SEARS PRESS RELEASE
EMBARGOED
For Release: July 15, 2001
THE KENMORE ELITE HE3t
WASHER IS DESIGNED AND ENGINEERED WITH THE PRECISION OF A FINE EUROPEAN PERFORMANCE CAR
Sears, Roebuck and Co. introduces its latest in a series of revolutionary laundry
products. Designed and engineered in Europe, it can spin clothes at 72 mph, and offers
the best cleaning performance of any leading brand, front loader in America – it’s the
Kenmore Elite HE 3t washer. This cleaning performance – never before seen in America –
meets the European standard for superior cleaning and stain removal capabilities, and
would rate an "A" on the European energy label.
What does HE 3t mean? It’s a new concept in laundry. "H-E" stands for high-efficiency.
The "3" stands for the three areas of high efficiency: cleaning, capacity and
conservation, and "t" is a symbol for the "thermal booster" -- the integrated water heater.
"With the introduction of the Kenmore Elite HE 3t washer, we’re taking cleaning,
capacity and conservation to the next level," said Tina Settecase, Sears vice president and
general manager of Home Appliances. "We’ve combined innovative technology,
dazzling styling and consumer-friendly features. No other leading brand uses less water.
In fact, Kenmore’s line of front-loading washers use less energy than any leading brand."
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The dramatic styling of the Kenmore Elite HE 3t may have some customers
thinking that it is time to quit hiding the washing machine in the laundry room.
Sitting atop matching (optional) 14-inch pedestals the HE 3t washer and dryer
create a futuristic impression reminiscent of images from the film, 2001: A Space
Odyssey.
The gleaming stainless steel wash basket can be seen through the large glass
window, which is elevated to chest level. This makes access to the laundry much easier.
The matching dryer also features a huge concave-shaped glass window. Kenmore is the
first, of the leading brands, to offer a dryer with a glass window.
Cleaning
The Kenmore Elite HE 3t optimizes its cleaning performance with the addition of
an internal water heater. Consumers can choose the stain treat option or the sanitary
cycle, both of which reach 153° F. This is like having a thermal booster to "turbo
charge" the wash performance, while maintaining the highest industry standard for fabric
care.
The internal heater provides stepped cleaning during the stain treat option. This
option can be selected as an add-on with certain cycles. When chosen, wash water comes
into the washer at a lower temperature so that organic stains, like blood, can be removed.
The heater raises the wash temperatures up to 140 degrees to remove oily stains.
Finally, the heater can provide water temperature up to 153º F to kills molds, mildew,
bacteria, germs and dust mites. This is especially helpful for allergy sufferers.
Stain treat and sanitary cycles are just two of the nine wash cycles available on
the Kenmore Elite HE 3t . Washer loads can be customized by choosing one of six
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temperature settings, selecting automatic prewash or the soak settings. Not all options can
be used with all cycles, though. For instance, the super-hot temperature setting cannot be
deployed in the silk or wool cycles, nor can "high-speed spin" be chosen for wools.
The Kenmore Elite HE 3t has six spin speeds that can reach 1200 revolutions-per-minute
(rpm) -- the fastest spin cycle of any leading washer in America. At that speed, if
the Kenmore Elite HE 3t were a car, it would be moving at 72mph.
The washer also helps reduce energy use for dryers because its high spin speed
extracts more moisture at the end of the cycle. A conventional washer leaves 56 percent
of the water in the clothes. The HE 3t leaves less than 48 percent. Less moisture in the
clothes means less time in the dryer, which saves more energy.
Just, as with a car, speed is beneficial only if it is controllable. The new HE 3t
washer has a Dynamic Off Balancing Detection (DOBD) system to keep it on the straight
and narrow.
Capacity
The generous wash basket of the Kenmore Elite HE 3t will have consumers
making fewer trips to the laundry room. The HE 3t has the largest useable cleaning
capacity of any front-loading washer in America. Its 3.7 cubic feet of space is large
enough to wash 22 towels in one load. No other leading washer cleans a larger load.
More room in the washer means fewer loads to clean.
Conservation
"With Kenmore Elite HE 3t there is no trade-off between energy savings and
cleaning performance," Sears Settecase said. "We’re confident our customers will also
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appreciate the water and energy savings the new washer provides. The technology we’ve
put into this machine for energy-efficient operation translates into big savings on utilities
costs for consumers."
While a conventional washer uses 42.2 gallons of water in a normal cycle, this
machine uses only 15.8 gallons. That’s a 68 percent savings in water and a 67 percent
savings in energy.
The auto-water level detection system of the Kenmore Elite HE 3t automatically
determines the water level required based on the weight of the load. So there’s no worry
about wasting water, and no need to feel guilty about washing a single laundry item. The
washer will adjust the water level to fit the load, automatically.
The Kenmore Elite HE 3t exceeds requirements set by the U.S. Department of
Energy to qualify as an ENERGY STAR™ appliance. This makes the washer eligible for
high-efficiency rebates and tax-incentive programs offered by various utilities and U.S.
states. (See listing in this press kit.)
The Kenmore Elite HE 3t is available in white, graphite, and bisque and costs
$1,499.99, and will be in Sears stores August 2001.
Sears Roebuck and Co. is a leading U.S. retailer of apparel, home and automotive
products and services, with annual revenue of more than $40 billion. The company
serves families throughout the country through 860 full-line department stores and more
than 2,100 specialized retail locations nationwide. For more information, visit Sears Web
site, www.sears.com or call 1-888-KENMORE.
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