The Befuddled Technocrat
I am a big fan of Consumer Reports the magazine. However, Alex Tobarrok identifies a priceless quote highlighting the befuddled technocrat:
Not so long ago you could count on most washers to get your clothes
very clean. Not anymore. Our latest tests found huge performance
differences among machines. Some left our stain-soaked swatches nearly
as dirty as they were before washing. For best results, you'll have to
spend $900 or more.What
happened? As of January, the U.S. Department of Energy has required
washers to use 21 percent less energy, a goal we wholeheartedly
support. But our tests have found that traditional top-loaders, those
with the familiar center-post agitators, are having a tough time
wringing out those savings without sacrificing cleaning ability, the
main reason you buy a washer.
How can they "wholeheartedly support" such a goal when they themselves have demonstrated it effectively castrates an important consumer appliance? How can they support a goal that effectively raises the price of a washing machine that actually cleans clothes to $900 or more?
