Check out this little PINK agitator...
- Thread starter danmantn
- Start date
Help Support :
@tolivac
Yes, Mueller has always made their products to be simple.
But they always believe that simple and cheap can walk together with dependability and eficiency.
If we look carefully at the modern washers the world has today, there are thousands of item and features created only to increase the price or make the machines last less.
Honestly, who needs a washing machine full of leds, buttons, redundant cycles, outstanding spin speeds (ok, some countries need high speeds because of the weather and local habits), etc.
Talking about spin, for example. It's more than obious that a machine that spins at 2000 RPM is better for people in freezing countries like Sweden or Finland, for example, where everybody has to dry everything in a dryer or indoors.
But it's also much more stressful to some vital parts, like the bearings. It's also a little bit worse for the clothes.
At the same time, it makes no sense spin at 2000 RPM in a country like Brazil, with a very hot weather and most of the population don't even have a dryer. Most people here in Brazil never saw a dryer and the first thing people think is "why would I need a dryer if I can linedry jeans in 10 minutes after spinning at 700 RPM?
Mueller thinks like that. Putting 1000 or more RPM would increase the production cost. The machine would be much more expensive and the price would be a problem at the stores... How can they face Whirlpool, Electrolux, Lg, Samsung and GE with their high end products being a small company? Of course people would buy those international brands with fancy features.
Less than a decade ago, th brazilian market has changed a lot. The changes were really dramatic to everyone. People were used to standard top loaders and very few european front loader models.
Suddenly LG launched a washer dryer. People became curious about it. Of course, taking the clothes clean and dry from the washer is attractive to any housewife and those machines became popular almost overnight.
But... those machines are expensive. They were even more expensive. Some models reached 14 thousand reais (7 thousand dollars) and of course, only a small part of the population could have access to a washer dryer.
That's what Mueller have repeated. When they launched their first washer, we already had some models here, like the Economat, Westinghouse, etc. But those were imported and really expensive. Medium class families would still doing laundry in a laundry sing and using a washing board.
Now medium class (and even poor classes) will be able to have a washer dryer.
The machine is simple. It doesn't have fancy features, but it was created to be dependable and cheap.
They had to make a good machine because they simply don't have founds to pay for a mass law action like happened to Whirlpool with the Calypso so they couldn't take any risks. The machine is made to last and it must let the consumers very satisfied with the price they payed. The unthinkable happened: considering the cost x benefits, the machine is much better than any other we have.
OK, people can pay a lot of money for washer, of course it will have a better spin, of course it will have many other features but... A Mueller costs 50% less than a TOL premium brand model, it washes the same way, it rinses better because it uses a decent water level, it doesn't spin at outstanding speeds, but the spin is OK for our local needs. Consumers pay cheap and when they arrive at home and use the machine, they get surprised. It's not a cheap crap, THE MACHINE IS GREAT AND AS A BONUS, IT'S CHEAP.
Other Vantage the Special model has is the removable drum. Using the drum as a laundry basket is ok, but it's not the best about it. The best is being able to remove the drum and wipe clean the whole tub. Here in Brazil we don't have problems with hard water, but we have huge problems with our detergents (high sudsing) and our softeners (too greasy).
Our machines don't smell like the americans because our weather helps a lot, but most of the machines are nasty after a few months. Of course people can try to clean it using these chemical products but, of course they will never be the same as scrubbing the tub with a sponge and dishwasher liquid or even a soap bar. The machine will reach the end of its life with a sparkling clean tub. Brilliant, isn't it?
Yes, Mueller has always made their products to be simple.
But they always believe that simple and cheap can walk together with dependability and eficiency.
If we look carefully at the modern washers the world has today, there are thousands of item and features created only to increase the price or make the machines last less.
Honestly, who needs a washing machine full of leds, buttons, redundant cycles, outstanding spin speeds (ok, some countries need high speeds because of the weather and local habits), etc.
Talking about spin, for example. It's more than obious that a machine that spins at 2000 RPM is better for people in freezing countries like Sweden or Finland, for example, where everybody has to dry everything in a dryer or indoors.
But it's also much more stressful to some vital parts, like the bearings. It's also a little bit worse for the clothes.
At the same time, it makes no sense spin at 2000 RPM in a country like Brazil, with a very hot weather and most of the population don't even have a dryer. Most people here in Brazil never saw a dryer and the first thing people think is "why would I need a dryer if I can linedry jeans in 10 minutes after spinning at 700 RPM?
Mueller thinks like that. Putting 1000 or more RPM would increase the production cost. The machine would be much more expensive and the price would be a problem at the stores... How can they face Whirlpool, Electrolux, Lg, Samsung and GE with their high end products being a small company? Of course people would buy those international brands with fancy features.
