Hi, freshmochi-ga,
I have found some information on washer and dryer studies and user
preferences that should help you on your project. After sifting
through these articles, maybe you can come up with a design that beats
them all!
The Department of Energy, in a 2000 article citing consumer
preferences based on marketing information and focus groups, found
that “consumers prefer top-loading machines to front-loading machines.
Top-loading machines require less bending or kneeling to insert or
remove clothes, carry less risk of leakage around doors, and are less
accessible to toddlers.” The article, which highlighted proposed
regulations by the DOE for more efficient washers and dryers, also
expected that new standards would eliminate standard vertical axis
washers from the market, in favor of horizontal axis washers, which
tend to be front-loading (rather than top-loading). This
recommendation by the DOE, though going against consumer preferences,
was due to the fact that the side-by-side configuration is more energy
efficient. The Mercatus Center of George Mason Univerity, which
published the review of the DOE rulings, put in their 2-cents worth by
commenting; “In fact, DOE discounts consumer preferences (as revealed
by buying habits and focus group statements) on the paternalistic
assumption that Washington bureaucrats know better what is good for
consumers.” The article, titled “DOE's Clothes Washer Efficiency
Standards,” can be found at
http://www.mercatus.org/research/112000.html
Another article by the Mercatus Center concerning the same DOE
decision, states that “DOE's proposed standards for clothes washers
would take away consumer choice by eliminating the most popular
(vertical-axis) washing machine models. The standards would force
Americans to buy washing machines that DOE estimates will be 57
percent more expensive than machines today, with fewer of the
attributes consumers seek.” “Rather than respect (or try to
understand) consumers' revealed and expressed preferences, DOE assumes
they are either misinformed or irrational, and that DOE knows more
than consumers do about the tradeoffs that are important to them. Its
analysis focuses purely on potential cost savings over the life of the
machine, without considering the value consumers place on the
convenience or other attributes that vertical-axis machines offer over
horizontal-axis machines. (In particular, H-axis machines tend to load
from the side, rather than the top, which consumers prefer.)” “Cost is
only one factor influencing consumer preferences for clothes washers,
and eliminating the machines that 95 percent of consumers prefer will
not make consumers better off.”
http://www.mercatus.org/research/RSP200022.html
Focus group studies concerning horizontal and vertical axis machines
have found that “Group participants most often associated H-axis
washer technology with front-loading machines, and one initial barrier
to customer acceptance may be the bending required in machine loading
and unloading. Although there are some benefits to front loading (the
washer can be stacked with a dryer, for example, or its top can serve
as work space), participants regularly raised concerns about bending,
leaking, and child safety. In fact, the focus group results suggest
that given general consumer satisfaction with current washers, H-axis
washers (perceived as unfamiliar and difficult to use) are likely to
be compared unfavorably with V-axis washers. However, the results also
suggest that if consumers are convinced that H-axis washers are at
least as good as their V-axis washers in terms of such features as
purchase price, reliability, ease of use, and cleaning ability, they
may seriously consider purchasing the equipment. At that point, energy
and water savings and improved soil removal could become important
selling points.Further, according to focus group participants,
utilities could play a valuable role in building consumers'
understanding and acceptance of H-axis washers through educational
efforts and financial incentives. It remained unclear, however,
whether rebates would be successful without a strong educational
component. Participant responses indicate that an effective
educational approach should include published product information,
product demonstrations, testimonials and other evidence of real-life
experience, and endorsements from utilities and other organizations
regarded as impartial..” The entire research article, titled “Market
Transformation: Efficient Washing Machines” by John Kesselring can be
found at http://www.ctech.ac.za/conf/due/SOURCE/Web/Kesselring/Kesselring.html
An article by Consumer Alert disparaged the DOE’s proposed ruling
for horizontal-axis washers, noting the following complaints.
“Front-loaders are inconvenient in many ways. Consumers cannot add
soap or clothes mid-cycle as needed, for instance – all the water
would pour out on the floor. They are also more likely to leak,
requiring the pricey installation of floor-drains in washrooms,
basements, dens, or kitchens, wherever the washing machine may be.
