Newest Innovations Improve Washer Performance

Today’s washers are so advanced, they can almost run themselves. The most recent advances in laundry care have made things a heck of a lot easier in laundry rooms everywhere with improvements in wash performance, energy efficiency and water conservation. Families of all sizes can reap the benefits of the latest models, which include larger load capacity, steam cycles and anti-vibration technology, to name a few. If you choose a new model that has programmable memory, you can set the timer to start the washer any time of day and you don’t even have to be at home or awake during the cycle.

We’ll explore these latest innovations in great detail, so you can navigate your way through all the new features before deciding to upgrade. As you shop for your new washer, consider:

• How many family members contribute to your laundry?
• How often do you run your washer?
• What types of clothing or fabrics do you wash?
• How large are the loads you wash?
• What special cycles or features do you need?
• Would you like to help conserve water and energy while doing laundry?

Washer Types, Features and Performance

With the latest improvements, there are now 4 main types of washers: Traditional Top Load Washers, Top Load High Efficiency Models without Agitator, Front Load Models and Compact Models. Each has distinct advantages, but determining the best one for your family involves more than simply choosing based on style. If you have a large family and require heavy duty laundering, a large efficient top loading or front loading washer may be best. Smaller families may find a space-saving compact model best. ENERGY STAR™ qualified washers help save water and energy and contribute to a better environment.

Traditional Top Load Models

Traditional top loading washers make loading and unloading easy with access to the drum from the top. A central agitator moves the clothes around the drum during the wash cycle, removing stains, dirt, odors and more. Selectable settings allow you to choose the appropriate water level. Normally, three temperature settings are available: hot/cold, warm/cold, cold/cold. However, some models offer a wider range of temperature settings.

Top Load High Efficiency Models-Without Agitator

High efficiency top load models offer some of the latest technological advances available today, with several options for how your clothes will move through the wash cycle using a series of different directional movements to get them clean, as opposed to the agitation of traditional models.

Infusor™ wash systems gently pull clothes through the water using up to a 540-degree reversing arc motion for a gentle and thorough clean.

Impeller washers feature a cylinder at the bottom of the drum that moves clothes through the wash cycle in a more delicate way, and produces a clean laundry load without as much wear and tear as agitator models.

Also, higher speed spins of these new and improved models extract more water from clothing, reducing the amount of time your clothes will spend in the dryer and the amount of energy consumed.

Front Loading Models

Typically, the newer front loading washers clean better and are more energy efficient than the best high-efficiency top load models. One of the most appealing advances that some front loading models offer is load monitoring where the washer determines the amount of water for the load, based upon the weight of the clothes. They partially fill with water and clean by lifting the clothes up to the top of the tub and dropping them back down into the water. Large loads are easily cleaned with high-efficiency detergent. The spin cycle reduces drying time by extracting moisture much better than traditional models and anti-vibration technology reduces vibration and maintains quiet performance.

Another popular feature of many front loading models is the steam setting, which cleans tough stains better and quickly refreshes fabrics, and the tub cleaning setting keeps the washer fresh and clean in between washes. Families with small children or pets may especially benefit from the power and performance of steam cleaning. Also, new touchpad controls offer convenient start time delay and memory settings. Additionally, many models include an automatic door lock that keeps children away from potentially dangerous moving parts.

Compact Models

For those who have space concerns, compact models fit the bill, affording most everyone the convenience of washing clothes at home. Stackable models can fit into spaces the size of a small closet and other compact models are great for apartments and condominiums or one and two person households. Top loading and front loading compact models are also options in tight spaces.