Mickey Mouse-like washing machine causes fever in China

Haier Leader washing machine. Photo: Haier .

Chinese home appliance manufacturer Haier has just introduced a front-loading washing machine with three drums operating at the same time, also known as the "washing machine for lazy people".

The three-drum design allows for separate laundry items, such as jackets and underwear, to be washed at the same time. According to SCMP , many people in China traditionally prefer to wash underwear by hand, instead of using a washing machine.

The washing machine model is sold under the Leader brand, targeting young users. The 2 small washing drums on top have a washing capacity of 1 kg, while the main washing drum below has a capacity of 10.5 kg. The arrangement of the washing drums and the color of the Leader remind many people of Mickey Mouse.

Leader is 60cm long, 57cm wide and 107cm high, much taller than a regular washing machine. Haier says the product integrates an “artificial intelligence balancing algorithm” to keep the three washing drums stable when operating at the same time.

In the strongest washing mode, Leader can clean a drum in 22 minutes, with a maximum noise level of 66 dB, equivalent to the noise in an office.

The Leader is currently available for pre-order on China's JD.com for the equivalent of $690 , but customers only need to put down a deposit of about $4.10 .

In some areas such as Beijing, Shanghai or Guangdong, customers can receive a maximum discount of 138 USD under the local government's subsidy policy when purchasing electronic devices.

As of now, Securities Times said Haier has received about 88,000 pre-orders for the Leader washing machine, with the first deliveries expected in mid-April.

Because it has 3 washing drums, Leader is much taller than regular washing machines. Photo: Haier .

According to SCMP , Leader is mentioned frequently on Chinese social media, especially among young users who want to reduce heavy housework.

The hashtags #LeaderLazybonesWashingMachineCanWashShoes and #ThreeDrumsLazybonesWashingMachineIsNotEnough trended on Weibo , reaching the top 20 popular topics on March 21.

On Weibo , tech account TechDaily even wondered if future washing machines would have “5, 6, or even 9 drums.” Meanwhile, account Anan said that it would be impossible to integrate multiple drums because the device could have technical errors.

China's home appliance market has stagnated in recent years, growing only 3.8% in 2023, lower than the country's GDP growth in the same year (5.2%).

According to market consultancy Yuboinfo , the three home appliance categories with high penetration rates in China are washing machines, air conditioners and refrigerators, mainly due to their unique features.

Haier is one of many traditional home appliance makers aggressively embracing AI and automation. In February, the company announced plans to acquire a stake in industrial robot maker Step Electric.