whos into hoover washers?

[lavamat_jon]

Kenmore,

I forgot all about these in my previous post - these sort of "compact" washers are getting more common nowadays - H axis toploaders. I think even some versions such as Bosch's roll around for portability. Same height/depth as a standard FL, but are only 45cm wide.

Jon

http://www.boschappliances.co.uk/productdetail.asp?type=HL&cat=Washing+Machines&product_ref=WOP 2400

 

[Designgeek]

Jon- Very interesting. So if I understand what's depicted in your link there, is's a horizontal axis top loader, presumably with a hatch in the side of the drum, and with a highspeed spin. Now if only they would put windows on those so you can see what's going on in there.

Question is, do you know of any horizontal axis top loaders with programmable or manual cycle controls, i.e. the ability to set wash and rinse times, number of rinse cycles, include or omit spin cycles, and so on?

 

[lavamat_jon]

Designgeek,

Not to that extent. Basically H-axis TL's have the same controls/programmes as standard front loaders, just you access the drum via a hatch at the top rather than through the door on the front.

Most of these washers have "extra rinse" options that will perform an extra rinse. Most washers now also have a choice of "short" (approx 1hr) or "normal" wash times.

Jon

 

[jdinstl]

Small World!!!

Hey there chris!!!!



John

 

[foraloysius]

More H-axis toploaders

Designgeek,

There is more about H-axis toploaders in the Dyson thread in the Deluxe forum.

Louis

 

[Designgeek]

Cool, maybe we should start an H-axis TL topic..?

I think the reason compacts from major makers have tended to cost more is that they are produced in smaller numbers than the main product lines. They also require significantly different components, whereas components for full-size machines are often interchangeable throughout the product line. However we're starting to see inexpensive Asian compacts, from such makers as Avanti, Danby, Haier, and Koblenz (the latter's BOL models have gravity drain, which is a bit too manual even for me!); plus Danby's affordable compact FL made in Slovenia, plus probably a few more I can't think of at the moment.

When you say 1 hour for short cycle, what's the regular cycle? I occasionally see people here complaining about 90 minute FL cycles. The large-capacity FLs I've used in local laundromats typically have a 45-minute cycle. My Hotpoint TL has about a 25-minute cycle (only one rinse though), and my Danby twin-tub is variable depending on the settings I use. So apparently there's quite a range.

In any case, I can't imagine someone just pressing a button and leaving the house, even if the cycle runs two hours. There's always a risk that something will go wrong, and sticking within earshot assures you can intervene. Or, do people really leave the house while their laundry is in?

 

[peterh770]

Coin laundry washers typically have a wash cycle that clocks in under 30 minutes without filling time. A Wascomat's cycle length is 23.5 minutes without filling. Whirlpool tops are a 23 min cycle also.

I typically leave the house or go to bed with my washer/dryer/dishwasher running.

 

[foraloysius]

Not very often but sometimes I put on the washer before I leave the house. The dishwasher has a timer, I sometimes use it to start the dishwasher late in the afternoon so it's finished by the time I get home.

 

[foraloysius]

I created a thread in the Deluxe forum about H-axis toploaders.

 

[jetcone]

When it says

I ALWAYS leave the house!

I just did my first "hidden" load in the Philco-Bendix. Hit the on button and went out running errands. All was done and dry when i got home. Although I did picture the house burning down while I was out but these are the risks of Automatic Laundry and Dishcleaning!!!

Its a dangerous hobby to be sure.

Jet

 

[jetcone]

WOW THAT LAST HEADER dropped the word

AUTOMATIC
I put it in quotes to emphasize it and it dropped it completely

It should have read When it says AUTOMATIC......

Lesson learned.

 

[Designgeek]

I'm surprised; I've never left the house with anything running that uses significant power and/or water, aside from the fridge and the hot water heater. When I was using laundromats a lot, I would occasionally put a load in and then scoot off to fetch the mail or something, and always get back before it was done; but that exception is because it's a public place with someone watching.

Though on one occasion I ran into a laundromat machine that wasn't filling with water, which meant waiting it out and re-running the cycle in another machine. Had I gone out while that was going on, I would have come back to slightly damp clothes with bits of detergent in them and wondered what had happened.