Consumer Reports Tests Found Faster Appliances That Can Save Consumers More Than Two Hours A Day

CR February 2015 Cover YONKERS, NY – Time is a precious commodity—so much so, it seems, that Americans are willing to spend a little more on faster household appliances, according to a recent Consumer Reports survey of more than 4,000 readers.

The survey found that about one-quarter of dishwasher, washer, and dryer owners said they’d pay extra for speedier appliances, and about one-third of that group said they would pay an extra $100 or more. The full report, “Life in the Fast Lane,” is featured in the February 2015 issue of Consumer Reports and is available at ConsumerReports.org.

Manufacturers are aware of the consumers’ desire for speed. Induction ranges and cooktops are growing ever more popular, single-serve coffeemakers are crowding store shelves, and faster settings are being built into washers and dishwashers. Buyers of electronics have a different definition of fast; they want devices that stream, process, and download swiftly.

In Consumer Reports’ survey, 41 percent of subscribers 44 years or younger said they would pay more for a faster washing machine than the one they have. Of the dishwasher owners willing to pay more for a faster dishwasher, 87 percent said they would pay an extra $50 or more.

“The time savings really adds up: 15 minutes here, an hour there,” said Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman, Deputy Content Editor of Consumer Reports. “If a home was equipped with one of each type of product, consumers could save more than 2 hours per day!”

Consumer Reports’ Time-Saving Appliance Picks

Consumer Reports tested several types of appliances to see which ones gave consumers back the most minutes. Below are a few examples:

Induction Cooktop: GE Profile PHP900DMBB, $1,400. Even the fastest electric smoothtops can’t beat the heating speed of the fastest induction cooktops, which use an electromagnetic field to send most of the heat to pans. Induction rangetops and cooktops often heated a large pot of water 20 to 25 percent faster than a regular electric stovetop in Consumer Reports tests. Estimated time saved: It’s about 4 minutes faster than an average smoothtop at heating water for pasta.
Range: Kenmore 95073, $1,530. This induction range, a CR Top Pick, delivered superfast cooktop heat, precise simmering, and has four cooktop elements (two are high-power). The large oven has a convection opt on and offers impressive baking and broiling; self-cleaning was excellent. Estimated time saved: It’s about 3 to 4 minutes faster than an average smoothtop at heating water for pasta.
Coffeemaker: DeLonghi Nescafé Dolce Gusto Genio EDG455T, $130. Single-serve coffeemakers are about speed and ease. This top-rated pod was among the fastest, consistently serving the same amount of hot coffee cup after cup. Taste was only so-so, though that’s true for all pods tested. Estimated time saved:It’s about 3 minutes faster than the slowest pod coffeemaker Consumer Reports tested.
Washers: Samsung WF45H6300AG, $1,050. Front-loaders tend to use the least amount of water, extract the most water, and have wash times of 70 to 100 minutes. This Samsung takes 80 minutes, but the SuperSpeed option cuts about 20 minutes from that, and cleaning is comparable. Estimated time saved:20 minutes per load.
Dishwashers: Bosch Ascenta SHX3AR7[5]UC, $730. The 95-minute normal cycle is faster than others Consumer Reports tested, and it’s deemed a CR Best Buy. It excelled at cleaning, is especially energy efficient, and relatively quiet. Try the 30-minute express wash for lightly soiled or prerinsed. Estimated time saved:110 minutes vs. the slowest model.

For more information on the appliances tested and recommended for speed by Consumer Reports, as well as a list of speedy electronics, check out the February 2015 issue of Consumer Reports and ConsumerReports.org.

About Consumer Reports

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