Smeg, the Italian appliance technology manufacturer with more than 40 years behind its brand, has developed a new generation of ‘intelligent’ dishwashers that use less water, less energy and are quieter than its previous models.
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The company has developed a new hydraulics system to reduce noise levels in the kitchen, re-designed its orbital wash technology to include a three directional polycarbonate spray system, and revamped its basket design which now has an EasyGlide runner system for a smooth run even when fully loaded.
With an intensive R&D programme backing its new dishwasher platform, the company is placing an unprecedented 10 year warranty on the motor, on its new 15 model collection.
Six of the new models feature a dedicated cutlery drawer at the top of the tank, increasing the overall capacity of the appliance to 15 place settings, while ensuring squeaky clean performance.
The models also come with a five star WELS water conservation rating (using as little as 11.6 litres of water for a full load) and four star energy rating.
Smeg’s new collection of dishwashers includes Aquatest technology, which the company claims to be ‘a piece of sheer genius’. It enables the programme to monitor the ‘dirt’ levels present in the water and automatically adjust the wash programme accordingly.
Performance and conservation boundaries have also been pushed for users, who now get multiple options in each wash programme, so that every load – whether it be fine china or heavily soiled pots and pans – uses the least amount of water and energy to achieve a spotless result, says the company.
Some models also reduce the temperature of the final rinse, with a new option called EnerSave, while Ultra EnerSave, which is available on the premium, tall tank models, automatically opens the door of the dishwasher ten minutes before the very end of the programme.
This releases any steam and speeds drying without using any energy to do so, says Smeg, whose machines normally use a natural condenser/residual heat drying to deliver a dry finished load.
Users also get the option of washing half loads with a FlexiZone programme. Instead of being restricted to just the top basket, you can now place items anywhere in either basket and still only use the water of a half load. A Quick Time feature also reduces the time on selected programme, bringing normal washes down to 27 minutes.
Other features include Hyclean, which rases the final hot rinse to above 70 degrees to eliminate bacteria, and Aquastop, which checks the safety of the appliance.
There are 15 models in the new Smeg dishwasher range and these include freestanding, built-under, semi-integrated and fully integrated models.
Depending on the model, they are available in black, white and stainless steel or silver finish. Tall tank models are 86cm tall to fit under the standard 900mm kitchen bench and accommodate extra large dinner plates (35cm diameter) and introductory models hold 14 place settings.
Retail prices range from $999 for the introductory model (DWA149W) to $1599 for the DWAI152XT semi-integrated tall tank model with dedicated cutlery drawer, 15 full place settings and $1799 for the DWAFI152T which is fully integrated with cutlery drawer and 15 full place settings.
Smeg also offers consumers a 30 day money back guarantee.
