Jane Goodall Endorses Kenmore's New High-Efficiency Appliancess
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.20.07
The curtain has risen over Sear's Kenmore Elite dishwasher with Ultra WashHE technology, the SteamCare Washer and Dryer lines, along with a somewhat incongruous—at first blush, anyway—new alliance with the Jane Goodall Institutes's Roots & Shoots Program. (Members of the youth group will be stationed at various Sears stores, distributing flyers with tips on how to save water and energy at home.)
The Ultra WashHE (from $799), according to the company, uses only 75 watts of energy—the same required to turn on a light bulb. It also uses 34 percent less energy and 41 percent less water than seven- to 10-year old dishwashers. Bonus: Because Ultra WashHE models exceed 2007 Energy Star standards, you qualify for a $60 federal tax credit after purchase in many states.
Water-wise, the dishwasher has a special filter that removes soil and food particles throughout the cleaning process, eliminating the need to introduce and heat additional water during the cycle. (The filter only needs to be rinsed occasionally.) Meanwhile, built-in sensors analyze how dirty your dishes are and then employ the minimum amount of water and energy required for getting them squeaky clean.
The new Kenmore Elite steam washer (from $1,399) and steam dryer (from $1,299) are being billed as the "SteamTeam;" the washer is said to exceed 2007 Energy Star standards by 50 percent, using about 73 percent less water and 77 percent less energy than its conventional pre-2004 counterparts. You also get a Save Energy Plus option that conserves up to 26 percent more energy, without, apparently, hindering performance—which does make us wonder why it simply isn't the default mode, then.
Famed anthropologist Dr. Jane Goodall was at the launch of the new Sears Kenmore range, stressing the importance of the role young people played in creating a sustainable future. Cautioning against jadedness, she said that "hopelessness leads to inaction; hopelessness leads to apathy," but that together—and it was going to take all of us—we could enact positive change. "Many of the problems I see happening in the developing world can be directly linked to our unsustainable lives in the developed world," she said.
Championing the power of the individual, Goodall said that consumer purchasing power is the last driving force to push the remaining, stubborn corporations to become more environmentally and socially responsible. Without customers to buy their products, she added, these companies will either have to shape up or they will "become defunct like so many of the animals I love." ::Kenmore
See also: ::Dishwasher vs Handwashing: the Winner, ::How to Green Your Dishwasher, ::Eco-Tip: Dishwasher, ::GE's Profile, SmartDispense Dishwasher, ::Ultrasonic Dishwasher from Bosch, ::How to Green Your Water, ::LG's Steam Washing Machine uses 35 Percent Less Water, ::Getting Ready for Earth Day: Save Water When You Wash, ::Cut Back on Energy Use from Your Dryer and ::Do 'Green' Appliances Live Up to Their Billing?
wow. The washer and dryer show amazing industrial design for the home. Also, its good to see them become more environmentally and socially responsible.
Note that they make no claims that the dryer is energy efficient--the "better than energy star" claims are only for the washer and the dishwasher. (Thanks for correcting that mistake in the first version of this article.) Don't fall for the hype trying to sell you the dryer with the washer as a team. Until US manufacturers get serious about making efficient dryers, clotheslines are the way to go.
No publicity about durability ?
so No money from me
I will keep my hard earned dollars to put them on a solar hot water heater and save a lot more energy and money than having to change those 2000$ super earth saver five years from now because the electronic front panel went bad.
As long as new dryers are hard to repair I wont buy one. MY 15 year old dryer we thought died. I did a search on the net and it turns out that old dryers are very simple machines and the belt just broke.
It took me a half hour to take the front off and replace the belt.
Id rather keep my old dryer wich is very easy to reapir instead of throwing it out and getting a new dryer that is expensive to reapir and will break in 8 years.
NOT SURE about reliability but SEARS CANADA is selling front loading washers WITHOUT ANY electronic controlers.
it look like they use the old electro-mechanical controlers.
you can't get them in 5 different colors or with a space age look but they may be more reliable and still fit in the plain primer white laundry room in the basement.
Wow, Charlie, that's a really good point that I'd never noticed before. They are trying to package the washer/dryer as a single, eco-friendly unit, when in reality they're two and only the washer is at that level.
Still, there are some ways to save some energy while doing laundry. I personally like to make sure that I load the washer/dryer to capacity, so I run it as little as possible. Outdoor drying just isn't practical when you live in a seventh floor apartment with no balcony.... : (
Think about it, how much more efficient can you make a dryer? They already have sensors that cut them off when the load is dry, and the most efficient drum motors that can be bought. Next up is the heat source. With a standard heating element there's no fat to trim. I can only think of one solution to get more heat for fewer watts: add a large heat pump, like the size of the one that warms your house. Until that can be squeezed down to fit inside the dryer (which is impossible; not to mention the noise the pumps make), or until they install extra copper lines during the contruction of the house/apartment so the heat pump can sit outside (or use a ground-source heat pump), its not going to happen.
Dryers are probably as efficient as they can be unless they use a new paradigm, like a heat pump.
Doug,
Your idea is a good one--good enough that it's used in Europe. According to the article linked from my name, US consumers surveyed would be unwilling to pay an extra $150 for the technology. That's hard to believe, if there are consumers willing to pay $1000 extra for the pointless dryer described above. Perhaps awareness of energy and willingness to pay for improvements has improved since the date of the survey.
before any of you buy these front end washer and dryers find out how much the circuit boards, two of them on each appliance are going to cost you when it breaks down. The way they build these products today are a shame
J.S.
Kenmore Elite dishwashers with Ultra WashHE technology improve and simplify the dishwashing process , using hi tech dishwasher parts, by eliminating the need for pre-rinsing dishes altogether. Smarter use of energy and water, unprecedented effectiveness and quiet operation combine to create the first Kenmore Elite high efficiency dishwasher line.