i wonder if washer with dials like this will ever make a comeback

Automatic Washer - The world's coolest Washing Machines, Dryers and Dishwashers

Help Support :

I think I'd like to see mechanical controls again. And, of course, not just any, but ones that will last long enough to see more the completion of one cycle... Mechanical controls seem more intuitive to me than endless rows of little buttons and flashing lights. (Although...well designed electronic interface might change my mind. But the interfaces used now seem primitive with all the user friendliness of an early VCR.)

At the same time, however, I have to wonder if mechanical controls have much chance of coming back... For some options, it might not matter--a switch can select Heated Dry on a dishwasher, or Hot Wash on a washer. (Even if the switch doesn't actually directly switch anything--i.e. it's "read" by a computer.) But for timers on appliances that now have a computer brain making decisions (e.g., dishwashers that "decide" how long to wash, etc) it seems likely to stay computer based.

The issue of control boards getting fried is a real issue. But why can't appliance companies engineer the boards better? Why can't they ensure replacement parts are available, and fairly priced? (OK. They have an interest in seeing people buy new... But at some point, they need to understand the planet can't support new appliances every year. Many of the 99% in the US who are getting poorer every day can't afford new appliances every year. And parts could generate some revenue, and a perhaps a lot of good will.)
 
Make mine dials

Similar to what I have now on the SQ. And on the Corolla. Simple, effective, easy to use and utterly reliable.
 
I like the mechanical controls better-more reliable,easier to use,lower cost to repair,more resistent to power surges and lightening.Hope they can make some sort of comeback.Otherwise--shop at the second hand-swap shops for machines that still have the mechanical controls.The electronic-digital controls offer more cycles-but do you really need them??And don't need my washer or whatever to communicate to my cellphone.
 
Advantages of a mechanical timer

another of the many advantages of a mechanical timer say you have to go out and need to stop the washer while your out to run errands you just push the timer in if its a pull to start model or in the case of vintage washers pull to stop same thing in case of powerfalilure witch would avoid many error codes if the washer was full electronic control not only that more chances to have true hot water go in the machine no sensors to dumb down the water temp i am washing my bed sheets right now in my generation 1 duet washer witch is semi electronic i have it set to hot water but the last load i had to use warm because of the all cold rinses the hot water going down in the washer is dumbdown a bit and the trouble is with electronique controls if the control board breaks you have to spend $$$ on a new washer not everyone can afford a new machine thats a sad fate and not only that is where ever the washer is sent to do not nesseary mean that they are fix and sold as usesd refurbish appliance and if they are sent to be crush the washer is not check to see if many good parts can be recycled or reuse to repair a washer of the same model.
 
Lord Kenmore has a good point. Many in the industrialized world can't afford new appliances every time one dies prematurely.

 

One would think it would be MUCH more profitable in the long term to focus on developing cheap, simple, reliable models for the majority of the planet that does not have such appliances. Certainly the potential customer base is much larger.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top