Found only in top-load washers, an agitator is the column in the center of your wash basket. It rotates back and forth to move your clothes around and force soapy water through the fabric to remove dirt. Your agitator may also have a dispenser at the top for fabric softener. Pour your fabric softener in this dispenser and the washer will automatically add it to the laundry during the rinse cycle.
Two common types of agitators are the straight-vane agitator and the dual-action agitator. Straight-vane agitators contain large fins on the bottom and smaller fins at the top; all the fins spin to rotate your clothes back and forth through the water. Dual-action agitators have fins at the bottom and a spiral design at the top...Read More
Cold water clean is a feature in some washers that promises to combine the cleaning power of a warm-water cycle with the convenience and energy-savings of a cold-water cycle. This feature uses a variety of washing motions to allow the water and detergent to penetrate into fabrics, providing a deeper clean than a normal cold-water cycle.
Warm- and hot-water cycles are generally thought to remove stains and odors better than cold-water cycles. There are downsides to washing with hot water, however. Hot water can cause some fabrics to shrink, colors to fade and protein-containing stains (such as blood and sweat) to set and become permanent. Cold water is gentler on your clothes and avoids these downsides...Read More
First, it raises your appliance off the floor by 12-16 inches, making it easier to reach inside the wash bin. This allows you to load and unload the machine with less bending, putting less strain on your back.
Second, most laundry pedestals also contain a large drawer that gives you more storage space...Read More
A kilowatt hour (kWh) is a unit of measurement for electricity; you'll probably see kilowatt hours written on the electricity meter in your back yard or basement. The specification kilowatt hours per year tells you approximately how much electricity an appliance uses each year.
By comparing the kWh per year of different appliances, you can find more efficient models. A top-load washer might use 450 kWh per year, for example, while a more efficient front-load washer might use only 150 kWh per year.Read More
Remote diagnostics allow service people to diagnose technical problems in you appliances over the phone. If an appliance with remote diagnostics capability is malfunctioning, it can send useful information to technicians to help them figure out what's wrong. In some cases, the technician may even be able to solve to problem without even coming to your house. This can help you to avoid the hassle and expense of scheduling an in-home visit. Not every problem can be solved remotely, of course; at some point you may need a service technician to come fix something in person.Read More