We recently noticed an extremely interesting, concept portable washing 
machine from India. