World of Washers

I came across this new GE Profile frontload laundry pair while bouncing around the GE website. They definitely caught my attention with the very different design of the door! You can see more photos at GE's online photo gallery (champagne color is linked). I checked the websites of a few retailers and have not found them for sale at the major chains, so they must not be available yet.

It looks like the machine is very different from the frontload washer they sell under the GE label. If anything, they took a few features from the very successful GE Profile Harmony and incorporated them into a frontload washer.

A few features that GE has included in the machine:

SmartDispense Technology: Optional pedestal is required to utilize this feature. The detergent is held in a reservoir in the pedestal and automatically dispenses the proper amount into the machine. They originally incorporated this feature into a few GE Profile dishwashers a few years ago. I am somewhat ambivalent about this feature since I am a proponent of powder detergents. (Liquid must be used to take advantage of the SmartDispense.)

In addition, I am thinking that high-efficiency detergents are far more efficient than most people understand. I am chugging through a bottle of concentrated Tide HE and am finding myself using a tiny fraction (about two tablespoons) of the recommended amount. Otherwise, the suds get out of control. If this thing dispenses the full recommended dosage, I think there will be problems.

CleanSpeak Communication System: Another feature incorporated from the Harmony. A serial cable connects the washer to the dryer. The cycle selections you made on the washer get transferred to the dryer. All you have to do is pop the clothes in and press start. The dryer already knows what to do.

Stain Inspector System: The Harmony owners I have talked to love this feature. The washer holds a database of over 40 different stains. You select the stain you need to wash out, and the washer makes the appropriate settings.

The website also make mention of "Steam Assist" in the listed features. However, I looked through the use and care guide and could find no mention of any steam functions.

The washer also offers an internal water heater, a max 1300 RPM spin speed, and a capacity of 4.2 cf.

I have sent an email to GE requesting more information on this machine. If I get a response next week I will update this post.

In the meantime, more information can be found at GE's website.

Some pretty striking images can be found here for champagne, here for white, and here for vermillion red. The vermillion red gallery also offers pictures of the Smart Dispense set-up.

Finally, the use and care guide can be viewed here.

Update 7/14/2008: I sent an email to GE via their website last week. On the 8th I received a response offering a few details about the new machines. Unfortunately, it pretty much looked like a cut-and-paste job right out of a corporate press release.

I replied with a few more questions, hoping to get a bit more detail, and today I received a response. The responder was brief in answering my questions, to say the least. To summarize: the new laundry is slowly being introduced to retailers; there are no steam functions; the design of the doors are strictly cosmetic; the SmartDispense must be periodically disassembled and cleaned; they have redesigned the door gaskets which were prone to tearing.

So there ya go.