The New Drawer Washing Machine from Reason!!!

[logixx]

Integrated water tank

I remember a washer, several years ago, having a tank that would store rinse water for the next wash. It was a regular Euro FL - I *think* made by Electrolux.

Alex

 

[MrX]

Problems :

1) Being launched at the start of a recession / slow down in Europe (and the US)
2) Customers do not trust new brands for washing machines.
3) It looks weird, so won't go down well with customers.
4) Who will support these machines for parts / service?
5) People traditionally like the glass door on front loaders. It's a feature.

 

[rapunzel]

Well, I heard that in 2012, every company is to stop making

The manufacturing of agitator washers in the US may cease in 2012. Though I doubt that they'll disappear from the market place. Whirlpool and Electrolux will simply import them from somewhere else. Anyway, lets just see how the economy will pan out and how the American public responds to more factory closures once unemployment hits double digit figures again. Look at it this way, since the financial melt-down climate change has virutally dropped off the radar. If we are cruising towards a major recession or possible depression, economically restrictive mandates will become quite unpopular with politicians.

Energy and water consumption ratings for most modern agitator/impeller top loaders are very close to most front loaders these days. To ban such machines outright, when they still make up the lion share of washer sales outside of Europe, is over the top and irrational.

About the Reason washer, I agree with Gansky's observation. That was nowhere near a 10 kilo load and the washer looked pretty full already. Apart from that, I quite like this slide-out design. It is innovative, even if it doesn't appeal to my aesthetic senses. A top-loading front loader, that fits under a kitchen counter is a pretty good idea and will generate consumer interest, providing that the price is right. With a bit more r&d they may even be able to put in a small window in future. It doesn't have to be large or perfectly round.

I still consider the Titan washer to be the most innovative front loader design in recent years. To have the wash cylinder double as a removable dirty/clean laundry basket is extremely clever and practical.

 

[dj-gabriele]

I bet my ass that this is a prototype/pre-market washer from Dyson! Some kind of new contrarotator!

 

[favorit]

Alex - water tank

I remember that FL too. It was a early 60ies Indesit (true Turin-made indesit). It looked very .. Bendish ;-)
It had a hidden tank over the tub and a switch to choose btw re-use and drain. To reuse one had to open the upper lid and pull out the plug in the "sink" to let the saved water flow over the drum in the tub

BTW I agree with Louis, Gansky and mrX.
Also I think -in long terms- DishDrawers are prone to leaks too, as pipes move each time one opens/closes

 

[vivalalavatrice]

GRANDI!!!

Gabriele,
if this is not a Photoshop joke... well, I'm really impressed. As neither the contrarotar had got so much success I wonder how could they think this will have!

Carlo,
I don't remeber exaclty but it might be an Indes model, a mother brand of nowadays Indesit.

I suspect then that this systema is to take the advantage of the ever more diffuse floor heating, so keeping a tank in contact with the floor "heating" may help it to increase the temperature of the water there inside, but this would be good to wash with 30-40°C max of the water temp...what about then with the incredible "sanitize" (over 60°C) cycle once more requested!??!

Diomede

 

[jetcone]

Who knew there would be a

completey new style machine possible after all the designs that have been tried. Impressive attempt.

I like the idea of the sliding drawer and one touch button but that would not cover everything one needs to wash. Hence Electrolux's new machine with almost infinite cycle options.

It reminds me of the Launderall, a clossal failure due to engineering out on a ledge (eooal). The Launderall had a one touch control that you couldn't stop once it was started and a very complex reversing transmission that killed the machine. This machine is banking on a business model that your sole "reason" for purchase will be that you A) don't need to see the wash action and suds level and B) You really hate pulling clothes out of a front loader door.
Those are the only two differentiating features from a standard front loader.

Now a question for all front loader users: How many times have you started a load and seen a piece of clothing bleeding onto the wash and you have stopped and drained the machine to pull the offending piece out befor it ruined your entire wash?

That is something impossible to do in this machine.

Basically , I think, what their business model is trading off is "convenience" against "really addressing all of your laundry needs". There is no one cycle I know of that will cover the majority of wash needs in an average household, is there?

With one button how does a machine tell cotton from wool from polyester?

Matty nice find but I have to rate this a collectors only machine like the Launderall. I can't see it as a daily driver.

 

[peterh770]

A) Leakage...

B) Pull out the drawer after the cycle, some residual water drips or pours out onto the floor. Slip and fall, or throw back out bending over to wipe it up.

Hmmm... I really like the machine, but wouldn't want from the first generation...

 

[dyson2drums]

hey
its got more than one program, as it says it remembers your last three washes, maybe with that one button/dial you can select fabric type and it will be displayed on the lcd!
Who knows!

 

[logixx]

I thought the same thing as dyson: it's probably a not just a button but also a dial - similar to what Miele uses for the Navitronic.

I wonder about the spin cycle. It's indeed a large drum but there does not seem to be an outer tub with shock absorbers. How does is handle off-balance loads? I guess the washer has to be very heavy, since it's not a solid-mount design. I also assume (hope) it still lets you dose detergent and softener manually - for those who use different additives for different cycles.

BTW: the space between drum and outer tub seems very small - so where is the lid? Inside the drum?

 

[favorit]

Alex

you' re right !
More : when pulled out,the drum is connected with the drawer door. If this connection is permanent I bet the drawer crashes at the first slightly imbalanced spin

So the drum should have 2 Titan-like pins that work this way :
DRAWER OPEN - the outer pin catches drawer/door sys while back pin free.
DRAWER CLOSED - the inner pin ins connected with the shaft/pulley sys while outer pin is disconnected

It doesn't seem such a reliable design.
I guess a design with the whole [tub + motor + suspension] mounted on the drawer would be much more solid.
I' d like to read ThomasOrtega's opinion about this crazy machine

Carlo

 

[favorit]

JETCONE

One touch programming.I hope it'll be i.pod-like as Dyson2drums and Alex say.
Otherwise I'd stay away from an extreme "6th-sense"(whirlpoolically speaking)selfprogramming machine
My machine has a "mixed fabrics" (now is called "automatic") that SHOULD "understand" if the load is mosly cottons or mostly perm press and behave consequently.
It relies on fabrics absorption : cotton SHOULD absorb more water than poly. But this isn't ever true
Thick polies (as fleece and pile) get heavy when wet.
Lightweight cottons (AC shirts) absorb very little.
So the machine swaps fabric and program : poly not cooled down and fully spun, cotton cooled down and intermittently spun
Miele knew it as they locked spin @ 900rpm in both cases and temp @ 40°C/105°F to avoid disasters *LOL*
Some years ago AEG Lavamats introduced a unique perma/cotton program. Later they went back with perma prog. and cotton progr

TCALSS i never use "Mixed load" . I run them on perma press

Carlo