January 25, 2006
Leaking Washing Machine? Meet FloodSaver
These days, locating washing machines and dryers upstairs next to the bedrooms is a popular move (no more walking up and down stairs with loads of laundry), but one of the reasons washers have traditionally been stuck in garages or basements is because of the potential for a leak. Putting washing machines upstairs increases the potential for downstream damage if something goes wrong. Enter FloodSaver. This device sits under your washing machine and has a 2" drain outlet in the center. The back panel overlaps the base, too, so any future leaks will be directed to the drain instead of onto your floor. Depending on your local plumbing jurisdictions (yes, there are such things--very exciting reading, I'm sure), you can set up the drain to flow to the outside or into the sewer. The company says FloodSaver can work on new construction or can be added to an existing installation with a bit of retrofitting. The price for the unit is $130.
What's new in the laundry room this year? Kenmore's Elite Oasis HE washer and dryer have a high tech (yes, you can have tech in the laundry room, folks) stain cycle, which is designed to remove stains without pre-treatment. If it works as advertised, that sure would be handy. I don't know about you, but I'm always forgetting to squirt on the stain remover until my clothes have already been washed (too late then!). Also, the Oasis dryer has two motors, which will cut down on drying time. Both appliances have windows so you can peer in and watch your laundry churn and spin (see what drab daytime TV has forced us to call entertainment?). The price for the washers range from $799 to $1,099, and the dryers run $699 to $999.
The Maytag Cordless Iron is designed to make pressing clothes a little less cumbersome by eliminating the power cord. I know--true luxury is having someone else press your clothes for you, but if you'd rather handle it yourself, this iron can make things a little easier. It comes with a cradle, which is plugged into an outlet, that acts as a docking station to recharge it, allowing the iron itself to remain cord free. According to the company, the handle is designed so you can iron comfortably left- and right-handed, and a number of precise temperature settings give you the range needed to press different fabrics just right. The cordless iron is available for just under $100 at Amazon, where there's only one review at the time of this posting, but it's a five-star one: 
Washing machines have been top-loading for ages, but you usually have to hunch over and stuff your heavy, wet clothes in the dryer from the front. The Fisher & Paykel Top-Loading Dryer is an alternative that seems like it would be more ergonomically sound, since you just move the clothes from one machine to the other without bending low. The design may have other benefits too: according to the company the top-loading dryer has a drum that "tumbles foward and reverse, reducing creasing and tangling and improves even drying." The recommended prices for the dryers are: $799 for the gas model DGGx1 and $779 for the elctric model DGEX1.
We've mentioned the 
Ok, it's hard to get excited about something as prosaic as a laundry hamper, but Pottery Barn's Savannah Divided Hamper has one unique feature that makes it special. Or at least super practical. The woven sea grass hamper holds two poly/cotton canvas liners, so you can sort colors from whites as you toss them in. Grommets along the top allow you to remove the liners and dump them in the washing machine on laundry day. The price is $179.
The Jentle Jet Laundry Sink was featured on HGTV's Kitchen Trends the other night (apparently laundry takes place close enough to the kitchen to warrant a mention on the show). Made by MTI Whirlpools, the folks who brought you the 
If space is at a premium in your laundry room, you may appreciate LG Electronics' front loading All-in-One Washer and Dryer. Great for small homes and condominiums, the combination appliance comes with a number of features such as a child safety lock, numerous wash and dry programs, "TilTub" for easy reach into the drum, and intelligent electronic controls that sense how wet clothes are and determine a drying program based on their weight. The price for the combination washing machine and dryer is about $1,700.
