18 June 2008
An egg tray that only holds five eggs and a dishwasher that doesn't wash standard size plates are among a list of badly-designed household appliances currently on sale in the high street.
The hall of shame also featured a television which won't turn off unless the plug is pulled out of the wall socket, a children's outdoor slide - in bright yellow - which attracts thousands of bugs in summertime making it impossible for kids to play on and a washing machine that won't wash cotton or synthetics at less than 60 degrees.
The catalogue of dodgy designs was compiled by consumer review website www.reevoo.com, which looked at thousands of reviews written by real shoppers.
Chris Winstanley, spokesman for Reevoo, said: "It’s amazing that products with these and many other design flaws are allowed to leave the factory floor.
“We have bought eggs by the half-dozen in this country for decades, so it is fairly incredible that we are designing fridges with egg trays that can’t house a full box.
“Customers buy products in good faith, and at the very least expect the manufacturer to have thought about how they are going to be used.”
The Bosch KGU30605 fridge with the egg tray which forces owners to precariously balance their sixth egg on a normal shelf won the dubious title of Dodgiest Design.
Other products named and shamed were battery powered heated gloves which don’t heat the whole hand, another dishwasher which doesn’t fit standard mugs, and an oven which heats up on the inside and the outside.
Chris Winstanley continues: “Genuine customer reviews give shoppers the whole story about a product, helping them decide what to buy. At the same time, they also help manufacturers develop better products.
TOP DODGY DESIGNS – see Reevoo’s blog, Decide What to Buy for the complete list
1. Bosch KGU30605 Fridge - the egg tray which only holds five eggs instead of the standard six.
2. Zanussi ZWF14581 Washing Machine - The default temperature when you choose cotton or synthetics is always 60 degrees. But almost all synthetics are labelled 40 degrees or less.
3. LG 37LF66 Television - that doesn't turn off. You have to pull the plug out of the wall to turn the TV off.
4. Easy Store Large Slide - the bright yellow colour attracts thousands of bugs in summertime.
5. Kenwood DW12CFE Dishwasher - Normal sized plates stacked as design suggests in the bottom tray stop the spray arm spinning, and thus the top layer does not get washed. Trays are non removable so the dishwasher won't run without the top tray in. Hard to fit standard sized dinner plates.
