Can we talk about how hopelessly outdated laundry machines are?

[Leros]

So, everyone agrees that innovation is a waste of money?

If you can't get a return on your investment, then yes.

 

[bobdole369]

If you can't get a return on your investment, then yes.

Sort of why some businesses still use Windows XP, as they don't rely on the operating system for profit, but that the upgrade will cost more than the return will provide as business critical apps need upgrading, support, downtime all cost money.

It's the "it just works, don't mess with it" philosophy.

 

[notposting]

Bought a combo unit to put in our townhouse a few months after moving in. Used the Bing cash or whatever the heck that Microsoft thing was. Saved us $200 on eBay. Curbside delivery...which left me and the wife to try get the thing inside, then down the stairs. Ended up disassembling it teetering on the top of the stairs to the basement (dryer on top of front load washer) because otherwise I was toast. She said if I try that again it's a divorce lol.

But yeah, going to the laundromat, or even using shared apartment units, just sucks.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Whenever I go to wash my clothes, I'm always amazed and grateful of the fact that I can drop them into a machine and come back to clean clothes rather than having to rub them on a bumpy board with harsh lye soap in a river.

 

[dan4patriots]

your wife is outdated?

 

[Ns1]

your wife is outdated?

thread winnar!!!

 

[TheSlamma]

Go to France and try a laundry there, you will come back and love em here.

 

[Red Squirrel]

So you're complaining that they're charging 25 cents instead of $1.50 or more? Never been to a laundromat but I'm guessing most charge more than that now.

If the machines work and serve their purpose, then the business does not really have a reason to replace them. A new machine will do the exact same job as the old one: clean clothes.

One thing I would love to see though is a washer/dryer combo system. You load your clothes in the washer, and when it's done, it automatically dumps to the dryer and starts drying. They would still be usable individually (ex: have to dry something that got wet, you can put it straight to the dryer) but it would at least have a mode where it just does the whole thing. What I'm thinking is basically the washer would be stacked on top of the dryer, and there would be a hatch at the bottom where the clothes just fall into the dryer after the spin cycle. From a technology point of view it would not really be that hard to make. Just a bunch of actuators controlled by electronics. It would have to seal pretty well though so it does not leak into the dryer when the next load is started.

Or heck why so complicated, the washer and dryer could be one uniform machine. When it's done washing and the majority of the water has been removed, a heat element would now start heating up the air while it turns. This would only really work for side load washers though.

 

[IronWing]

your wife is outdated?

No, his wife takes Paypal.

 

[Ronstang]

I'm thankful that I only used one of these machines a few times my first semester in college when I lived in a dorm. It was so terrible that I just went home more often and my mom did my laundry. After that year I have always lived in a house and had my own machines. Laundromats truly suck.

 

[Slew Foot]

Never had to use one, thank god

 

[feralkid]

Go to France and try a laundry there, you will come back and love em here.

Sounds like a long trip just to wash some clothes, but yeah, no, I still hate them here.

 

[Leros]

No, his wife takes Paypal.

I just swipe my card.

 

[sdifox]

I'm talking about public, coin-op laundry machines. Every facility I visit, whether in my apartment complex, a laundromat, or whatever, is all the same. The machines are not only coin-operated only, but they're quarter-operated only! It's 2011, what gives? Every other machine in the world (vending machines, parking meters, etc) has gotten with the times. Many of them you can even swipe debit/credit cards. They certainly take paper money and other coinage. Why do I still have to go to the bank to get rolls of quarters to clean my clothes?

what kind of shitty laundromart do you frequent that doesn't have a change machine?

 

[sdifox]

So you're complaining that they're charging 25 cents instead of $1.50 or more? Never been to a laundromat but I'm guessing most charge more than that now.

If the machines work and serve their purpose, then the business does not really have a reason to replace them. A new machine will do the exact same job as the old one: clean clothes.

