Jimbo's Lounge

Posts Tagged ‘Dryers’

Over one hundred years ago the Maytag Washing Machine Company was started up by a man named Frederick Maytag. It lost the latter part of its moniker in 1925, instead becoming just simply known as Maytag. Soon thereafter Maytag was asked by the U.S. government to begin manufacturing military equipment for the great war. They quickly returned to their specialty in appliances after the war.

Contrary to popular belief, the first machines were not automatic but rather for a mix of hand and machine-assisted washing. The first completely automatic machines were not made until after the first world war. At that time, Maytag started making other things like refrigerators and electric stoves. Maytag is also well known for its Superstack line of Maytag stackable washer dryers.

Buying washers and dryers could be a little demanding for those who are dwelling in small homes, condominium or apartment units. For starters, home equipment just like washers and dryers are too big for modest living areas to allow for. Another reason is that washers and dryers, being bulky appliances are not actually condo and apartment friendly considering that they require so much space. Little homes on the other hand, ordinarily lack gas vents or exhausts which clothes dryers will need.  Read more...

LG is a South Korean company specializing in both high tech and home appliance electronics. Decades ago when they were still a young conglomerate, they were known as the Goldstar companies, producing such goods as floppy disks for computer storage and color monitors for personal computers. Nowadays LG ventures into almost all areas of home electronic life, with a product line stretching from LCD televisions, cell phones, to stackable washer dryers.

LG’s latest in stackable washer dryers is something they call SmartDiagnosis. The central feature of SmartDiagnosis is that the machine will sing a tune or play some music to indicate a diagnostic error. The technology is supposed to help the consumer, but how can the consumer know what the machine is saying?

Average consumers do not know the meaning of the tones but skilled technicians will undergo extensive training. During a housecall when they are repairing a unit, they will be able to probe for diagnostics and listen to the error codes. LG is particularly notorious for its electronic problems, rather than mechanical problems that are common to more old-fashioned products from other companies.  Read more...

It is not surprising to find that old-style condominiums and apartments are missing some modern amenities that came into use in the latter half of the 20th century. Perhaps the electrical outlets lack the third grounding plug. Perhaps the heating system is based on a stove in a single room rather than a series of centralized heating ducts. In particular, some old-style homes do not have the right piping for venting hot air exhaust out of laundry dryers.

The traditional dryer heats up clothes which draws moisture into the air that is then piped out through the exhaust vents. If the exhaust is not piped out, the interior heat becomes saturated with moisture and the clothes cannot continue to dry. A home without the requisite exhaust piping therefore cannot take advantage of such traditional dryers.

More recently appliance firms have embarked on making ventless washer dryers. These devices use a slightly different mechanism to dry clothes. They do so by only raising the temperature slightly such that moisture is extracted from clothes. When the moist air reaches certain cooled channels, it turns into liquid water which is then collected and siphoned out. This allows more moisture to condense and be siphoned out. The process is more energy efficient than hot air dryers but also work much slower.  Read more...

The firm known as General Electric (or GE) was at one point in business history the largest one all over the globe by its stock market capitalization. The range of their business activities spanned from home to outer space, appliances to satellites. Although GE has lost its standing as top company in the world, it nevertheless remains a powerful firm with a global reach. One of their finest products is the stackable washer dryer.

To address the difficulties faced by property owners of small houses, GE has designed customized appliances. Because these special appliances take very little space, owners can easily keep them beneath shelves, inside closets and may be neatly tucked away inside of small garages or cellars. Another big plus with these new appliances is that there are some models that eliminate the requirement for exhaust vents so as to release humid air when drying out clothes.

Stackable washer and dryers can be put atop each other, making the two units align vertically, occupying a smaller amount room. Instead of requiring two spaces for both home equipment, you would be merely making use of one if you choose stackable washers and dryers. If there is one downside in using stackables, it is that the dryer would have to be located well above the floor so that it is difficult to access.  Read more...

The Frigidaire company is an American firm that was founded in Indiana in the early 1900s. Their claim to fame was the first completely self-contained refrigerator that did not require an ice block to stay cool. Ownership of the company passed through several hands before finally settling on Electrolux in the 80s.

