LG SteamWasher

Seems clothes washing machines are on the creative edge after a hundred years of your basic swirling hot water. First it was the front loading thing and now it’s steaming.

LG Electronics has come out with the LG SteamWasher that LG says will improve washing performance and save on your energy bill. There is a new cycle called SteamFresh, during which your clothes get de-wrinkled and de-odored without water and detergent. Goodbye dry cleaning visits and hassles with the ironing board. And if you want a basic refresher course for your shirts without a full wash, this thing is just the ticket.

And there is more…be still my heart. The drum capacity is huge with LG claiming a 4 cubic feet of inner space as well as spin speeds of 1320 RPMs…enough to make a Nascar driver envious. LG seems to understand you have other things to do, so they are providing a Remote Monitoring Laundry System. This way you can check in on your wash cycles while cleaning the bathroom (or watching the Saturday afternoon game). Simply plug in the monitor in any electrical outlet and you can see how much time is left in any particular cycle.

The SteamWasher is already on the market in South Korea, LG’s base of operations. With the huge “I want that” market in the US, LG is planning a North American launch around June 2006.  

So start saving your pennies. LG estimates the MSRP will be between $1500 and $1600. If you like the idea of monitoring your wash, the remote accessory will run you about $100. Sign me up!