Top Loading H-Axis Washers - Why So Few?

[launderess]

Sat sitting and wondered why outside of France top loading H-Axis washing machines aren't that popular. Well they do sell in other parts of Europe such as Germany and Italy, but not nearly in numbers as with France. Seems to me that the United States would be a natura market for such machines, combining the best of both worlds; top and front loading washing machines.

Is it because design and construction tend to limit size to rather small capacity? The ones I've used in France held about 5k or so, and had the three door system. Understand Miele and others have made models with less doors,and in various configurations ranging from very small capacity to somewhat larger than 5k. Seems that when the drum size begins to increase drum switches from being "front to back", to left to right, which obviously changes cabinet specs.

Commercial laundries had or still have lots of options for top or even side loading H-axis washing machines,though it seems the large models do not extract well if at all. Is that the problem with designing any large capacity top loading H-Axis washer?

Thoughts?

L.

 

[panthera]

well, two:

I think there are two considerations which might play a role.
One, unless you go for a single bearing setup (like some motorcycles) the alignment of the two drum bearings is tremendously crucial and not cheap.
Two, the market for machines larger than about 6-7kilos here in Europe just isn't that big. At least not domestically.
I seriously doubt that most folks in the US really wash more than 15-16 pounds at a time, either...but it takes a while to realise that those FLs hold 15-16 pounds...when you take out the agitator, you gain space!
Anyway, H-Axis TLs are wonderful. One limitation which certainly applies to countries which like "built-in" kitchens: You can't do them under the counter top.
Obviously.
But that shouldn't be a limitation in the US. Hmm, a market niche just waiting to be exploited!

 

[bellalaundry]

Yeah, I've wondered that too!

The cabinet dimensions would be perfect for taking down the very narrow basement stairs that I have (21"). Best of both worlds, being able to load from the top, but gentle washing. Also quite efficient with water I would guess. I once E-mailed Miele Canada to express interest in their European model. No answer back.

Guy

 

[marukap]

Meet the Stabers

Does anybody have any experience or insight into the Staber top loading horizontal axis washers?

Commercial & Residential Laundry Equipment | Staber Industries, Inc.

Staber Industries is a leader in the commercial and residential laundry equipment industry. Staber delivers American made, high quality laundry solutions. No job is too large or too small!

www.staber.com

 

[launderess]

Miele Canada

Will have nothing to do with customers located "down south", in the States. Have tried, and all they will do is tell you to contact Miele USA. Think it might be a contractual thing that each says off the other's manor.

OTHO suppose one could purchase something from a Miele dealer in Canada and bring it down south, but service might be tricky.

L.

 

[vivalalavatrice]

Once upon a time...IGNIS! Now no more...

- Seems that when the drum size begins to increase drum switches from being "front to back", to left to right, which obviously changes cabinet specs. -

No more unfortunately...
I'm a TLHA lovers either...and I own one, it's a Whirlpool... in the past there were TLHA 60cm wide with the drum lack left-righ now this tipology of machine has become for small apartment, for single, for small families sot ther's no more the need to go over than 5kg with only 40cm of width...alghout specially the French brands come out wiht some 45cm wide model that allow to load until 6-7Kg...

YES...I'd like too seeing again those machine like that below...which were the lasts
Here the leader was...guess who?! IGNIS!
Have a look...

http://www.automaticwasher.org/TD/THREADS/MODERN/11848x18.htm

 

[vivalalavatrice]

...and what about an Asko...

Here a friend of mine met on Youtube who I asked some pics to of his Asko sent me those...

Have a look...

http://it.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/diomede.corso/album?.dir=d20fre2&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//it.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/diomede.corso/my_photos

 

[vivalalavatrice]

...but three of them...

The washer is not the same from pic to pic...the typology is the same though...the three with the white wall were sent to me byt Louis...thanks Louis!

GoodBye
Diomede

 

[oxydolfan1]

Vivalalavatrice, is this type of machine popular in Italy?

 

[MrX]

The toploader H-Axis machines in France are popular for a simple reason: space saving in small studio apartments etc.

These machines hold a standard 5-6kg wash, but because the drum is mounted so that it rotates front-to-back rather than side-to-side the machine can be significantly narrower than a normal front loading h-axis machine. The capacity is made up for by the depth and height of the cabinet, rather than the width.

