The Laundry List
For all of the grass stain–elimination contests we see on TV among name-brand laundry detergents, it’s the washers and dryers that do the heavy lifting. Now the machines are stealing the spotlight with high-tech advancements that take clean to the next level.
Cleaning clothes in a washer and dryer seems simple enough: Put them in, add some detergent, watch them tumble and spin, and voilà! Fresh laundry. But while most machines get the basic job done, not all washers and dryers are created equal.
The agitator, for example—–that protruding stem in the middle of traditional washers—–is a merciless stretcher of garments, while scratches on a dryer’s metal interior wall can cruelly snag threads and tear delicate articles. It’s better than toiling over a washboard and bucket, but the road to machine-clean clothing is fraught with danger.
Luckily, home appliances compare with computers and cars when it comes to technological and material innovation. From agitator-free washers to snag-proof dryer walls, the list of risks is shrinking.
In addition to treating garments with greater care, new machines have also made significant strides in water and energy efficiency, saving operating costs throughout their life spans. Though dryers still run neck and neck with refrigerators—–and hot on the tail of air conditioners and water heaters—–in the competition for greatest domestic energy hog, they’re leagues ahead of where they once were.
This month we selected five of the newest models of front-loading washers and dryers to take for a spin. We enlisted one of the leaders of clean, Eric Ryan of Method, to help us separate the suds from the duds.
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Nexxt 800 Series
- Made by: Bosch
- Price: $1,299-1,449
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Epic
- Made by: Maytag
- Price: $1,099-1,199
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Affinity
- Made by: Frigidaire
- Price: $749-999
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Duet Steam Washer WFW9600T
- Made by: Whirlpool
- Price: $1,399-1,699
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W 3050 and T 8005
- Made by: Miele
- Price: $1,749-2,349
Article
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Bay Wash
With a presence in three centuries, Christi Azevedo’s Victorian survived the quake of 1906 and served as a laundry before its rebirth as a well-lit hybrid of old and new.
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Events
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EVER WASH by Guy Overfelt at Ever Gold Gallery
"EVER WASH" at Ever Gold Gallery in San Francisco. Opening Reception: Thursday April 7th, 6-9pm Closing Reception: Thursday April 28th. Gallery Open Wednesday- Saturday 1-6pm Ever Gold…
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Merchandise Mart's Spring Fling
All right designers, winter is almost over, the weather's getting warmer, and there's no better time for a spring fling, the Merchandise Mart's annual Spring Fling, that is. Jump into the outdoor…
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Zaha Hadid Retrospective Exhibition
A major retrospective on the works of Zaha Hadid Architects will take place within the salone of Palazzo della Ragione, Padua, Italy in October. The exhibition will examine the practice’s…
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