From dishwashers that can dose detergents themselves to washing machines that can tell how dirty clothes are, automatic appliances were all the rage at this year's IFA trade show in Germany (Aug 31 - Sept 5).
People should be able to organise their daily lives in a "more free and flexible" way, says Reinhard Zinkann, an executive director at the German company Miele.
The appliance firm already produced washing machines that automatically dispense detergents, but is now offering a dishwasher that can do the same. Its G 7000 model has an extra fixture mounted on the inside of its door which can hold a disk containing detergent powder granules. It rotates during the dishwashing cycle, dispensing precisely measured amounts of the cleaning product.
The system is meant to help users save on their use of detergent, which is rarely in line with the washing program they select.
"People usually use too much powder and I don't know of anyone who cuts through a dishwasher tablet," notes Markus Miele, another executive director at Miele.
There is a catch, however: The powder granules have been specially developed and packaged for use in the Miele machine, which ties consumers to the manufacturer when it comes to the buying of detergent.
The cost is accordingly high: around US$10 (RM41.45) for one fill, or around 20 wash cycles with normal program and a temperature of 60°C.
German manufacturer Siemens had already created an automatic dispensing function for washing machines, and is now expanding it to the new dryer in its iQ500 series, making the system more compact and automated in the process.
Siemens machines can now recognise the size of the laundry load and the kinds of textiles it contains, as well as analysing how dirty they are. Matching the right amount of cleaning product is meant to ensure that detergents and water are correctly supplied to the very millilitre.
With its first washer-dryer featuring an automatic dosing system, the German company Bosch – which together with Siemens is part of the BSH Home Appliances group – wants to save more than 7,000 litres of water and 30% of detergent, based on an average 220 laundry loads per year.
"Studies show that if people follow only their gut feeling when it comes to dosing detergent – as most do – they are usually wrong, often to the detriment of the environment, their laundry and their wallet," the company says.
Too much detergent damages the fibres in clothes, according to the German company AEG, which is also presenting a similar system at the IFA trade show. The firm is thus promising a longer lifespan for textiles – and thereby more sustainability.
Other features are available, too. Connected devices can notify users when a machine's level of detergent or fabric softener needs to be topped up. Washing machines also now offer more programs, whether it be special care for certain textiles, dry cycles to freshen up laundry or particularly fast cycles when little time is available.
Some appliances can be controlled over wireless networks and apps, allowing owners to operate them from the next room over, their bed or their desk at work.
A Bosch commercial even shows clothes flying through the air into its new washer-dryer, but for now this remains unchanged: You'll still have to load the dirty laundry on your own. – dpa
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