
Why do washing machines have windows? - tomaac
https://ux.stackexchange.com/questions/50259/why-do-washing-machines-have-windows
======
Toenex
To answer questions such as;

* Is it running? * Is there any water in it? * Is my cycling kit in there? * Where is the cat?

~~~
MattBearman

      Where is the cat?
    

I live in constant fear of that moment.

~~~
aestra
When I was very very young, my sister put a stuffed toy in the oven. Then my
mom went to preheat the oven... Then we smelled burning...

The house didn't burn down or anything, but to this day I never turn the oven
on without checking to make sure there isn't anything in it first, and I don't
live with kids...

~~~
jader201
_> Where is the cat?_

 _> I live in constant fear of that moment._

 _> When I was very very young, my sister put a stuffed toy in the oven. Then
my mom went to preheat the oven... Then we smelled burning..._

When I read this sequence, I thought you were going to say your mom thought
your cat was left in the oven, until you found it safe later that day.

~~~
aestra
The toy burned up!! It was obvious because my mom just turned on the oven so
she opened up the oven and saw a smoking half burned toy of my sister's. My
sister was so upset. She didn't know better though, she was very young,
probably 3-4 years old.

------
seivan
We had this here
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7074943](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7074943)

~~~
ozh
I submitted that story 3 hours earlier, and despite OP using the same exact
link he was still able to submit it again. Bug?

~~~
wtetzner
Looks like it's not exactly the same. This one is prefixed by
[https://](https://), the one you posted isn't.

However, that probably should be considered a bug.

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rantanplan
I almost had a heart attack and was ready to go format it and put Linux on it.

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JonnieCache
As I understand it, when they first became available in the home, they were so
miraculous that those whose former duty it was to wash the clothes by hand
would sometimes luxuriate in their newfound free time by sitting in a nice
chair and just watching the clothes wash themselves.

Also, I reckon there was a risk of people opening the doors out of incredulous
curiosity. As a child, I definitely would have tried to open the thing if it
didn't have a window.

~~~
aestra
Ever try it? You can't. The machine won't let you... Yeah I did try to open it
when I lived in Europe and had a front loading machine.

Also do you have a source of this or is it just idle speculation?

~~~
oneeyedpigeon
More idle speculation, but presumably the very first models weren't advanced
enough to have an auto-locking mechanism. Since the only difference (that I
can think of) between top- and front-loading models is the safe/disastrous
result when opening mid-cycle, I can only imagine it has _seomthing_ to do
with that.

------
jonnathanson
The top-rated response is a pretty solid one. People find it calming to see
the washing action, even if they have no real mid-process control over it.
It's all about creating the reassuring perception that your clothes are
getting super clean.

Incidentally, this is also the primary reason why American laundry detergents
are so sudsy. There is scant evidence that the formation of foamy lather has a
significant effect on the removal of soil from clothing. It's mostly for show
and psychological peace of mind. In fact, in many countries outside the US,
laundry detergents are formulated without the abundant sudsing agents found
here. We've been conditioned, over many successive generations of CPG
marketing, to believe that more suds = more cleaning action. This goes way
back to the days before laundry machines, when brand marketers at soap
companies used suds as product differentiators. The experience of hand-washing
clothes in a foamy bucket gave the impression that the soap was more
effective.

~~~
jrs99
reminds me of febreze. possibly wasn't febreze, but when it was unscented and
removed bad odors, people didn't like it.

But people loved it when they added a light scent to it.

~~~
jonnathanson
Yeah, the same principle applies there. (And to scented anything, really.
Laundry detergent, shampoo, deodorant, etc.) Consumers love sensory evidence
that something is "working."

