There is not much, if in fact anything about life in today’s world that is not somehow either changed, improved upon or obsolete, in consideration of the various struggles that our ancestors daily faced in their quest for survival, thanks to technology through the ages. The human mind has been forever established in a questioning process that seeks to push past all limits, and to discover just what exists beyond every level of understanding. This is nothing new, as history shows us that this has been the primary focus of humankind for as long as people have populated the earth. It’s inherently in our nature, the desire to improve upon, modify and streamline every aspect of the world and how we perceive it.
Inequality of Technology
Being alive today means experiencing a chronic, rapid fire stream of successive new technology that is constantly outdated and replaced by an oncoming onslaught of products borne from newer, better designs. Such progress effectively continues to eliminate human effort from the mix and make our lives easier, and while most of it succeeds, consumers need to develop new “evolution wisdom” when it comes to the way they spend their hard earned cash. This especially holds true for the big ticket items like homes, cars and appliances, for starters. From a retrospective examination, we learn that certain breakthrough discoveries inherently lead to a surge of expansive technology that follows, while others, at least for the time being, seem to exist as ultimate destinations for just how far any concept can be advanced. Not all technological progress is essential, needed or even that important, being more superfluous in nature. There’s a lot of hype that smart shoppers must weed through to get to the good stuff. Of all the need-driventechnological progress available today, certain applications stand out among the rest. Some progress is more life-changing than others; more time saving and helpful. Like household appliances. Like the ones that we use to care for our clothes.
A Lot to Take for Granted
At one time, a simple metal washboard to use with a bar of hard soap and a tub full of hot water was seen as a luxury method of washing clothes. Otherwise, a standard range of clothes washing that lasted well into the 19th century included possing, which involved submerging items of clothing in the water. Then, by using either a sturdy tree branch or a properly fashioned stick or washing bat the washing person would agitate them in the water, and then place them on river rocks to scrub, either by using a few crudely fashioned tools or the feet. Most clothing was without any real color like we have today, but especially for true white items, these were bucked–meaning they were soaked for extensive periods of time in hot or cold water and lye, the premier stain remover, degreaser and whitener of the day. The standard formula for lye was a mix of urine and wood ashes. The act of laundering clothing was typically conducted once every several weeks or even months, as laundry duty was seen as the least important domestic task of them all. While we might share that same opinion today, the typical household does several loads of laundry every week, and for some, every day!
Buying a New Washing Machine
Thankfully, unless you are involved in some avant garde movement, shopping for a washing machine will not include having to peruse different washboard models. In fact, the washers available for today’s homes are products of that very same rapid technology that even distinguishes the newest ones from models that are only a few years old. If you’re in the market for a new washer that will be dependable and give you all the best-acclaimed extras, it shouldn’t be hard to find one you’ll love that’s energy efficient, and within a price range that will leave you plenty of room for plenty of laundry detergent.
Washers With the ENERGY STAR Rating
Con
sidering that the typical American family does around 300 loads of laundry annually, it makes good sense to look for a washer bearing such certification. You’ll have the assurance that your ENERGY STAR washer (and dryer, too!) will help you reduce what you pay for associated energy and water, or more specifically, your washer will use around 25% less energy and 40% less water than non-ENERGY STAR rated models. Among design criteria that earns an ENERGY STAR rating:
Greater Tub Capacity: Part of the qualification process, these washers feature larger sized tubs, for reducing the number of loads with the capacity to handle more items together at one time.
Style Choices: There are many styles and designs of dependable and sleek washers bearing the ENERGY STAR rating from which to choose, in both top and front loading options. The top loading models feature technologies that innovatively clean clothing without the requirement of even filling the tub with water. Clothing is flipped or spun through powerful jets of water to wash, thoroughly and with superior results.
Savings With Sensors: Many have sensors for energy savings that monitor the incoming water levels along with the temperature, so water and energy use is minimized during any cycle.
Improved Rinsing: Rinse cycles utilize repetitive sprays of high pressured jets of water, eliminating the need for a tub full of water with superior rinsing to boot!
Looking at the Big Picture: In consideration of the savings the U.S. would reap annually if every washer purchased had the ENERGY STAR certification, it would be over $4 billion, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by almost 20 billion pounds.
Some Leading Energy Efficient Washers of 2015
According to ENERGY STAR rankings, it looks like three trusted and proven major washing machine manufacturers are running neck in neck, in terms of offering the best energy savings of 2015 without compromising an ounce of dependable performance and beautiful styling.
LG WT7700H TurboWash Top Load Washer with 5.7 ft. Mega Capacity: This Top Loader effectively cleans the largest loads in half the time. Features steam cleaning technology, speed wash for small loads and quiet operation.
LG TurboWash Series WM8000H: This LG front loading washer will tackle the largest loads of laundry in 20 minutes less time than your current washer. Can handle a king size comforter and entire bed set w/linens all together. Large 5.1 cu ft. capacity washer does fewer loads in less time. TurboWash and Steam technology. Quick wash settings for small loads.
Kenmore Elite 31462: A large capacity 5.2 cu. ft. top loader that uniquely features controls conveniently at the front of the machine, which you can easily access and operate, regardless of whether or not the lid is open. Intuitive one-touch circle. Sanitize cycle and the Accela-Wash system to speed up washing. Well designed, high efficiency washing.
Samsung WF6300: This 4.5 cu. ft. Front Load Washer features SuperSpeed Technology. Large 4.5 cu. ft. capacity, equal to three laundry baskets full of clothing. With SuperSpeed, you can wash a full load in under 36 mins. PowerFoam uses air, water and detergent for a superior clean you’ll love. J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Award.