KBB - October 2009 - (Page 30)

Education Fully Loaded The latest dishwashers have it all The latest trends in dishwashers continue to push the limits in terms of user convenience, quiet operation, cleaning performance, wash programs, capacity, eco-friendliness and integration options. According to a recent study in Appliance Magazine, 85 percent of consumers want an energyefficient dishwasher that is quiet, too. Noise, or the lack thereof, has always been considered the number one priority for consumers—but now energy efﬁciency is winning top of mind. While today’s consumers still expect a dishwasher to get their dishes clean, greater demand is being placed on energy and water savings, longevity, recyclability and the overall environmental impact of the product itself. The latest units from the upper echelon of the industry aim to be as well-rounded as possible, addressing most, if not all, of these elements. Dishwashers, such as this one from Miele, are enhancing convenience with feature options such as third-level trays for cutlery and a ﬁngerprintresistant stainless-steel ﬁnish. wasteful; it’s actually a hot trend and hand-washing dishes can actually waste far more water. Installing a second dishwasher for pots and pans may make more sense than doing them by hand. BEYOND GREEN According to an Energy Star report, 91 percent of today’s dishwashers are Energy Star-qualiﬁed, which means that nearly the entire playing ﬁeld is “green.” With this in mind, the design professional needs to lead the consumer back to basics when helping them choose an appropriate model. Questions to consider include: • Will the dishwasher clean without pre-rinsing? Pre-rinsing can waste up to 20 gallons a load, which is five times more water than what an energy-efﬁcient dishwasher uses—better to live with longer programs that are more energy-efﬁcient and actually clean without rinsing. These programs really do more to save the environment. Help your customers ﬁnd a dishwasher that matches performance with water and energy savings. And look at the average life span of the product. Spending a little more to get an appliance that lasts 20 years is probably wiser than spending less for a machine that lasts just seven to 10 years. Buy one today instead of a second one tomorrow. • What are the integrated and non-integrated options available? If given a choice between integrated and non-integrated options, most consumers will select the former. This is an opportunity for designers to be true consultants to their customers. Selecting a dishwasher today is about knowing which models will complement the kitchen design while providing the programs, features and capacity to meet the homeowner’s needs. For instance, there are different sizes and conﬁgurations, which vary from the standard 24-in.-wide units to 18-in. compact models and extra-large 30-in. units. And new technologies are available for pre-ﬁnished models that, for example, prevent ﬁngerprints on stainless steel, thus simplifying maintenance by reducing the need for special polishes or extra cleaning. In addition, don’t think that having two dishwashers is SENSORS, THE NEXT GREEN THING New dishwashers are optimizing cleaning performance with minimal water and energy usage by adding intelligent sensors that automatically analyze a variety of factors in a load, including the soil level, water intake, load size and cycle times. Although internal components, such as spray arms, pumps and basket designs, are also improving to boost function and convenience while reducing energy consumption, advanced sensor technology is playing a big role in optimizing energy usage based on the load size and soil levels. Consequently, many of today’s units offer eco-conscious automatic programs that adjust cycle parameters based on these two factors. The programs tend to be longer in cycle and may be tough for those who lack the patience, but then again, economy and short/quick options should only be used for lightly soiled or smaller loads. In this green new world, “eco-option buttons that allow a user to opt for a longer, more economical wash should be a customer’s preferred setting,” said Alex Cheimets, publisher of ApplianceAdvisor.com. For those designers and consumers willing to go greener, Cheimets suggests a technology that has yet to be invented. “I believe that a one-hour soaking cycle of lowtemperature mist to slowly loosen attached food prior to the active jet washing might be the future,” he said. “The goal is to reduce the energy used to heat water. We can do that by reducing the water usage or the temperature of the water used.” According to Cheimets, soaking dishes in unheated mist prior to a heated cycle “could do a little of both.” However, as with many greener options, there is one compromise if such a function were to be introduced, which is the potential lengthening of cycle times. On this front, a little education by designers and Continued on page 32 + K BB October 2009 / www.kbbonline.com / The Ofﬁcial Sponsor of K/BIS www.kbis.com Jully2004 http://www.ApplianceAdvisor.com http://www.kbbonline.com http://www.kbis.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of KBB - October 2009

KBB - October 2009
Contents
Online Contents
Publisher’s Note
Trends
Products
Profile
Design
Model Behavior: A Southern Kitchen is Green All Over
Special Blend
Education
Editorial Index
Ad Index
Favorites

KBB - October 2009