Less than a decade ago, th brazilian market has changed a lot. The changes were really dramatic to everyone. People were used to standard top loaders and very few european front loader models.
Suddenly LG launched a washer dryer. People became curious about it. Of course, taking the clothes clean and dry from the washer is attractive to any housewife and those machines became popular almost overnight.
But... those machines are expensive. They were even more expensive. Some models reached 14 thousand reais (7 thousand dollars) and of course, only a small part of the population could have access to a washer dryer.
That's what Mueller have repeated. When they launched their first washer, we already had some models here, like the Economat, Westinghouse, etc. But those were imported and really expensive. Medium class families would still doing laundry in a laundry sing and using a washing board.
Now medium class (and even poor classes) will be able to have a washer dryer.
The machine is simple. It doesn't have fancy features, but it was created to be dependable and cheap.
They had to make a good machine because they simply don't have founds to pay for a mass law action like happened to Whirlpool with the Calypso so they couldn't take any risks. The machine is made to last and it must let the consumers very satisfied with the price they payed. The unthinkable happened: considering the cost x benefits, the machine is much better than any other we have.
OK, people can pay a lot of money for washer, of course it will have a better spin, of course it will have many other features but... A Mueller costs 50% less than a TOL premium brand model, it washes the same way, it rinses better because it uses a decent water level, it doesn't spin at outstanding speeds, but the spin is OK for our local needs. Consumers pay cheap and when they arrive at home and use the machine, they get surprised. It's not a cheap crap, THE MACHINE IS GREAT AND AS A BONUS, IT'S CHEAP.
Other Vantage the Special model has is the removable drum. Using the drum as a laundry basket is ok, but it's not the best about it. The best is being able to remove the drum and wipe clean the whole tub. Here in Brazil we don't have problems with hard water, but we have huge problems with our detergents (high sudsing) and our softeners (too greasy).
Our machines don't smell like the americans because our weather helps a lot, but most of the machines are nasty after a few months. Of course people can try to clean it using these chemical products but, of course they will never be the same as scrubbing the tub with a sponge and dishwasher liquid or even a soap bar. The machine will reach the end of its life with a sparkling clean tub. Brilliant, isn't it?
Mueller v Titan
Would be interesting to see how both are made and what the differences are,like you say with a lower spin speed the machines dont have to be beefed up as much so plastic components can be used more....
Thomas, can you explain expand more on this statement " problem with the fragile drum coupling was also considered and solved."
Heres a link to my MonoTub Titan pics...
[this post was last edited: 4/25/2012-07:55]
www.flickr.com
Would be interesting to see how both are made and what the differences are,like you say with a lower spin speed the machines dont have to be beefed up as much so plastic components can be used more....
Thomas, can you explain expand more on this statement " problem with the fragile drum coupling was also considered and solved."
Heres a link to my MonoTub Titan pics...
[this post was last edited: 4/25/2012-07:55]
Monotub Titan Washing Machine (2001)
The Titan washing machine was brought to the UK market by Monotub Industries Plc in 2001, the inventor of this machine was Martin Myerscough.
@Chestermike
Thanks for your reply.
As far as I know, one of the resons that Titan didn't survive were some complaints about the coupling on the back of the drum that was weak and after some time, with the impact of the drum being inserted and removed it would start failing. (We all know that there are consumers and consumers... Some understand that machines must be cared to last longer, others simply don't care and toss the drum inside the machine like if they were playing bowling.
Also, a british magazine (I don't remember which one) destroyed it's reputation saying it was too expensive, the load capacity was too small, etc, etc, etc.
Every time I see a Titan, everything I see is a great washer with a wonderful idea and it's also cute and the huge door is charming.
BTW,your link isn't working.
Thanks for your reply.
As far as I know, one of the resons that Titan didn't survive were some complaints about the coupling on the back of the drum that was weak and after some time, with the impact of the drum being inserted and removed it would start failing. (We all know that there are consumers and consumers... Some understand that machines must be cared to last longer, others simply don't care and toss the drum inside the machine like if they were playing bowling.
Also, a british magazine (I don't remember which one) destroyed it's reputation saying it was too expensive, the load capacity was too small, etc, etc, etc.
Every time I see a Titan, everything I see is a great washer with a wonderful idea and it's also cute and the huge door is charming.
BTW,your link isn't working.
Interesting...
Hi Thomas, link now working, hadnt heard that about the coupling, I dont think it was about for the longeivity to prove that, the tub only locks in one position, if not you simply cant shut the outer door, and it has a simple but very functional switch which activates the door locking mechinism and a light on the fascia which comes on when the tub is inserted and the door locked successfully, then the wash will commence.
It was well known that "Which" consumer group tested these machines , the word on the street is that they tested it with a max load of denims (7kg = 22 pairs) if thats true no-one would do that and it simply broke the model being tested...again it does bring up the issue of sustainable drum volume and ratio of load capacity!
