Question For Today - Why TL H-Axis Washers Rare In USA?

[launderess]

While not yet having used the new Lavamat, was reminded of one reason fell in love with toplading H-axis washers when in France. The things take up far less space than their front loading cousins, thus are perfect for smaller kitchens/homes.

The Lavamat fit nicely into space that was vacated by Simplex ironer. Neither the Miele or front loading AEG would manage such a space.

You'd think by now someone would have spotted the hole in market and come up with something. Miele, AEG, and a few others do sell topladers all over world, including parts of Asia where 60hz power is more common than the exception.

My Electrolux-AEG-Lavamat claims a capacity of 5.5kgs; that is a bit more than the older Miele.

 

[iowabear]

It's sort of interesting how little variation in washer designs there was for decades.

 

Judging by the amount of advertising and R&D for detergents you'd think dirty laundry was one of the USA's most pressing problems.  Yet for the most part, Americans were content to just go out and buy the same washing machine that they had before, a TL like they grew up with, never giving it a second thought.  And manufacturers were happy to make them that way.

 

A good question. 

 

[richnz]

If one has a top loading washer

Then one might want a matching top loading dryer?
Here in the Antipodes they are very rare.
The thought of not squatting to get the last sock (front loader) is a nice thought and the bonus of being able to load until it is full (as opposed to stuffing blindly into the 11 and 1 o'clock positions) is appealing.

But am I being too matchy-matchy wanting a dryer that looks the same?
Fisher and Paykel (Ah, when it was a NZ company) made a matching front load dryer AND it matched its washers.

Do TL HA dryers exist? Do they match the washing machines?

 

[launderess]

Top loading dryers

F&P claims they invented the first, but that is rubbish.

In the archives there are posts from our European members of toplading dryers that matched offerings of washing machines going back a few decades.

 

[thomasortega]

The Laundry Alternative Inc. is about to release one in a few months.

Full size capacity, internal heater, abre to do "boil wash"

 

[thomasortega]

Top load dryers

Yes, they're interesting

But for decades american had top load washers (agitator) and front load dryers.

AFAIK nobody died to didn't buy a dryer because it wasn't top load.

 

[foraloysius]

It was me who brought that message to those poor F&P engineers who thought they invented something totally new. Their campaign for the USA had to be changed and the introduction of the TL dryer was postponed for a while. Quite decent of them to want to stick with the truth with their claims. Very unlike Maytag who claimed they had brought the first full three rack dishwasher on the market. They just ignored old Candy dishwashers with three racks.

 

[askolover]

Of course, theres's still Staber.

 

[mrsalvo]

"Yet for the most part, Americans were content to just go out and buy the same washing machine that they had before, a TL like they grew up with, never giving it a second thought. And manufacturers were happy to make them that way."

"But for decades American had top load washers (agitator) and front load dryers."

As speculated by Jim & Thomas, front load dryers really haven't changed all that much since the early years. Dryers may be looked upon as necessary yet boring evil, not much innovation there, maybe a window or a new control panel, or new color but still basically the same. Maytag, to its credit, came out with the Neptune Cabinet Dryer before they were acquired by Whirlpool. That was the most innovation I had ever seen in a dryer, yet it didn't catch on. The buying public just wasn't
having it, maybe for various reasons, like having to remodel the laundry areas, etc. I thought the Cabinet Dryer was sooooo cool, and was saddened to see it discontinued so soon after introduction to the market. It was an interesting innovation, but it didn't catch on. Americans CAN be finicky.

Just my thoughts.

Barry

 

[mrsalvo]

Maybe a T/L dyer would confuse people enough to think it was a top loading washer. Oh, I could see the soap being added to the start of a cycle!!

Barry

 

[bewitched]

top load dryers

Here in Europe there still are produced and sold models of top load dryers matching top load washers. you can see one here:

https://www.amazon.it/Brandt-BDT562AL-installazione-Caricamento-asciugatrice/dp/B0154V6SE6/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?__mk_it_IT=ÅMÅZÕÑ&qid=1532348501&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=asciugatrice+carica+dall%27alto&dpPl=1&dpID=31ldvmzZZtL&ref=plSrch

 

[foraloysius]

And let's not forget the H-axis topload washer/dryer combo!

http://brandt.fr/lave-linge-sechant-ouverture-dessus-wtd8284sf

 

[richnz]

You learn something new everyday!

Top loading dryers in that Euro format.

That cabinet dryer is a thing of beauty. How many shoes could one put in that thing at once. A wool jumper on that rack. Imagine if it was a heatpump dryer. One could put two children's wet clothes and shoes in when they get soaked after school.

Could one fit a comforter into a h-axis top loader?
There seems to be this desire to wash comforters at home. I can fit our duvet into a 7kg front loader which has a 59L drum.

What is the volume of a typical HA-TL?
Short of the lovely V-Zug Unimatic (60L) , can many HA-TL's take large volumes.

Richard

 

[foraloysius]

The H-axis toploaders have a somewhat smaller drum. Bosch has a 42 litre drum, most 40cm wide models will probably have a drum of a similar size. Miele's drum might be a bit bigger because their toploader is 45cm wide. The Brandt washer-dryer combo has a 51 litre drum.

 

[launderess]

Cabinet Dryers Have Been Around For Ages

They predate tumble dryers and until the latter arrived were how commercial laundries got things dry.

Chicago Ironer company among others sold such things to be installed in large homes or even apartment buildings.

Maytag, Asko and others simply brought back an old idea. IIRC Asko still sells cabinet dryers.

 

[henene4]

Comforters in H-axis TL

Can we just call them HTLs?

On comforters:

Their drums are verry small. Like smallest drums in a standard format machine.

But having used a 42l drum FL, I can say that I was abled to fit my 80cm*80cm pillow or my 155*220 comforter in it, though either isn't particulary volumus at all.

What speaks for it is that with allmost all TLs, water enters from above the tub, giving a natural showering effect.
Further most HTLs use slightly deeper water levels due to the tubs being generally of higher diameter but verry narrow.

I guess it comes down to the machine in the end. For example, with one of the TOL ELux made once, I wouldn't be worried as they have a recirculation pump and the option to add several rinses.
With the Whirlpool made ones (which dominate the market as even BSH sources their HTL machines from Whirlpool corp) I would be more carefull.

 

[DADoES]

 
F&P's TL dryer is 27" (68.5cm) width exterior.  The drum is approx 25.5" (64.7cm) deep and 21.5" (54.6cm) wide.  Rated capacity is 6.5 cu ft / 8kg.

I don't have any comforters but I have a very heavy quilted queen-size bedspread that fits without issue.