New washing machines will soon be required to have a dual start function to make it harder for children to turn them on, following a fatal accident in New Zealand.
From July 1, washing machines will take twice as long to turn on, requiring a two-step process to start the appliance for enhanced safety in busy households.
Safety Upgrade Details
The upgrade applies only to new models, meaning consumers won't have to replace their existing washers.
The change follows a fatal accident in Christchurch in 2021 when a child climbed into a machine and managed to turn it on.
"The principal challenge here for us is to help keep these children safe and the dual action mechanism is one of the ways that we can do that," Adam Stingemore of safety watchdog Standards Australia said.
Manufacturer Response
Manufacturers have been racing to meet the July deadline, with Electrolux saying its rollout is going well and customers won't be stung with higher prices.
"What we have had to do is go away and do some re-engineering on our machines, but all in all, we haven't seen costs increase as a result of the change," category manager Aaron McNamara said.
Additional Features
Updated models are already for sale and come with added perks, including improved energy efficiency, water efficiency and AI technology in wash cycles for enhanced fabric protection and wash quality.
Retailers and manufacturers have until November next year to sell existing old stock, which could mean bargain deals for consumers in the months ahead.
"There's some excellent deals on all of the run-out models, which some of the stores still have plenty of stock available," Ashley Collins of Harvey Norman said.
