The appliance business is not what it used to be. Not only are new classes of trade, such as warehouse clubs and home centers, getting into the business, but discounters and even home goods specialists are finding new ways to compete as well. Any number of retailers have tested or added appliances, from Zellers to Home Depot to Lowe's. In some cases, this has meant standard appliances, in others it has meant a limited assortment, such as air conditioners.
But there's another side to the appliance story. With the proliferation of non-traditional appliances, such as countertop freezers and mini refrigerators from rising stars like Haier, consumers are quickly warming to the virtues of small, well-built machines instead of the conventional wisdom that bigger is better. Building on this shift in the consumer mindset, Haier recently launched a countertop clothes washer (pictured) using its proprietary new "Hand Wash System," a gentle-wash cycle intended to replicate the delicate qualities of old-fashioned hand washing.
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