David Weiss: August 2009 Archives

Is it a bad thing to have a dinner party and find your guests huddled around your washer and dryer instead of eating the hors d'oeuvres you slaved over for hours?? Such was my bemoanable fate last weekend when the assembled urbanites espied the admittedly handsome Maytag 9000 adjacent to the kitchen. They oohed at the sleek 'oxide' finish, ahhed at the near silent operation (yes, I was forced to demo the modern marvel!), and left with their jaws agape in envy that evening, forgetting to compliment me on the beef bourguignon! Thanks, Maytag.....

Actually, I'm not as mad as I sound. The 9000 is the top of the line in Maytag's Performance Series and brings commercial-grade components (heavy duty springs, belts and hinges; beefed-up motors) into a home machine, assuring one years of carefree operation. The 4.4 cu. ft. basket accommodates a boatload of laundry, and the luxury of steam for cleaning power and sanitizing benefits. The controls are intuitive, and most functions are monitored by the machine itself -- sensor-controlled suds detection, timed release of detergent and Intellifill water level sensor. All you have to do is load and lock. Ah, the joys of intelligent design!

The dryer is no slouch either. It too is capable of producing steam on demand, and there's no reservoir to fill - it connects to the existing water-line. You can add steam to an entire load, or use the feature to sanitize small items you'd rather not wash -- like pillows and stuffed animals. Maytag's proprietary GentleBreeze Drying System employs a "diagonal airflow" to dry clothes just as quickly as it took to wash them. Both machines are Energy Star qualified, meaning you'll be using 70% less water and 70% less energy than conventional top-loaders. Green, lean and built to clean -- this is American technology at its finest. Next time I throw a party, however, I'm covering this fancy pair with a big sheet -- I do so hate being upstaged!