog/product.jsp?src=Washers&cat=18&prod=1861
