Tag: washing machine

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POD 2.0 electric laundry machine washes unmentionables, saves water

One of the worst things about dorm or apartment living is the common lack of a washing machine. There’s nothing worse than having to scrounge up the right kind of coins in order to wash your delicates under the close scrutiny of other laundry-doers. It’s also a huge waste of time having to wait for clothes to wash due to fear of leaving clothing unattended.

The POD 2.0 is an electric washing machine for anyone without their own laundry facilities. To operate, put one and half gallons of water and one teaspoon of detergent in the POD. The wash cycle can be adjusted between zero and 15 minutes. When it’s finished, drain the water and replace with clean water for a rinse. After that, drain the water and hit “spin” for the spin cycle.

POD 2.0 boasts water savings and energy efficiency. It’s capacity can take either 20 pairs of underwear, three business shirts, six t-shirts or two pairs of jeans. When finished, just hang the clothes to dry on a drying rack.

This product is incredibly convenient for those lacking a washing machine. It’s hard to say that it can really replace a washing machine, however. The capacity is a bit small and better for washing delicates or trying to get the stain out of something immediately. Still, for a single college student, this product definitely saves time and stress, and is reasonably priced too. One will cost backers a $99 donation for estimated delivery in May 2015. POD 2.0 is hoping to raise $100,000 on Kickstarter.

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Sock Slide holds pairs together in the washing machine void

Sock SlideIt’s been said that there is a black hole in every washing machine into which one sock always falls, breaking up most every set. While Sock Slide may not reveal the location of past socks, it does solve potential future mysteries. It also comes in six different colors so that each family member can have their own color, and similar sets can be easily told apart. Seems like a great idea for adults, and $7 for five Sock Slides seems like a pretty good deal. However, getting kids to follow through with this seems like it may be a rather daunting challenge. Expected delivery on this is September 2014.

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Reason ensures that energy savings come out in the wash

The Premise. The washing machine has seen subtle changes to bring them into the 21st century, but their designs have remained largely the same. One inventor has made the washing machine simpler, more energy efficient, and more compact.

The Product. The Reason washing machine has a slide-out drum, not unlike a trash compactor, and can handle loads of a single garment all the way up to a winter comforter and duvet. The Reason weighs the load of laundry and calculates the appropriate amount of water and detergent, and custom tailors each cycle to only use what is needed to clean garments. The entire device is operated with a single button, and can handle loads up to 12 kilograms.

The Pitch. Based on the feature set and innovation of the Reason, one can’t fault inventor Andrew Reason for being excited about his project. However, with the epic movie-trailer soundtrack and the metaphors to saving enough resources to fill Olympic pools and shut down power plants, the promotional video comes off a little strong. Reason includes a whole array of demo videos however, showing off every aspect of the machine. The Reason needs to raise £40,000 to complete the prototype stage and get the initial production out the door.

The Perks. The Reason washing machine will be sent out in December of this year for those that pledge support of at least £779, complete with detergent and conditioner. A year supply of the detergent and conditioner is available for £150, and those that want to change their laundry routine earlier can get in on the first batch for £4,000, receiving their washer in October.

The Potential. The Reason washing machine is an interesting design that’s a perfect fit in smaller apartments and economy housing because of its small space requirements and the ability to cut back on utility costs. The initial investment price may be a little high for those looking to cut costs, but Reason calculates that within an eight-year time frame, the washer will have paid for itself. While that may seem like a long time to wait to break even, the machine does thankfully come with a ten-year guarantee.

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Laundreez gets clothes clean without the machine

The Premise. Washing clothes while away from home can be a chore. Sometimes machines aren’t accessible. When when they are, the cost usually renders the effort pointless, and most times you just don’t have the downtime to spend a few hours inside waiting for the spin cycle to loosen its grip on your unmentionables.

The Product. Designed for travel, Laundreez is a waterproof laundry bag that allows you to clean clothes as effectively as a washing machine. Featuring an outer PVC wash bag, an inner nylon mesh bag, and a screw-on filler cap, you simply fill the mesh bag with dirty clothes, insert into the outer bag and secure by folding and clipping the outer bag closed. Add water by unscrewing the filler cap, then screw back on and agitate Laundreez for a few minutes to hand wash your clothes without actually getting wet.

The Pitch. An anonymous British man presents the main pitch for Laundreez in a concise and pretty humorous video. Explaining that in addition to being able to wash clothes while on-the-go, Laundreez also allows travelers to pack less clothing. This makes travel lighter and possibly even cheaper after factoring in weight-related baggage fees popular when traveling by air. Other applications for Laundreez include use as a dry-bag when at the beach or boating, and even a convenient way to store and chill your favorite beverages during transport. The page continues past the video to explain the initial design, adjustments made and the process of getting a second prototype, which will likely not be the last prototype before initial production begins. Project goal over 35 days is £18,000, equivalent to about $30,000.

The Perks. Material rewards start at £14 which secures you one of the first 2,500 Laundreez (which one must assume is the plural). All backers will receive Laundreez for a discount, as the final product is expected to retail in May 2014 for £20.

The Potential. Laundreez looks handy, but may be used more commonly as a tote for after-swimming items — especially for vacationing families with small children. Still, it’s a practical option, especially for longer trips involving air travel where luggage restrictions seem to increase daily. The Scrubba is a similar concept wash bag developed by an Australian company, which retails today for $65 with free shipping to the U.S., netting out at a little less than double the cost of Laundreez.