Automagic vs Cabrio and the like

[gowest84]

I picked the general area but it put me here.

OK, I watched the Automagic wash and I wondered besides the Automagic agitator, what are some of the big differences between the Cabrio and Automagic.

I'm not very knowlegeable about the Automagic but it does seem that the newer machines might have been inspired by it.

I guess looking at some of the posting and seeing the Automagic wash and I saw some correlation between them, but that's why I post to the experts. Am I off base or is there a correlation?

BTW, I have a front loading Maytag that I love so this is more of a educated discussion for me.

 

[appnut]

Phil, the Kelvinator/ABC-O-Matics would need to be included here too!!!

 

[gowest84]

OK,

I've not seen them wash so I didn't know.

 

[appnut]

here is Eddy's 1957 Kelvinator. Watch the whole video, the wash action is slow. The rinse is more realisitic.

 

[appnut]

Here's a much better video. Even shows the "magic minute"

 

[lebron]

confused

There isn't really any correlation between an Automagic and a Cabrio...

The Automagic is a unique and fabulous vintage machine, while the Cabrio is a plastic peice of junk.

 

[peterh770]

Automagic is more like the Calypso.

 

[mixfinder]

Similar Differences

Most notable in the design of newer machines ia an ability to wash clothes without having them fully submerged in water. The Cabrio is a bit like a 50 gallon drum with a Tilt-a-Whirl (Carnival Ride) at the base. A small amount of water is brought into the pump sump and then recirculated over the drum as it slowly rotates. The clothing is then bounced or "nutated" on the wash plate below which is moving in a dip and lift pattern. The Automagic requires enough water to be able to move the clothes from top to bottom within the wash basket. The Kelvinator may be a better candidate for modern water limitations given the sheer size of it paddles and ability to squish the clothing between the tub and agitator. Overflow rinses allowed water to pour in as the clothes agitated with the excess running off small holes at the top of the tub. In a perfect world the exchange of water rinsed the excess soap and lint from the top of the tub and down the drain. It wasn't a garauntee of perfect rinsing and the lack of perforations in solid tun machines trapped larger dirt and sand particles between the clean clothing and the edge of the tub. The earliest Frigidaire and Maytags had overflow drains and perforated tubs, an ingenious design. Solid tub machines posed specific challenges to rural users who washed clothing which was laden with soil and had limitations in the drain field capacity to handle large amounts of water.

 

[mixfinder]

Wrong Wrong Wrong

I listed the comps on a Calypso. The Cabrio is an oscillating agitator with shallower impressions that slowly move the clothes to the edge of the tub and up through the middle. They also use less water than a standard top loader, but require enough water for the wash basket to float inside the outer tub. Not everyone loves them but marketing lets you believe you can wash for an entire third world country in one load. Properly loaded they do a good job. Electronics have been the weaker link on many of the machines that combine heat and moisture regardless of Conventional, High Efficiency or Front Loading. My good friend Jason had one of the first and posted videos of it's service.

 

[joelippard]

I really don't know that the Automagic inspired anything modern but I agree that there would be some similarities if the Philco didn't have a full agitator column on it. It also seems the Kelvinator would be more like the "nutating" action. One things for sure, the Philco and the Kelvinator are both very unique vintage machines that don't turn up often. That's why mine will be a special use machine. Don't think we'll see Cabrio's sticking around this many years.

 

[gowest84]

Calypso/Cabrio

I knew they were similar. My niece's family has a Calypso and when it works, it's great but there was a month long wait while they had ordered parts and fixed it.

I remember something about a lawsuit out on the Calypso but I never really read much about it.

I looked at some of the top loaders like that yesterday at Lowe's and to me it looked like someone broke the top of the agitator off.

 

[DADoES]

The Calypso and Cabrio are often confused as being equivalent because of the similar names, but they are completely different mechanisms.