How many modes does your washing machine need? How many of them do you use?

Some washing machines have too many different ways to wash your clothes. Gone are the days of a simple washing machine, we now have things like the HydroWave™ systems with Infusor™ AutoBalance™ Suspension Systems and the RainShower™ System. Now I bet most of that is BS, just a fancy way to say special agitator and stronger springs holding the tub and I won’t even venture a guess about the RainShower™ feature but who knows. They might actually be new innovations, I doubt it but that is surely what they want us to believe. They now have more knobs and dials than ever before, and I defy anyone to tell me, including the sales person, what each of the settings on each of those knobs and dials actually do. How many different modes of operation do we really need, it is only a washer for Petes sake?

For me I have had washers with all the bells and whistles and you know what, I used one mode, the “wash my clothes” mode. Most people do not separate clothes properly anyway so what makes us think we need 18 different wash cycles. I was in the Home Depot this past weekend trying to find a replacement head for my lawn rake, a story for another day, when I saw they had prominently displayed at the stores entrance a $1500 washing machine. 1500 hundred bucks, I was stunned! I stopped to look and it has features like steam wash and delicates as well as having a beautifully prepared, powder coated finish in screaming bright red. I learned that this machine comes with its own computer language, CleanSpeak™, you heard me, a washing machine that has its own computer language. I also learned that if you purchase the separate base units it will automatically dispense laundry detergent and fabric softener. Are we that lazy that we can’t even put the soap in the load, we are already there putting the clothes in how hard is it to add the soap by ourselves?

All of this got me to looking at these fantastic machines, even the seemingly normal washers come in several different models. I was looking at one brand, they had three models of a seemingly similar washer, and I wondered what the difference was. Now the $700+ one had a more colorful control panel as well as more knobs and dials while the $328 one had a more plain control panel with fewer knobs and dials, there was also a middle of the road unit, in price and features. I was beginning to feel like Goldie Locks and wondered which one was “just right” for me. They were all the same color, white, all had the same capacity and all had the plastic drum and agitator. What is the difference? Having owned a washer from this manufacturer I knew the manuals were available for download from the internet. I noted the model numbers and was off for home, without a replacement head for my lawn rake by the way. By the way it is a damn shame you can’t by a replacement head for a rake!

After downloading the three manuals for the three models of washing machines I quickly realized I needed to download the parts manuals as well to truly determine the difference between a $328 machine and a $700+ washer that from my perspective are the same machines. Well imagine my surprise when I learned they are identical machines except for the controller panel and some additional decals and paint. You heard me, identical, same motor, same drain pump, same tub, same case, same transmissions and when I say the same I mean the identical part numbers for all the parts, except the controller. All the wiring installed in each of these units were identical for all the models, cheaper to manufacture one wiring harness and use it in all models, even if parts of it are not used on all models. They are the same machine, through and through. If you own one of these machines that do everything but wipe your butt, that is an additional option, admit it, deep down you only use one mode on the thing, the wash my clothes mode, so anything else is just showing off a washing machine and you know it.

What kind of washer do you have and how many cycles do you actually use?