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How Washington Ruined Your Washing Machine
WSJ ^ | 3/17/11 | Sam Kazman

Posted on 03/17/2011 6:27:15 AM PDT by SoFloFreeper

...In 1996, top-loaders were pretty much the only type of washer around...Consumer Reports tested 18 models, 13 were "excellent" and five were "very good." By 2007, though, not one was excellent and seven out of 21 were "fair" or "poor." ...The culprit is the federal government's obsession with energy efficiency...washer standards demonstrate the harmfulness of the ever-growing body of efficiency mandates.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bureaucracy; clothing; fascism; household
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To: ModelBreaker
The 'difference' is liberal elites pushed low flow toilets - and conservatives DIDN'T. We fought them.

When they won, the elites turned around and bought themselves $1,500 low flush toilets that flush and heat the seat at the same time... The middle class ( Republicans) who support the takers and the elites can't afford those babies... but I'll bet the brass at NPR has them ... and their fat paychecks are being paid by YOU - a new system where tax money is collected from the workers to pay for the elites. And their fancy toilets.

They also gave us dishwasher detergent that won't work - but they don't suffer. They hire illegals to wash the dishes in their kitchens. Why do you think the elites fight for the illegals?

You want me to go on? And on?

81 posted on 03/17/2011 8:22:42 AM PDT by GOPJ (http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/index2.php - It's only uncivil when someone on the right does it.- Laz)
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To: SoFloFreeper

I bought a Fisher & Paykel top loader last summer that is wonderful. Pretty good energy efficiency, no agitator, up to 1,000 rpm spin (front loaders do 1,200 rpm, IIRC).

It uses only as much water as the amount of clothes in the load require. It spins the load nearly dry so your dryer cycles can be shorter, saving more money. I can use less detergent, like I would with a front loader. All around, it reduces my laundry costs significantly.

Very simple and easy to use.

http://www.fisherpaykel.com/product/laundry/clotheswashers/index.cfm?productuid=6DDDEF86-CCF8-5886-777EA7D0B4820648


82 posted on 03/17/2011 8:23:54 AM PDT by savedbygrace (But God.)
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To: SoFloFreeper

There is actually a new technology washing machine in the works, if they can figure out a way to make it practical.

It is based on the fact that pure water is an amazing solvent. By pure I mean water that has been “degassed”, because ordinary gasses in the air strongly reduce this solvent ability in water, which is why we have to add soaps or detergents.

So if you had a clothes washer that used “degassed” water, you clothes would be much cleaner than by using tap water. But unfortunately, when water is exposed to air, it absorbs these gases.

So your clothes washer would have to create a vacuum. Then degassed water would be sprayed on your clothes, so that the water would dissolve any dirt, oil, stains, etc., and flow off. Then, because water low temperature boils in a vacuum, your clothes would be dry when taken out of the wash.


83 posted on 03/17/2011 8:30:46 AM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy
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To: shhrubbery!
Just curious, why do people use fabric softener at all?

It's a way for wives to mark their husbands as married men. Single guys don't use the sheets or softener.

84 posted on 03/17/2011 8:34:54 AM PDT by ladyjane
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To: SoFloFreeper

The sales gal at the local Home Depot really tried to sell me on how much water and electricity I would be saving using the newer high-efficiency front loaders versus the older designs of washers and dryers.

Not willing to let any big dollar decision go unresearched, I utilized my electric/gas utility’s web site to calculate how much I would save.

Given that I only do two loads a week, the savings in electricity, gas, and water would total less than $20 per year. Those expensive front loaders would never pay for themselves at that rate.


85 posted on 03/17/2011 8:45:21 AM PDT by Monitor ("The urge to save humanity is almost always a false-front for the urge to rule it." - H. L. Mencken)
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To: SoFloFreeper

I’m supposed to spend $1500 on one of the high-tech washers, but the warranties are 1yr parts/labor?

I paid $500 for a Sears washer.
When it breaks in 7 years, I’ll spend another $500.

Although, the construction quality has declined over the past 10 years. The dials are made 100% of plastic and don’t ‘click’ like they used to.


86 posted on 03/17/2011 8:52:42 AM PDT by SJSAMPLE
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To: Red Badger

Yep.
The replacement transmission on my old Sears washer was around $200, so I figured I’d just buy a new one and I chucked it (Goodwill).

Then, I saw the quality of the new washers and wished I hadn’t. Ugh.


87 posted on 03/17/2011 9:04:46 AM PDT by SJSAMPLE
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To: ProtectOurFreedom
Don’t get me started on our simple 1 gallon gasoline cans in California!
They FUBARed ours here in NY too. You have to have three hands to get gas out of the can because of the enviro-whacko "safety" cap.
They also got our lawnmowers too - no throttle control - one speed fits all. SOBs ...
88 posted on 03/17/2011 9:06:08 AM PDT by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: AnAmericanMother

My Sears best front loader simply will not get my clothes clean. It kinda dampens the clothes and tosses them around for a while and spins out the quart of water it used.
My old top loader would fill with hot water so I could let the really dirty stuff soak and then run it. did an excellent job!


89 posted on 03/17/2011 9:12:17 AM PDT by count-your-change (You don't have be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
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To: SoFloFreeper
Consumers did away with Bendix front load goldfish exercise machines in the 1940s, why would anyone ever consider going back to them?
90 posted on 03/17/2011 9:16:49 AM PDT by dalereed
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To: al baby

Of course you do, but if you have a Bridgeport sitting there it sure does make it easier. :)


91 posted on 03/17/2011 9:36:11 AM PDT by Abathar (Proudly posting without reading the article carefully since 2004)
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To: ViLaLuz

I bought a four pound box of real TSP at Home Depot about three weeks ago.


92 posted on 03/17/2011 9:46:37 AM PDT by CarryaBigStick (My office is an Airtractor 402)
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To: whd23

Yeah, he just recycles them.


93 posted on 03/17/2011 10:07:15 AM PDT by kickonly88 (I love fossil fuel!)
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To: whd23

Money laundering scheme.


94 posted on 03/17/2011 10:08:31 AM PDT by kickonly88 (I love fossil fuel!)
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To: oh8eleven; Brad's Gramma

Ask Brads gramma about my gasoline story


95 posted on 03/17/2011 10:09:59 AM PDT by al baby (Hi Mom!!! <sarc>)
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To: wtd

This site claims to have a list of non-ethanol stations.

http://www.pure-gas.org/index.jsp


96 posted on 03/17/2011 10:11:13 AM PDT by MulberryDraw
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To: IncPen

ping


97 posted on 03/17/2011 10:22:37 AM PDT by Nailbiter
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To: SoFloFreeper

I call our new front loading washer “The Obama”. They advertised that it could do everything. It makes a lot of noise and jumps around a lot without accomplishing much of anything. It doesn’t work very often and frankly, it stinks.


98 posted on 03/17/2011 10:22:37 AM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: Pining_4_TX

You can avoid mold around the seals by wiping the seals after you wash the clothes. Yes, it’s an extra step, but it’s a few seconds of work, and once a week you can throw the towel you use for this into the wash with a load.

I did buy a CR best-buy model washer, since a lot of the front-loaders didn’t get rated very high and I really want my clothes to be cleaned.


99 posted on 03/17/2011 10:50:20 AM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
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To: Blennos

Thanks! BFL


100 posted on 03/17/2011 10:57:11 AM PDT by zeugma (Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam)
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