What came of Ignis?

[gorenje]

Hello all,

I remember my grandmother having an Ignis washing machine, this would have been an early to mid 1970s model. It had a brown faux-wood metal top and a silver-brown control panel. It had 12 programs and a very attractive timer. I believe the model designation was "Oblo 12". It lasted, with some repairs along the way, into the late 1990s. Anyway, I was just wondering who now owns the "Ignis" name. It seems they are still around, I've seen a topload (horizontal-axis, tumbling) washer made by them, on sale. Also, looking around on the net I've found sites offering their stuff for sale. It was/is an Italian company.

Just curious, thanks for your help.

 

[foraloysius]

Whirlpool owns the brand name Ignis, but I think they stopped using it. Whirlpool got it when they took over Philips, Philips used it for their cheaper appliances. I don't know the origin of the brand name Ignis, probably they were a small independent Italian brand, like many many other ones. Overhere in the Netherlands you still see those toploaders on auction sites.

 

[toggleswitch]

Same as Inglis?

 

[appnut]

Best Buy now sells a line of appliances, comperable to Roper, but under the Inglis brand name. They just started.

 

[petek]

Inglis

Was/is a Canadian brand name from the former John Inglis Co. in Ontario. Whirlpool is the majority shareholder. If you google John Inglis you'll find the company history and all the merger info. Appliances are still sold under the Inglis name

 

[gorenje]

I G N I S not Inglis

IGNIS was an Italian appliance company, not to be confused with Inglis which is Whirlpool's Canadian outpost, which now produces budget appliances, although at one point they had reasonably high end products, indluding solid-state control washing machine in the 80s. Anyway, back to IGNIS. I was just curious as to what came of them, seems like they became part of the Whirlpool Corp. as well. In addition to the washing machine I mentioned, I remember also a stove, fridge/freezer (still running) and a little bar fridge. Thinking about these now 30 year old appliances of my grandma's, it seems European appliances from the 70s are far more timeless and contemporary looking than their North American counterparts from the same era...

 

[foraloysius]

Ignis

Ignis and Inglis are indeed two (very) different brands although they both are owned by Whirlpool. Here's a picture of an Ignis H-axis toploader to prove the brand really exists.

 

[foraloysius]

Here's another picture of a different (cheaper) machine.

 

[foraloysius]

After a little search on the internet I found out that there are still Ignis washers sold overhere. It's been ages since I saw an Ignis washer in a store overhere. I found a small picture too.

 

[mielerod69]

That model Louis is made in china and is sold in Australia under the Whirlpool brand
Rod

Whirlpool Australia | Innovative Kitchen & Laundry Appliances

Whirlpool delivers high-performance kitchen and laundry appliances designed for busy Australian families. From smart washers to versatile ovens, our proven track record of innovation and quality spans 110 years—bringing reliability, style, and peace of mind you can trust.

www.whirlpool.com.au

 

[westytoploader]

Pure coincedence?

How ironic, completely unrelated to the Ignis washer but I had to mention it. While we were in the Cayman Islands, our rental car was a Suzuki Ignis, spelled the exact same way as this. And yes, just like this is a small washer, the Ignis was a small car as well...

Too strange...

 

[toggleswitch]

great segway....

speaking of Australia-

IIRC,there were pics of an OZ-zie SIMPSON brand T/L automatic that looked suspiciously like an American Maytag. (Specifically the wash-tub and the agitator.)

Pardon my ignorance, but are they related, or is this perhaps
an "OOPSIE, darling your patent seems to have expired" kinda deal?

 

[toggleswitch]

Compact Amercian Washers

Some of our compact washers are 22 inches, square. (55cm)

I am wonder what will happen when T/L are no longer allowed to be sold for water efficiency reasons (2007?)

Will we start to see top-loading horizontal-axis machines like the Ignis?

Louis:

Is that one pictured 45cm , 50cm or perhaps even 55cm in width? (approx. 18" or 20" or 22" respectively) Is that the smallest width generally available?

Thanks.

 

[foraloysius]

Steve,

The toploaders in the pictures are both 40cm wide. Toploaders here come in 40cm and 45cm width. There are topload dryers too, although only a few brands make them. All are 45cm wide.

 

[gizmo]

I own a Philips TL which is almost identical to the one posted by Gorenje, except mine has brown controls not white.

Toggleswitch - It appears that Simpson used a trans and agitator design from Maytag. I'm not certain but it sure looks that way. It's not unusual, most Aussie washers in the last 30 years are based on overseas designs. With a population of under 20 million,our market is small and it is just not worth it for manufacturers to "reinvent the wheel" and design a machine from scratch. However most machines manufactured here are different from the machines they were based on, adapted to suit Australian preferences and conditions.

Part of the fun of collecting washing machines here is to find out about the origins of local machines, as the Aus manufacturers often don't like to acknowledge that they use "borrowed" technology.

Chris.

 

[gizmo]

Hi Louis

That new FL Ignis washer you posted a pic of - what model number is it? Do you know what spin speed they claim for it?

It is sold here as a 650 rpm spin. I have seen inside one and I don't believe it. Judging by motor type and pulley sizes I reckon it's only 400 to maybe 450 rpm. So I'd love to know what spin speed is claimed in Europe.

Thanks

Chris.

 

[foraloysius]

Hello Chris,

I got that picture from a Dutch website comparable to Epinions. There are three models with the same picture, the AWB091, AWP092 and AWP093 with a spinspeed of resp. 800, 1000 and 1200rpm. A washer with a 650rpm spinspeed wouldn't sell here anymore. Besides that I don't think any manufacturer sees profit in selling such a machine on a market where a Candy with 1000rpm sells just for over €300.- (can everybody read that Eurosign?)

Louis

 

[toggleswitch]

Louis:

Euro-sign came through.

Thanks for the info!