I too think this machine has some unique features, wide access door, simply computer programming corresponding to all washable laundry codes (ITCL standards), Power Spray action which really does soak and power spray the clothes continually throughout the tub, heater in sump requiring less water per washload.....am not sure about the unique drum, but one thing I found is that if you do carry the drum around you load it very differently for a front loader than a traditional one, ie stacked like a TL then turn it on its side....tended not to ball things up as much on larger bedding etc..
Heres the pic of the poly drum connector, dont forget this drum is simply the holder of clothes, this fits like a glove in the stainless steel inner drum sleeve which rotates like a traditional fl- this has the main bearing...and then the SS drum sits inside the outer poly tub....so three drums really, not just a removable two drum affair!!
You could say the load baring is shared across all components, not just the brass connector at the back of the poly drum, alas volume of sales and longeivity will not tell us now!! I also think if it had come to market sooner with all kinks sorted (dont forget some of the first models produced that we now covet of Vintage washers had horrendous issues and consequences for many companies we now come to adore) that it might have been a different story, it was competing against Whirlpool Dreamspace / Duet and the Dyson contrarotator - and looked what happened to that!!
www.flickr.com
Hi Thomas, link now working, hadnt heard that about the coupling, I dont think it was about for the longeivity to prove that, the tub only locks in one position, if not you simply cant shut the outer door, and it has a simple but very functional switch which activates the door locking mechinism and a light on the fascia which comes on when the tub is inserted and the door locked successfully, then the wash will commence.
It was well known that "Which" consumer group tested these machines , the word on the street is that they tested it with a max load of denims (7kg = 22 pairs) if thats true no-one would do that and it simply broke the model being tested...again it does bring up the issue of sustainable drum volume and ratio of load capacity!
I too think this machine has some unique features, wide access door, simply computer programming corresponding to all washable laundry codes (ITCL standards), Power Spray action which really does soak and power spray the clothes continually throughout the tub, heater in sump requiring less water per washload.....am not sure about the unique drum, but one thing I found is that if you do carry the drum around you load it very differently for a front loader than a traditional one, ie stacked like a TL then turn it on its side....tended not to ball things up as much on larger bedding etc..
Heres the pic of the poly drum connector, dont forget this drum is simply the holder of clothes, this fits like a glove in the stainless steel inner drum sleeve which rotates like a traditional fl- this has the main bearing...and then the SS drum sits inside the outer poly tub....so three drums really, not just a removable two drum affair!!
You could say the load baring is shared across all components, not just the brass connector at the back of the poly drum, alas volume of sales and longeivity will not tell us now!! I also think if it had come to market sooner with all kinks sorted (dont forget some of the first models produced that we now covet of Vintage washers had horrendous issues and consequences for many companies we now come to adore) that it might have been a different story, it was competing against Whirlpool Dreamspace / Duet and the Dyson contrarotator - and looked what happened to that!!
Monotub Titan Washing Machine (2001)
The Titan washing machine was brought to the UK market by Monotub Industries Plc in 2001, the inventor of this machine was Martin Myerscough.
@Chestermike
Thanks for the picture!
Yes, the coupling i mean is exactly that. it's well made and dependable, but not too dependable to survive on houses with stupid consumers that throw the drum rudely into the machine.
Mueller is made to be cheap so it doesn't have the recirculation sprays. Anyway, the water level is very high.
The coupling system is almost the same (three drums), but without this connector on the back of the drum. (more simple, less prone to failures)
About the test, what happened to Titan was simply ridiculous. I don't know about the load standards in UK but here in Brazil the test load is composed by specific types of fabric, specific sizes (sheets, pillowcases and hand towels) plus the stained stripes and there's also a sequence that must be followed to load the machine.
Unfortunately, the brazlilian test standards aren't ready to test a removable drum machine. the machine had to be loaded as a standard front loader. (without removing the drum) It's a fact that loading the drum like a top loader makes better washing and spinning results.
Special has very high cleaning efficiency ratings. Rinse efficiency isn't tested here in Brazil, but the machine rinses very well too.
Everybody knows that the capacity rate, when in KG/LBS is considering a load of mixed cotton (mentioned above). Why did Which? tested it with jeans (obviously we must use less capacity to compensate the thicker fabric). 22 pairs of jeans is too exagerated.
Thanks for the picture!
Yes, the coupling i mean is exactly that. it's well made and dependable, but not too dependable to survive on houses with stupid consumers that throw the drum rudely into the machine.
Mueller is made to be cheap so it doesn't have the recirculation sprays. Anyway, the water level is very high.
The coupling system is almost the same (three drums), but without this connector on the back of the drum. (more simple, less prone to failures)
About the test, what happened to Titan was simply ridiculous. I don't know about the load standards in UK but here in Brazil the test load is composed by specific types of fabric, specific sizes (sheets, pillowcases and hand towels) plus the stained stripes and there's also a sequence that must be followed to load the machine.