 

[hoovermatic]

My last two machines have been h-axis and I love 'em. Probably only got into them because of space issues, certainly when I had my flat in Luton it was all I had space for and where I am now the previous owner had a WM where the DW is now so it left a non standard space to fit the h-axis. When that broke down I got another brand new French built Hotpoint one off Ebay for £50.00 and it is still going strong. The only downside is the capacity. Whilst it is pretty standard at 5-6 kilos, as FL machines grow every larger, h- axis machines remain static. However, who'd have thought a standard sized cabinet whould hold 9 kilos. My mums Bendix in 1980 only took 9 pounds of washing!! But unless h-axis are more popular I can't imagine they would bother with the expense of redesigning and manufacturing a larger capacity. They are overlooked by the general public - only two days ago I heard a lady point at tne one they had on the floor and say 'aww look - isn't that cute!!', and walk on by. Most of my friends don't even know what it is in the kitchen and someone recently asked me 'What's that?', as it went into the spin cycle.

 

[vivalalavatrice]

Vivalalavatrice, is this type of machine popular in Italy?

The agitator here in Europe is very rare...
The most of WM are h-axis.

Honestly to answer you correctly I report the statistics saying that only th 15% of WM are TL(ha) in Italy...
But as just as you go in France, the percents change! Have a look to the number of product in auction per each category on Ebay France...the number of "chargemet par le dessus" go over the number of "chargement frontal"...
Overthere as mrx've said too the space saving reason justifies that choice.

The story of Washing machine in Italy start in the 50s when the first mechanisms for washing clothes start to come out to the market...there were twintubs, wringer washers, but very soon just the twintubs starts to adoptize the rotating drum into the washin tank...

Then with the arrivals of the "oblò" (the circular windowed frontal lid), and the load balancing system started to come out the first completely automatic washing machine...they were Candy in midddle 50s to 60s...

At the beginning of 60s "Cavaliere Giovanni Borghi" founded Ignis brand and started to produce the very first Italian TL(ha) completely Superautomatic Washin Machine...he's considered the inventor of the TL here in Italy.

That type of machine had the drum rotating left-right and were 60cm wide per 5Kg or a bit more...
Now UNLUCKLY no more...as the market considers the TL machines to save space it wouldn't make sense to produce TL like those there were in the past, so much wide...so much big...like that first Ignis restyled and produced util the 2001...

The meaning of the TLHA here is "save space" and not "no to bend down to load"...otherwise there would be more TL that those awful IMHO slant axis...like Jesty, Hoover...

GOODBYE
Diomede

 

[fa_f3_20]

Where do you put the window?

 

[vivalalavatrice]

Where do you put the window?

...OMG! )
The top side opening don't make forbidden to have a glassed lid!
Either the 1947Launderall (which was I think the last TLHA you had there in US) had a little circulare window on the top...

Then it was very common specially in France to have TLHA with the glassed lid (look at the pic showing an old Vedette the brand which more sold this typology)...this have become rare in the more recent years when under the lid take the place the detergent dispenser which has been taking place on the top since then.

The show is completely different...you don't see the clothes tubling and tubling in the drum (don't worry for the sound which is the same sometimes better splashing!) but the sudsy perforating stainless steel drum rotaing in the wash and very wet during the rinse...the spinning is such cool..specially with the lid open when you can get completely wet!!LOL!

Here below the link to a video of a machine rather similar to the Vedette of the pic...it's a Otsein...I suppose the Sapnish corriponding brands of the French Vedette...

Good BYE
Diomede

PS: Looka at the other Enrico's video of this machine too, it's a Zoppas now Electrolux's brand.

YouTube

Share your videos with friends, family, and the world.

www.youtube.com

 

[vivalalavatrice]

Where do you put the window?

...here you are the Enrico's videos.
No where it's the answer so. You can see the wash the same doing like Enrico did...

BYE!
Diomede

 

[vivalalavatrice]

The Example...

Anyway this is how I consider "good concepted", "good constructed", "good-to-use"...Top Loading Horizontal Axis...
Like this which was the first one here in Italy, lasted almost 40 years on th market...and now no washing machine like this are beeing produced and sold here any longer...what a sandness :-(((