By South China Morning Post | Created at 2025-03-22 23:41:12 | Updated at 2025-03-24 06:50:12
1 day ago
Chinese household appliance giant Haier has introduced a front-loading washing machine capable of handling three separate loads simultaneously, a feature that has some dubbing it the “lazybones’ washing machine”.
The novel design that has three separate drums on the front allows users to wash coats and lingerie separately. Many people in China have traditionally not used washing machines for undergarments, preferring instead to hand wash such items.
The new machine, which Haier launched under its Leader brand that targets younger consumers, features two smaller drums at the top, each capable of washing 1 kilogram of laundry at a time, and a larger 10.5kg drum below them. The positioning of the three drums has drawn comparisons to The Walt Disney Company’s Mickey Mouse.
Currently available for presale on Chinese e-commerce site JD.com, customers can secure the 4,999 yuan (US$690) machine with a 30 yuan deposit. Residents in certain regions – including in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong province – can enjoy a discount of up to 1,000 yuan under the local government subsidy schemes for electronic devices.
Haier has so far received more than 88,000 presale orders, with the first deliveries expected around mid-April, according to state-owned newspaper Securities Times.
The machine measures 60 centimetres in length, 57cm in width and 107cm in height, making it taller than standard washing machines. The company said the product employs “artificial intelligence balancing algorithms” to ensure stable positioning among the three drums.
