On Thursday, we got a new washing machine to replace our dryer.
Huh? New washing machine replaces old dryer? Yes! This Sanyo model AWD-A845Z, similar to the newly launched AWD-A860Z is a washer and dryer in one unit. You put the laundry in, press the course you want, and in 150 minutes, open the triple lids to reveal clean, dry clothes. It’s really disconcerting. Call me old-fashioned, but things should come out of the washer wet.
It has a “no detergent” setting that cleans lightly soiled clothes by electrolysis (but only lightly soiled clothes), a blanket course, quick wash, heavy soil cleaning, dry clean mode, and 8 ways to use the dryer (combinations of low and high heat and various times and auto-sensors). Plus it will recycle your bath water. But we’d need a very long hose to do that, since the washing machine is in our kitchen.
Last year’s price: 228,000 yen. Now on sale for 110,000 yen. Good bargain for our building owner and a great new machine for us.
Posted by kuri at September 21, 2003 07:29 PMDoes it cook too?
Posted by: Dad on September 21, 2003 10:38 PMHmmmm, there may be a “just add water, then shake and bake” recipe somewhere…I’ll have to check. If so, I think this will cook as well as wash.
Posted by: Kristen on September 21, 2003 11:00 PMSoooo it’s like a US dishwasher, basically? Why the hell haven’t us round eyes in the states figured this out yet! Our big “innovations” this year was the G5 Apple and a plastic paint can that has a twist top and spout.
Any idea if something like this could be hooked up to US power/water? :D
Posted by: Randy on September 22, 2003 06:36 AMThere’s an American oven that refrigerates its contents until the appointed cooking time, then bakes and holds. If the busy cook doesn’t get home after a couple of hours, the oven goes back into fridge mode. That’s pretty nifty for working families. Nothing like that here…
As for using this washer/dryer in the US, water hookup wouldn’t be much of a problem, but the electricity is a little different here in Japan. 100/50. Japanese appliances will work in the US, but they tend to burn out before their usual lifecycle is over.
Posted by: kristen on September 22, 2003 11:57 PMSometimes I really feel bad for the Japanese and their small washer/dryers. I own a stackable Whirlpool Duet set (full size) and the darn thing can wash pretty much anything I throw at it (every towel in my house for instance). On top of that it is extremely energy and water efficient. I’m actually kind of curious why washer/dryers are so small there given the actual footprint can’t be much more than a 9 sqft difference.
Posted by: Jordan on September 23, 2003 03:11 PMActually, I’ve heard (through my site) that there HAVE been machines like this in the US - they called them “Clothing Processors” about 10 years ago, which explains why no one has one here today. Bad marketing can kill off even the best of products.
As to the oven, yep, I’ve seen them in stores for a while now but it’s still lost on me because if I went through the trouble to bake something I’m usually anxious to shove it in m’face :)
Posted by: Randy on September 23, 2003 10:55 PMI wish I had that when I lived in Japan. I dreaded having to hang the laundry to dry outside on my balcony. I would always end up with a mosquito bite or two in the summer…
Posted by: Barron on September 24, 2003 04:34 AMHow interesting! A friend of mine was just talking about the ‘no detergent’ thing on Sunday. I wasn’t sure if her gadget-hound boyfriend believed her. Well, we can sure give him the ‘411’ now! ^_^
Posted by: Razor on September 24, 2003 06:22 AM