Consumers Cite Ultra-Large Capacity as Must-Have on Laundry Wish List

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Feb. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Nine in 10 consumers (88 percent) believe that a larger load capacity is one of the most important features in clothes washers and dryers, and 80 percent say that bigger is always better when it comes to the load capacity of washers and dryers, according to a new national survey of American consumers.  

Fueling this sentiment is consumers' desire for appliances that could reduce the amount of time they have to spend doing laundry and give them more time to focus on the activities they enjoy.

The survey, commissioned by LG Electronics USA, reaffirms the company's own consumer research citing laundry capacity as very important to American consumers. LG, the fastest-growing brand in top-load home laundry, offers maximum capacity. The company points out that not all 5.2 cubic-foot washers are measured the same, and that all LG washers meet new government guidelines for capacity measurement.

Other key findings from this independent national poll of 1,000 U.S. consumers include:

• Two-thirds of consumers (66 percent) agree that doing laundry is one of the most time-consuming household chores;
• 92 percent agree that being able to wash more clothes in fewer loads would allow them more time to focus on activities they enjoy;
• 62 percent of those polled say saving time by being able to wash more clothes in fewer loads would allow more time for "doing other chores around the house;" half of consumers say they would spend this extra time browsing the Internet/checking emails (51 percent) or spending more time with family/friends (49 percent); and
• More than half (53 percent) rate energy and water efficiency as a top feature when looking to purchase a washer/dryer pair.

Responding to market sentiment, LG's popular line of High-Efficiency top-load Wave Series™ washers includes models with a capacity that is more than 10 percent larger than top-load washers from other leading manufacturers.  Following new U.S. Department of Energy guidelines for capacity measurement*, LG's top-load washers measure a giant 5.2 cubic-feet (IEC) of capacity. Machines from some competitors advertising 5.2 cubic-feet (IEC) are actually 4.6 cubic-foot (IEC) models, based on the new government measurement guidelines. (These results are verified by third-party testing, and consumers can learn more at www.lg.com/knowthefacts.)

The LG washer's 5.2-cubic-foot (IEC) capacity means it can easily accommodate larger or harder to fit items, like king-sized comforters, or a greater number of clothes or laundry items.  With each American household doing an average of 392 loads of laundry per year, this increase in capacity can save a family more than 39 loads annually.

"LG continues to innovate in home laundry beyond better cleaning and energy efficiency, turning attention to improving the overall experience," said John Weinstock, vice president of marketing, LG Electronics USA.  "Our laundry solutions make cleaning clothes less time consuming with the ability to do more laundry in fewer loads, saving energy and time. LG's top-load machines can easily accommodate towers of towels, piles of sweatshirts or a mountain of jeans, allowing consumers to save time in their busy schedules."

Beyond its maximum capacity, key features of LG's Wave Series top-load washers and dryers include:

• WaveForce™ technology that eliminates the agitator in traditional top-loaders and moves the water in the tub so it continuously penetrates fabrics with high-speed spinning, providing a deep clean that's also gentler on delicate fabrics;
• Direct Drive motor with a 10-year warranty, which operates without belts or pulleys, delivering power directly from the motor to the drum resulting in increased efficiency, reduced noise, vibration and longer life-span;
• ColdWash™ feature, which offers the deep clean of a warm water wash with less energy consumption, delivering energy savings of 60-82 percent; and
• SmartRinse™ Jet Spray System that has a rinsing system that uses water more efficiently.

LG Electronics is establishing itself as a leader in the top-load market, despite only entering this category in the United States nine months ago when the company announced plans to build on its leadership in front-load laundry, bringing LG innovations to consumers looking for something better in a more traditional top-load format.  In addition to its ultra-large capacity top-load washer and dryers, LG is the U.S. market share leader in front-load washers, based on revenue, a distinction it has held for the past four years.

*  U.S. Department of Energy Test Procedure (DOE 10 CFR 430, Subpart B, Appendix J1 test procedure)

About LG Electronics USA

LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a global force and technology leader in consumer electronics, home appliances and mobile communications. In the United States, LG Electronics sells a range of stylish and innovative home entertainment products, mobile phones, home appliances, commercial displays, air conditioning systems and solar energy solutions, all under LG's "Life's Good" marketing theme. For more information, please visit www.lg.com.

Methodology

An online survey was conducted using the field services of Toluna. The study reached a national sample of 1,000 American adults ages 18 and older. The margin of error for the total sample is +/-3.1% at the 95% confidence level.  This means that if we were to replicate the study, we would expect to get the same results (within 3.1 percentage points) 95 times out of 100.  

SOURCE LG Electronics USA, Inc.