In Japan, Sanyo is not only known as a maker of home electronics and eneloop, rechargeable batteries, but also as a maker of home appliances. Their Aqua AWD-AQ4000, which will go on sale in Nippon only on June 1 [JP], is the fourth in a series of washing machines that feature a built-in ozone generator to deodorize and disinfect laundry.
The machine is actually a combination of washer and dryer. It features twice the ozone power of the AQ3000, the previous Aqua model, washing clothes in about 39 minutes. The previous version took 20 minutes longer to do the job and used 10% more water (the new model requires 68 liters of water). Power consumption stands at 6Wh.
Owners can even use the ozone power to deodorize smelly shoots, jackets and other items that are usually difficult to clean. That process just takes about eight minutes.
Sanyo plans to sell the washer/dryer combo for $3,000. It’s unknown whether the device will ever be available outside Japan.