Unfortunately, the brazlilian test standards aren't ready to test a removable drum machine. the machine had to be loaded as a standard front loader. (without removing the drum) It's a fact that loading the drum like a top loader makes better washing and spinning results.
Special has very high cleaning efficiency ratings. Rinse efficiency isn't tested here in Brazil, but the machine rinses very well too.
Everybody knows that the capacity rate, when in KG/LBS is considering a load of mixed cotton (mentioned above). Why did Which? tested it with jeans (obviously we must use less capacity to compensate the thicker fabric). 22 pairs of jeans is too exagerated.
@JaredH
Mueller has absolutely nothing to do with Speed Queen.
Actually, the Mueller action is also 100% made of plastic. It includes cabinet, outer tub, tub, agitator, etc... Oh, the plug prongs are metalic LOL.
I don't know about the Action yet but I have it's older sister "Diva", which is LNA because it was replaced by "Class". The machine was ok.
Comparing to other premium brands at that time, the Diva was "the ugly duck". It's spin speed was too slow, the wash performance was good (i mean good, period) miles away from being excellent.
I hate the softener dispenser and I used it only a few times. because the machine had a spin activated softener dispenser but the spin had two ramps so the softener was always rinsed away before the final rinse.
But... that was the first Mueller's automatic top loader. and even with all of those project failures, the Diva used to last a lot. (Mine still looks like mint in box after years of use. so the ugly duck became a swan.
After many years, they launched the Class. It's almost the same as Diva, but with improved details. The dispenser releases the softener right on time, it has more cycles thanks to the electonic dial and it's more flexible. It's also dependable (Being Mueller, it's not a surprise)
They launched Mueller Linea. It was the same Class, but with an agitator instead of an impeller. It's agitator was fantastic (a huge agitator in a tiny drum) and the rollover was BETTER THAN THE OLD BENDIX ECONOMAT. Some people here used to say that Linea had the best tangling performance on the market. It washes, rinses, spins and ties a bow tie in minutes. Unloading was easy. simply grab one garment using two fingers and pull, the whole load comes together. LOL But that machine cleaned really well! (thank god they killed that agitator)
The cleaning performance was shocking even using only cold water.
I think that maybe they had to get rid of that agitator because of it, so they just launched Mueller Action, which has a dual action agitator and the rated capacity is bigger.
Among the other competitors at the same category, Mueller Class and Mueller Action are the best. The other's are Consul (forgot the model names, but those are ridiculous) and Electrolux LTC07 and LT06. Spin performance ratings are poor on all of them, but Class is a lot cheaper and lasts twice because it's simple, but they don't save money on quality.
Mueller has absolutely nothing to do with Speed Queen.
Actually, the Mueller action is also 100% made of plastic. It includes cabinet, outer tub, tub, agitator, etc... Oh, the plug prongs are metalic LOL.
I don't know about the Action yet but I have it's older sister "Diva", which is LNA because it was replaced by "Class". The machine was ok.
Comparing to other premium brands at that time, the Diva was "the ugly duck". It's spin speed was too slow, the wash performance was good (i mean good, period) miles away from being excellent.
I hate the softener dispenser and I used it only a few times. because the machine had a spin activated softener dispenser but the spin had two ramps so the softener was always rinsed away before the final rinse.
But... that was the first Mueller's automatic top loader. and even with all of those project failures, the Diva used to last a lot. (Mine still looks like mint in box after years of use. so the ugly duck became a swan.
After many years, they launched the Class. It's almost the same as Diva, but with improved details. The dispenser releases the softener right on time, it has more cycles thanks to the electonic dial and it's more flexible. It's also dependable (Being Mueller, it's not a surprise)
They launched Mueller Linea. It was the same Class, but with an agitator instead of an impeller. It's agitator was fantastic (a huge agitator in a tiny drum) and the rollover was BETTER THAN THE OLD BENDIX ECONOMAT. Some people here used to say that Linea had the best tangling performance on the market. It washes, rinses, spins and ties a bow tie in minutes. Unloading was easy. simply grab one garment using two fingers and pull, the whole load comes together. LOL But that machine cleaned really well! (thank god they killed that agitator)
The cleaning performance was shocking even using only cold water.
I think that maybe they had to get rid of that agitator because of it, so they just launched Mueller Action, which has a dual action agitator and the rated capacity is bigger.
Among the other competitors at the same category, Mueller Class and Mueller Action are the best. The other's are Consul (forgot the model names, but those are ridiculous) and Electrolux LTC07 and LT06. Spin performance ratings are poor on all of them, but Class is a lot cheaper and lasts twice because it's simple, but they don't save money on quality.
