If you thought Samsung would stop at the home theater at CES 2009, you've got another thing coming... from the kitchen. The RFG299 French Door refrigerator not only includes an eco-friendly design, high-rate urethane insulation, LED interior lighting, an EZ-Open handle and 28.5 cubic feet of storage, but it also boasts a 7-inch LCD on the outside. As we make our way down to the laundry room, we find the WF448 front loading washer, which features the firm's VRT technology to reduce noise and vibrations; better still, the included Steam Refresh and Odor Removal settings are perfect for neutralizing those absolutely rotten tees that grow increasingly rank with every passing deathmatch. No prices are mentioned, but they should fit just fine on your wedding registry.

We're truthfully not sure what's cooler: the fact that the above pictured washing machine tweets when it's done, or the fact that the above pictured washing machine still works. We're guessing that the geeks in the crowd would argue that it's clearly the former, and for those interested in a little proof / explanation, you can head on past the break for a video demonstration. But just so you know, it's highly unlikely that your Twittering washer will have any diehard followers.

[Via technabob]

You can find a washer just about anywhere that promises to consume less water than most of its rivals, but finding one that's "virtually waterless" is still a chore. Yeah, there was that one contraption from Singapore a few years back, but c'mon, it's no bona fide washing machine. Nevertheless, a University of Leeds spin-out company -- dubbed Xeros -- has already received £500,000 in order to commercialize a device that "uses less than 2% of the water and energy of a conventional washing machine." Instead, it relies on a plethora of plastic chips that are tumbled with the clothes to remove stains. We're not sure how comfortable we really are with the thought of that, but folks that have already warmed to the idea can look for these things to hit the UK market in 2009.

[Via MetaEfficient]

Scary how long it's been since we've seen any new gadgetry with Her Cuteness splashed all over it, huh? Or maybe the sight of an actual Hello Kitty washing machine is what's really terrifying. Regardless, Sanrio is now marketing a washer sure to be purchased by only the hardest of hardcore fanatics, and while we've nary a clue what kind of features the unit actually possesses, we won't kid ourselves and suggest that it even matters.

Washing machines that somehow remove the odors and spots from your garments sans the use of water have been around the block a time or two, and while we've heard a mad scientist claim that he discovered soap-free cleaning, it's Haier who's making him look brilliant. The detergentless WasH20 reportedly works by breaking down water molecules into OH- and H+ ions, and while we hardly recall the last chemistry course we took, we suppose we'll believe the claims for now. Apparently, the stains on the linens are "attracted and retained by ions of OH-, while the clothes are sterilized by the H+ ions." Word on the street has this one landing in France soon for around €699 ($957), but don't be surprised if your threads come out of the wash mutated, vaporized, or worst of all, smelling exactly like they did when they went in.

[Thanks, Philippe T.]

We've seen more than our share of both high tech home appliances and docks for MP3 players. However, the marriage of a washing machine with speakers and audio dock, well... that's a new one. Still, that's exactly what LG's patent application for this "Home appliance with MP3 player" is asking for. Of course, we have to question the sanity of integrating audio playback into a device we prefer to tuck away from sight due its excessive noise and mess. However, sanity and USPTO patent applications are seldom synonymous. As such, we'll take it that LG is just hedging their future bets on this one. You know, just in case they need a dubious source of revenue in tough financial times.

[Via Unwired View]

It looks like the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has plenty of hazardous products to keep itself busy with these days, today announcing recalls of a pair of washing machines just a day after they sent out word of some flammable keyboards. The washers in question are Samsung and Maytag front-loading models sold between April 2005 and August 2006, totaling some 270,000 units in all (almost all Maytags -- click on through for the specific model numbers affected). Apparently, they have the nasty habit of leaking water onto the electrical connections inside, potentially causing a short and a fire as a result. While there's been reports of five such incidents so far, none have resulted in injuries or damages beyond the washing machine itself. Those stuck with one of the washers are advised to contact Maytag or Samsung for information on getting a free repair.

Read - Maytag recall information
Read - Samsung recall information
Read - CPSC announcement

Never ones to shy away from "word's x-est" of anything, we're especially excited to see such claims come to bear on the realms of minutes and hours, instead of millimeters and nanoseconds. Mitsubishi is laying claim to the title of "world's fastest washing machine," and is tossing in the title of "first moving drum washing machine" while it's at it. The "Moving Drum MVW-VD1" washer-dryer can tilt the washing drum based on how many clothes are in it, and which function it's performing. The slant keeps clothes from sticking to the sides, and means the machine can wash 20 pounds of clothes in 35 minutes, and dry 13 pounds in 145 minutes. Unfortunately, as speedy as this thing might be, it still takes longer than the tried and true sniff-and-wear-it method, not that we would know. The machine hits Japan in May, no word yet on an overseas release.

[Via Spluch]

For awhile there, all the latest washing machines were on an impressive roll of adding more and more functionality to that water-filled (or not) clothes tosser, but it looks like Samsung will be the one to bring that streak to a screeching halt. Rather that producing a unit that ran off fuel cells or instantly converted into a dryer when the wash cycle was complete, the firm instead contacted renowned designer Andre Kim to add a touch of luxury to an oftentimes covered household device. For folks who prefer their washing machines to be the center of attention, this Hauzen-branded machine sports a gilded finish, stainless steel door ring, royal emblem on the glass, and a paint job that will admittedly clash horrendously with in-home decor more often than not. Unfortunately, Samsung doesn't go into much detail concerning the cutting edge features on this here washer, nor do we know just how lofty the price will be, but if you're seriously considering something this extravagant, neither of those tidbits are likely to matter anyway.

[Via Core77]

We've seen washing machines that tell you whose turn it is, offer remote monitoring, sterilize garb, require no water, and tackle more stains than we knew were possible to pick up, but Sanyo's forthcoming machine lives life on the greener side, and cuts down your trips to the dry cleaners to boot. The aptly-named AQUA was spotted as CES, and aside from the thoughtfully designed entry door that's high enough for folks to reach while standing up, this gizmo rocks a unique "Aqualoop" feature that allows it to recycle water for use in future washes. Moreover, the Air Wash function enables owners to clean clothes at home that are typically reserved for the dry cleaners, as it "infuses" your swag with odor / bacteria-killing chemicals without the use of water, leaving your wearables fresh and your body at home. Although there's no word on price or future availability just yet, we've still got more than a few reservations when it comes to reusing soiled liquid to, um, clean dirty clothing.

[Via The Raw Feed]

We love any gadget that makes our lives simpler, easier, and let's face it, cleaner. Siemens has just come out with what it claims is the first automatic anti-stain washing machine, the WM16S740, which purports to contain 14 special cycles to counter a corresponding 14 devious stains: we're presuming that includes ones like red wine, chocolate, butter, tomato sauce, and (hopefully) blood. As if that weren't enough, if you need your get-lucky shirt right now -- you know, the one you accidentally nervously spilled a glass of pinot noir on a few hours before your hot date -- fear no more. This new washer will finish a complete cycle, including rinsing and spinning, in only 15 minutes. How much for this super-washer? Only €1,000 ($1,266) -- but no word yet on how much more you'll have to drop for a 15-minute companion dryer.

[Via Appliancist]