PeterJohn's Profile

Hi

I can't speak for the photos but usually the duvets are "folded" once or twice to get the look in the pictures. The standard length is 2 meters by 1.4 meters. There is also an oversize of 2.2 meters by 1.55 meters. The standard 2 meter duvets are too short for me, I like to wrap the duvet around my feet. In the summer when it is really hot I like the standard size because I then like to let my feet hang out. :o)

I think England has their own duvet sizes which are a tad smaller but can't say for sure.

On another note. Here in Bavaria I know a few people who oodle all over American style bedding. I guess what you don't have will always be exotic no matter which side of the pond you are on.

@ Herzsprung

US washers measure in cubic feet. I still think that KG of laundry is a crock. If I stuff fleece sweaters into the washer, and then levi's, the levis are much heavier than the fleece taking up the same space - so 6-7kg of what exactly? What a crock.

In any case, you can put a lot more laundry in a US washer. US washers are way more energy efficient than 15-20 years ago, but they do not heat the water so there is no way to accurately compare kWh. That is all dependent upon the efficiency of your water heater.

When I visit my sister I put a load of laundry in, in 40 minutes it is finished. It is sooo easy.

1. Wash a load 40 min
2. I stick it in the dryer and a new load in the washer.
3. The dryer is finished at the same time as the washer. Take the stuff out of the dryer, put the stuff from the washer in the dryer.
4. Repeat steps 2-3 until complete.

During the 40 minutes I have time to fold, iron, or hand stuff outside to air dry. I am done with everything in 3 hours.

In Germany it takes 2 hours to wash a load. I have to make sure I am back (or wait) in 2 hours to put a new load in. I put that in the dryer (which does not take two hours). Then I end up with a half hour of waiting where I can't go shopping because there is not enough time to shop and get back.

Sooooo, it takes a lot longer and the drying times are not 2 hours so planning is very difficult. Do I want to wake up on saturday, get everything done by 10 and have the day free - or do I want to keep having to return to the washer every two hours for 3-4 loads. If you have a family this is impossible and you endup constantly doing laundry instead of having one day and getting everything done all at once for the whole week.

Really, the only benefit is the RPM. 800RPM is really high in the US, mine here goes to 1400. I know others that go to 1600.

Hi, Peter from Bavaria here.

---but they take twice as long to do clothes!---
My sister's washer in Arizona takes 35 minutes to wash clothes. Mine (Siemens) takes almost two hours on the normal cycle.

---They use a lot less soap,---
The cap on my sister's liquid detergent is the same size as mine. The detergent producers tell you to put the same amount in no matter what.

---a lot less water,---
100% True! And if I have stuff from the fitness center, I have to wash the sweaty towel stuff twice because or else they will still be sweaty.

---but they come out much cleaner, much softer,---
Softness is dependant upon water hardness and detergent. I moved from a city with bad water to a small town with a natural spring and the clothes are softer - Same machine, same brand of detergent.

---"We ended up opting for these Miele appliances, made in Germany. They're too expensive, but that's just because nobody buys them in this country.---

Miele (pronouces Mee-Luh) are awesome! Miele is freakishly expensive in Germany too! And Germans buy them like crazy here, so I have no idea what this statement is based on.

Anyhoo, the lowdown: I can't imagine that the european washers use that much less power, they operate a heck of a lot longer, spin WAY faster, and spin really really fast more often. The faster RPMs here mean the clothes come out less wet which I love, but I do happen to like being able to wash three loads of clothing at my sister's in two hours instead of 6 hours.

I also have a wonky sized Wohnung (I am Bavarian). I wanted a sofa with chaise. I ended up with the Manstad from IKEA.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90125722

I know some IKEA items can be iffy with quality, this sofa is awesome. It comes in left and right versions for the chaise section. The fabric is a little 'eh' but it is super easy to redo the fabric.

http://www.eddieross.com/eddie_ross/2009/01/an-ikea-couch-makeover.html

I mean really easy. I bought the Manstad, put it together in my apartment, waited a couple months, got fabric swatches so I could see exaclty what the sofa and fabric look like before I buy the fabric, and whala! The the one low-point to the Manstad is taken care of.

And the extra storage section in the chaise part is freaking awesome!