"As for 220v power, even Bosch succumbed and built a plant in the United States to churn out 110v washers and dryers for the US market, leaving Miele the remaining hold out. "
Did Asko go out of business, or pull out of the US market?
"Forget "niche" appliances from today's US washer and dryer manufacturers. It is all about efficent production, which means one or maybe two models in the BOL,MOL and TOL sections that will work everywhere from Canada to Mexico. "
Sorry, but front loaders ARE a niche appliance, still, to begin with. They are getting more popular, that's true, but the vast majority of washers sold in the USA are still traditional agitator designs.
It would not take a major redesign to provide a current American style large front loader with a 220 volt option. All it would be needed for, really, is for the water heater. That is a relatively minor change. I know I'd be willing to pay an extra $100 or so for that option, and I'm pretty sure others here would be so willing also. It's more a matter of myopic appliance marketing than the lack of a market.
"Given the longer drying times of 110 volt dryers, I'd like to see one built with a slower rotation speed to reduce the rubbing/wear on fabrics. I don't even think this would lengthen the cycle, since the tumbling is primarily for the purpose of letting the air flow through every article in the load. "
Miele's literature stresses that the rotation speed must be just so for the laundry to drop from the top of the drum to the bottom and splash into the pool of water at the bottom. Too slow a rotation speed, and the load will just roll in the drum. Too fast, and the laundry won't fall at all, but will stick to the top of the drum all the way through.
I'm not convinced that low water levels and long cycle times are responsible for pilling, anyway. In my experience it has more to do with mixing pill-prone fabrics with lint-prone fabrics. It can also result from mixing heavy fabrics (like cotton towels) with lightweight fabrics (like cotton/poly blend dress shirts). The heavy cotton tends to beat up the light fabrics, as well. Additionally, in machines such as the Maytag Neptune, the longer cycles can be accomplished by simply inserting longer pauses between tumbles. This means that there is virtually no more wear on the fabrics than would be experienced with the same cycle without the stain cycle option.
Did Asko go out of business, or pull out of the US market?
"Forget "niche" appliances from today's US washer and dryer manufacturers. It is all about efficent production, which means one or maybe two models in the BOL,MOL and TOL sections that will work everywhere from Canada to Mexico. "
Sorry, but front loaders ARE a niche appliance, still, to begin with. They are getting more popular, that's true, but the vast majority of washers sold in the USA are still traditional agitator designs.
It would not take a major redesign to provide a current American style large front loader with a 220 volt option. All it would be needed for, really, is for the water heater. That is a relatively minor change. I know I'd be willing to pay an extra $100 or so for that option, and I'm pretty sure others here would be so willing also. It's more a matter of myopic appliance marketing than the lack of a market.
"Given the longer drying times of 110 volt dryers, I'd like to see one built with a slower rotation speed to reduce the rubbing/wear on fabrics. I don't even think this would lengthen the cycle, since the tumbling is primarily for the purpose of letting the air flow through every article in the load. "
Miele's literature stresses that the rotation speed must be just so for the laundry to drop from the top of the drum to the bottom and splash into the pool of water at the bottom. Too slow a rotation speed, and the load will just roll in the drum. Too fast, and the laundry won't fall at all, but will stick to the top of the drum all the way through.
I'm not convinced that low water levels and long cycle times are responsible for pilling, anyway. In my experience it has more to do with mixing pill-prone fabrics with lint-prone fabrics. It can also result from mixing heavy fabrics (like cotton towels) with lightweight fabrics (like cotton/poly blend dress shirts). The heavy cotton tends to beat up the light fabrics, as well. Additionally, in machines such as the Maytag Neptune, the longer cycles can be accomplished by simply inserting longer pauses between tumbles. This means that there is virtually no more wear on the fabrics than would be experienced with the same cycle without the stain cycle option.
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