Today's Tech: Appliances
One machine, doing the work of two. That's one of the trends in the appliance industry right now.
LAS VEGAS - One machine doing the work of two. That's one of the trends in the appliance industry right now.
Marathon Laundry out of California has a washer and dryer in one just about ready to hit the market.
"I was literally paging through a magazine and saw an ad for a washer and dryer, and I couldn't tell which one was the washer and which was the dryer. And I realized, why aren't they the same thing? Why hasn't someone done this already?" said Marathon Laundry Founder and CEO Glen Reid.
After a year or so in development, Reid's convinced this should've been done 50 years ago. The machine goes right from the washing cycle to the dryer, meaning you won't accidentally leave wet clothes in the machine — and you won't get a mildew ring, either.
"That's an unexpected benefit. We didn't think of that at the beginning, but we realized, that's at least as annoying as leaving your clothes in the washing machine," said Reid.
You won't see it in stores until June, but you can pre-order now, for $1,199.
Another two-in-one item that's been out for a few months is Whirlpool's microwave and oven combination.
"Very much the two-in-one. We found that consumers wanted a double oven, but when they said you could also lump the microwave into it, it was a great feature to clear off their countertop spaces as well," said Whirlpool's Timothy Buszka.
Whirlpool is also debuting its new U-shaped shelves in the fridge, which lets you fit a two-liter bottle or a bottle of wine a little easier.
"If you look in closets or even just dry good pantries, it's a much more efficient use of space, and we thought why not bring that type of idea into the fridge itself," said Whirlpool Brand Manager Shannon Blakely.
It stores 30 percent more because of it. The stainless steel version of the fridge will be available this May, for $3,899.
Then you have Whirlpool's washer and dryer with a brain. If you link it up with your Amazon account, it'll order your detergent and dryer sheets, before you even know you're running out.
On top of that, in the not-too-distant future, you might be able to get your kids more involved in the laundry making process, with Whirlpool developing a line of "laundry skins" to change the look — including a chalkboard option.
