From a Whirlpool press release:
Steam relaxes wrinkles and removes odors from garments inside the Whirlpool Duet Steam dryer.
Using the water line from the washer to spray a fine mist on clothes, the dryer converts water into steam that lifts out odors and smoothes wrinkles as it penetrates fabrics. A 15-minute Quick Refresh cycle applies this feature to clothing that isn’t dirty but merely needs deodorizing and de-wrinkling. And a 20-minute Enhanced Touch-Up cycle performs the same tasks on clean clothing left for long periods in the dryer drum after drying is completed. Other dryer features include the AccelerCare system, which minimizes drying time so that loads in both a washer and dryer are completed in more nearly the same time periods. Whirlpool has already begun training authorized service personnel in the technology and service procedures on the product, which has a suggested retail price of $999.
In fact, the Whirlpool “steam dryer” unit just sprays a mist of cold water on the clothes to remove the wrinkles and the heat of the dryer works with this mist to remove wrinkles and odors.
Sounds gimmicky to me.
LG apparently thinks so, too, because they’re suing Whirlpool for using the words “Steam Dryer.” The LG steam dryers have a steam generator that actually makes steam for the clothes to remove wrinkles and odors.
I suppose that technically the Whirlpool dryer is a stream dryer if you’re calling the warmed-up mist steam. But, by that definition, all dryers are “steam dryers” because, as long as the clothes are wet, there is a vapor pressure of steam in the air space inside the drum.
If that’s what you mean, then how ’bout just dampen your wrinkled clothes that sat in the dryer too long with a spray bottle and run ’em another 10 minutes?
To me this just looks like a sales ploy since it does not actually spray steam onto the clothes, just a cold water mist. If you really want a steam dryer for whatever reasons you’ve convinced yourself that you need one, buy the LG unit– at least you’ll be a getting a real steam dryer.
Samurai Appliance Repair Man
Parts==> http://parts.fixitnow.com
Forums==> http://appliantology.org
Facebook==> http://facebook.com/fixitnowsamurai
Twitter==> http://twitter.com/fixitnowsamurai
Newsletter==> http://newsletter.fixitnow.com
SMS==> 603-505-8460