Frigidaire also makes a range of other products. One of the first they offered was colored fridges and freezers which could be fitted into all kinds of home decor styles. They also made the home freezer that could bring temperatures down to 32 Fahrenheit and freeze water and perishables. Finally, Frigidaire has also extended its long reach into air conditioning units.

The company also offers the Frigidaire stackable washer dryer. Homeowners with small homes don’t have the luxury of space that could easily accommodate large home appliances. An additional difficulty is that numerous apartments and condos are not set up with the suitable fittings for washing equipment. For example some properties lack gas lines or exhaust vents for the dryer.  Read more...

The company called Bosch is most well known for its automobile products. Who has not heard of anti-lock brakes which help saves lives by overcoming loss of tire traction due to poor road conditions? And who hasn’t heard of the electronic stability program that makes the computer kick in controls when the car is skidding? These products ensure that Bosch has relationships with almost every car manufacturer in the world.

The Bosch company is actually a group of companies that makes things not only for automobiles, but also appliances. They are a European company but do have a big presence in the U.S. Their products are known for high quality German engineering and technology. The Bosch stackable washer dryer is one of their high tech offerings, equipped with the latest options and electronic controls.

Stackable washers and dryers occupy smaller areas since the two home appliances may be put atop each other. The advantage is that unlike two devices taking up two spots worth of space, the stackable makes use of only one. The disadvantage to utilizing stackables is that dryers need to be put high above the floor that makes it a little challenging to reach and use.  Read more...

You will find four types of compact washers and dryers on the market nowadays that is the stackable, portable, combo and ventless washer dryers. Stackable washer dryers are nearly full sized save for their vertical physical set up, which makes them consume less area. A relatively new addition to the market, combo washer and dryers combine two functions, washing and drying, into just one device. The portables have the smallest size of the three discussed in this article. The ventless is the most interesting.

The ventless washer dryer uses condensation run-off collection to continue the cycle of removing moisture from the clothes and the air, and collecting it in liquid form. The advantage is that one does need an exhaust pipe to vent out heat, hence the name “ventless”. The drawback is that the ventless takes up to twice as long to dry an equivalent load compared to a standard dryer.

Contrast this with the stackable that uses an exhaust for vented heating. Stackable washers and dryers occupy smaller areas because the two home appliances may be put atop each other. Stackable washers and dryers are particularly preferred because you would only have to take up a single space to make use of both appliances. The drawback is that the dryer should be mounted high above the floor, which makes it both tough to reach and liable to run into shelves.  Read more...

The portable washer dryer was made to accommodate the needs of people living in small spaces. Students have also taken advantage of portable washer dryers as dorm rooms at colleges tend to be very compact. The only disadvantages are that the portable washer dryer holds only small loads and does not have the full power of larger appliances.

The spread of portable washer dryers has been driven by two issues that are faced by residents of small homes. First, they don’t have the luxury of space that could easily have capacity for large home appliances. Next, the majority of condo units or apartments aren’t truly designed to have capacity for bulky home appliances. Little homes however, typically lack gas vents or exhausts which clothing dryers will need.

Aside from portable washer dryers, there are two other kinds of compact washer and dryers that are named combo, and stackable. Stackable washer dryers are close to full sized except for their vertical physical arrangement, making them use up less area. The combo is a relatively new entrant into a market, that is in essence a two-in-one or a washer and dryer bundled into just one unit.  Read more...

For those with limited space in their homes or condos, it could be a little hard to purchase a washer and a dryer. For starters, home appliances like washers and dryers are too big for little living places to support. Secondly, almost all condominium units or apartments aren’t really designed to have capacity for large home appliances. There are also residences which are so little, there is not adequate room for a gas line or an exhaust vent that a clothes dryer would require.

Due to this need by modest homes, condo and apartment owners, vendors have developed specially designed appliances to squeeze into limited areas in small homes, apartments or condominium units. Since these special appliances need very little space, owners can readily store them under shelves, within closets and can be neatly stored inside of small garages or cellars. An additional great thing about these new appliances is that you will find some models which do away with the need for exhaust vents in order to discharge humid air when drying out clothes.  Read more...