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eudox
I thought this was going to be about embedded Windows.

~~~
neals
And the blue-screen-of-filthy-whites.

------
blisterpeanuts
I like top-loading machines because when I take the damp clothes out, it's
easier to keep stuff from falling on the floor. With a front-loader, you
pretty much have to keep the laundry basket right under the door. Ditto for
dryers. I see no advantage to front loaders except that they can be stacked.
Unfortunately, we have stacked machines where we currently live, and stuff
always falls on the floor :(

~~~
mhurron
Front loaders use far less water.

~~~
TillE
Also you can put things on top of them, which means they fit nicely into the
kitchen of most apartments.

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adnam
So you know it's not full of water and safe to open the door.

(Yes, the washer will ensure this can not happen, but you the user do not
necessarily know that).

------
gooseyard
funny I figured it was so I could see whether I'd forgotten to take the wash
out, without having to open the door.

------
ekianjo
There are washing machines in Asia (the top loaders) where there are no
windows altogether. Market bias.

~~~
chiph
I still buy top loaders, because they cost 2/3 of what the front-loaders do.
Less, if you buy a dented or scratched one. They do indeed use more water, but
I make up for that by not running partial loads.

~~~
freshyill
> I still buy top loaders, because they cost 2/3 of what the front-loaders do.

1\. How often do you buy washing machines?

> Less, if you buy a dented or scratched one.

2\. Scratched and dented top-loading washers cost less than the ones in
perfect condition too. Also, it's really unlikely you'll get any energy
efficiency discounts on a top-loading washer. I think I got $150 total between
my state and power company's reates.

> They do indeed use more water, but I make up for that by not running partial
> loads.

3\. That doesn't make any sense. Front-loading machines have larger capacities
by virtue of not having to make room for the agitator. Mine is an LG with a
5.1 cu. ft. capacity. A front-loader can hold more _and_ uses less water.

You'd probably have to do three loads in a front-loading machine to use as
much water as one load in a top-loading machine. But you'd still get less
laundry done because the front-loader holds so much more.

Top loading washers don't make any sense unless initial cost is your sole
deciding factor.

~~~
aestra
>they cost 2/3 of what the front-loaders do.

I just searched sears.com for "washing machine" and they are comparable in
price.

>Front-loading machines have larger capacities by virtue of not having to make
room for the agitator

New HE front loaders don't have an agitator believe it or not, however, front
loaders are still more energy efficient and can hold far more clothes per
load. Its easy to overfill a top loader. You can probably get two front loader
loads per one top loader load. My parents have a HE front loader and my mom
hates it because if you overfill it even just a little it starts itself over
again and the wash takes like an hour and a half.

------
Marazan
It's surely to do with being able to see if there is water in the drum before
opening the door. Top-loading washing machines don't have a window, and also
don't have a chance of flooding your kitchen if you open them at the wrong
time.

------
JoeAltmaier
Dishwashers don't have windows, because its pointless. The constant shower of
water would make it impossible to see anything. As stated by the dishwasher
manufacturer quoted in the OP.

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icodestuff
Huh. I always figured it came from commercial front-loaders, which need a
window so when at the laundromat you don't accidentally open someone else's
washer.

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tlow
Flawed premise: All washing machines have windows.

Disproving premise: This washing machine has no window[0].

Conclusion: Not all washing machines have windows. Therefore the question is
flawed.

Additional: There are many types of washing machines. Homogeny of design
doesn't necessarily mean there's a reason for the homogeny.

[0] [http://www.sears.com/kenmore-top-load-washing-
machine-3.4-cu...](http://www.sears.com/kenmore-top-load-washing-
machine-3.4-cubic-
foot/p-02620022000P?sid=IDx01192011x000001&kpid=02620022000&kispla=02620022000P)

~~~
Shish2k
> Flawed premise: All washing machines have windows.

Flawed flawed-premise-finder: "every front-loaded washing machine _I 've seen
so far_ came with a window"

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robmcm
Out of interest, here in the UK all washing machines have windows.

Why does North America have top loading machines? What does your region have?

~~~
Sharlin
In Finland I think they're pretty fifty-fifty. Toploaders can be made _much_
narrower, so they're the obvious choice in small apartments.

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shimon_e
In addition to the reason mentioned above; in case you put too much bleach. in
case an item is leaking a dye.

~~~
freehunter
With bleach, it seems like by the time you notice it, it's probably too late.
It's likely already saturated your clothes.

~~~
aestra
Yeah, it's too late even before it starts to discolor your clothes.

Source: Experience. :(

