New Whirlpool washing machines use ozone instead of water

Whirlpool just dropped a new line of washing machines in India called the Xpert Care range. These come with something called Ozone Air Refresh Technology, which basically lets you freshen up clothes without using water or detergent at all.

Zero shrinkage and zero colour fading

The technology uses a built-in ozoniser that converts regular atmospheric oxygen into ozone gas. That gas gets released into the drum, where it breaks down the molecules that cause odours and kills bacteria. Once the cycle finishes, the ozone converts back into oxygen and vents out. Whirlpool says this can eliminate up to 99.9 per cent of bacteria, allergens, dust mites, and even viruses.

The company is really pushing this as a solution for clothes you have worn once but that are not actually dirty. Think about that blazer you put on for a quick dinner or the saree you wore to a wedding for a few hours. Those things do not need a full wash, but most people throw them in anyway because there is no other option.

Whirlpool claims that with the ozone cycle, you get zero shrinkage and zero colour fading — and they have tested this on dry-clean-only fabrics like sequined apparel for up to 50 continuous refresh cycles.

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That said, these are still fully functional washing machines. The Xpert Care range can reportedly tackle up to 100 different dried stains without any manual pre-treatment. This includes stuff like red wine, coffee, mud, shoe polish, and all those other things that usually require soaking beforehand.

There is also a Fresh Care+ mode that keeps your laundry from getting wrinkly or smelly for up to six hours after the wash ends, which is handy if you tend to forget about loads overnight.

Other features include Steam Wash for extra hygiene, 6th Sense Technology that adjusts drum movements based on fabric type, and a 1400 RPM spin speed.

The Xpert Care front-loaders are available now across India, with prices starting at Rs 24,500.