Absent, or even with, these drains, such leakage can create a messy,
expensive and hazardous situation. A 1996 study by the Soap and
Detergent Association found numerous "challenges," with H-axis
machines, including: excessive suds overflowing machine and
interfering with operation; difficulty keeping soils from
redepositing on fabrics, greater tendency for fabric dyes to bleed and
transfer; and trouble with detergents and additives dissolving in the
cooler, lesser amount of water.” At the time the article was written,
the Consumer Alert group noted that consumers were not buying
horizontal-axis washers, even though they were currently on the
market. Other problems highlighted about frontloaders “include the
excessive bending over required to load and unload the machine,
greater potential for leaks, lack of deep soaking action to combat
stubborn stains, and less vigorous rinsing action leaving levels of
detergent in clothes that some consumers are sensitive to.” And how do
these front-loaders affect dryers? “f the "efficient" washers don’t
spin the clothes around as much during the spin cycle, that could
leave the clothes wetter before they go in the dryer – requiring more
dryer time and, therefore, more energy use.” “It must be realized that
consumers have all kinds of different loads of laundry: clothes,
sheets, towels, cotton, polyester, colors, whites, bright colors, dark
colors, permanent press, and so on. For example, consumers who are
fond of washing bath towels after each use may find themselves burning
off a lot more energy in the dryer than someone else, since their
average load of washed clothes would be heavier and wetter than the
average consumer’s. Again, the one-size-fits-all "solution" leaves no
room for consumer differences.” The entire article is quite
interesting, and also highlights how the horizontal-axis washers would
affect different types of consumers, including the elderly and
low-income population. “Comments of Consumer Alert” (12/4/2000) can be
found at the Consumer Alert Website at
http://www.consumeralert.org/issues/enviro/washercomments.htm
The two basic types of washing machines, the top loader and the
front loader, have now been swept aside by fancier models with
additional features that can be either desirable or add to the
confusion! The top loaders are considered less energy-efficient but
also less expensive. Front loaders are more expensive but the absence
of an agitator means more space and thus, a bigger wash. They also
save on water and detergent. Then there is the new,
top-loading“high-tech,” or “exotic agitation” model that literally
sprays water at the clothes while bumping them around the machine,
using half the water of older top loaders and offering super capacity.
Then there are the considerations of temperature controls, fabric care
and water level settings, soak and rinse cycles, load size capacity
and various other options. The author of the article has this advice
when selecting a washer and dryer: “Doing laundry and purchasing a
washing machine and dryer should not require a PhD. As with any
purchase, I buy the best that I can afford with as many features as I
require. Owning a machine with all the bells and whistles available on
the market, today, could very well mean possessing an appliance with
features that go unused. Looking at the cost of ownership means adding
the purchase price to the cost of operation over the life of the
appliance. Expect the new washer to last seven to ten years with
proper care and regular maintenance. Sometimes that extra two or three
hundred dollars averages out to less money spent over time with energy
and laundry supply savings.” The article, titled “Coming Clean – Part
II” can be found on the eOpinions website at
http://www.epinions.com/hmgd-review-7BC6-1EFA0DD5-39E95AE6-prod3
Size is definitely an important factor. The ability to wash and dry
comforters certainly saves a trip to the laundromat to use the large
capacity washers. A minimum of control and temperature settings that
will still get the job done with the least amount of confusion are
also desirable. The comfort of a top-loading machine was the
preference of the author of “Size Does Matter!” (4/13/2000)
http://www.epinions.com/hmgd-review-6F26-35C1510-39F5A1A2-prod1
Front or top-load, tub size, number of speeds, stainless vs.
non-stainless tubs, extra rinse cycles, motor size, energy efficiency,
revolutions per minute and detergent diffusion are other
considerations for consumers in their washer preferences. “How to Buy
a Washing Machine by the Lady Who Sells Most Major Brands.” 4/16/2000
http://www.epinions.com/hmgd-review-544C-135BAF32-38FA2FE1-prod3
One consumer’s opinion of a front-loader’s after years as a
top-loading die-hard (due to ignorance of anything else on the market)
are as follows:
Front load washers
- use 40% less water than other washers (this is particularly
important if you have a septic tank or high water bills)
- need less soap because they use less water
- use considerably less energy
- don't go off-balance (*WHUMP!*WHUMP*!) if you overload the machine
- are easier on your clothes because they clean by tumbling rather
than pulling clothes through the water in side-to-side agitation
- are great if you're short on space because you can stack your dryer
on top of it or install it under a counter
- has a cute window in the front to watch the suds
“My Spin on
Choosing a Front Load Washer(10/24/2000)
http://www.epinions.com/hmgd-review-6F26-35C1510-39F5A1A2-prod1
In an attempt to persuade consumers about the the benefits of
horizontal-axis washing machines, the Portland Energy Office lists
such qualities as saving water, saving energy, saving clothes due to
tumble action vs. agitators, saving space (because they can be
stacked), saving the environment, saving detergent and bleach, and
actually saving the consumer money by offering rebates in certain
states (Oregon, Washington and Idaho at the time of writing). Oregon
also offers a tax rebate to consumers, and the front-loading washers
can help rental properties comply with the American Disabilities Act.
“Horizontal-axis Washing Machines” can be found at
http://energyoutlet.com/res/appliances/washers/
Hope you can sift through this and start to work on your project. Good
luck!
umiat-ga
Search strategy on www.business.com
laundry machines consumer preferences |