One thing I would love to see though is a washer/dryer combo system. You load your clothes in the washer, and when it's done, it automatically dumps to the dryer and starts drying. They would still be usable individually (ex: have to dry something that got wet, you can put it straight to the dryer) but it would at least have a mode where it just does the whole thing. What I'm thinking is basically the washer would be stacked on top of the dryer, and there would be a hatch at the bottom where the clothes just fall into the dryer after the spin cycle. From a technology point of view it would not really be that hard to make. Just a bunch of actuators controlled by electronics. It would have to seal pretty well though so it does not leak into the dryer when the next load is started.

Or heck why so complicated, the washer and dryer could be one uniform machine. When it's done washing and the majority of the water has been removed, a heat element would now start heating up the air while it turns. This would only really work for side load washers though.

no, he is talking about the machine taking quarters only.

 

[DrPizza]

We go to the laundromat once or twice a year - sleeping bags and a few other very bulky items - I don't want the wear and tear on my own washing machine for those.

 

[Eos]

I last used a laundromat in 2005, when I lived in an older, cheap apartment. I drove a little farther to use this place because it had the huge multi-load machines for like $3 a load. I could do all three or four (regular) loads of dark clothes at once. Whites almost always fit into the regular machines.

They had a couple pinball machines, which I enjoyed playing. The entire process took less than two hours, including folding.

The laundry room at the complex had four of each machine, and most times I had to wait until very late at night to have free machines. For me, it was always easier to go to the laundromat. There was always families and regular people there.

 

[Baked]

So the laundry room for my condo complex is underneath my neighbor's condo, next to the garage. When it rains, I would go through the laundry room. I have no need to buy an umbrella 'cause I have a garage at home and a garage at work. Win!

Sorry, were we talking about outdated laundry places? Yeah, they should totally add a credit card swipe thing to the laundry machines. Quarters piss me off.

 

[Juked07]

Tons of machines around here do take cards. Usually expensive though. Not that the coin operated ones aren't.

 

[johnjohn320]

Hi, I'm a laundry mat owner. This is my business. I make money by providing a service. Now the machines I have provide that service and customers seem to be happy to pay me for that service. I bought the machines a long time ago and they have been fully depreciated so their cost to me is zero other than some maintenance.

A customer once gave me the bright idea of buying all new equipment. I ran the numbers and his idea was terrible, his idea. I would be out of business within 6 months from the added capital and associated depreciation and operational expense of the new machines so I kicked him square in the nuts and told him good day.

Just had to add (since so many of you agreed with this post): My apt complex just installed brand new, straight from the factory washing machines and dryers. All brand new. And they're still quarter-only. So much for that theory.

 

[alent1234]

my last apartment building installed smart card based machines where you have to put in bills and they add the value to the card.

my new building will only take credit and debit cards to add value to the laundry machines

but most laundry places i pass they still use the quarter based ones. if they work, why spend money to upgrade?

 

[SandEagle]

only women want to talk about laundry machines

 

[BUTCH1]

We go to the laundromat once or twice a year - sleeping bags and a few other very bulky items - I don't want the wear and tear on my own washing machine for those.

Yea, that's were I take my comforter, it can fit in my machine but you can hear it struggle with it and the poor circulation means a so-so cleaning at best, a laundromat is next to were I shop for groceries and the have some over sized machines that do a great job..

 

[QueBert]

my last apartment building installed smart card based machines where you have to put in bills and they add the value to the card.

my new building will only take credit and debit cards to add value to the laundry machines

but most laundry places i pass they still use the quarter based ones. if they work, why spend money to upgrade?

I like using quarters myself, and I like doing all my laundry at the same time. Would take me 5 separate loads to do it at home. That's if I actually had a washer and dryer here. I <3 getting 5 loads of laundry done in 1.5 hours as opposed to an entire day.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

I washed my clothes one time at the apartment machine and was like f that. I bought http://www.homedepot.com/buy/applia...46-cu-ft-pulsator-washing-machine-128901.html (got it from a cheaper place though). Since it's just me I do a set of clothes every 2 days or so and got a little rack thing to hang drying cloths over.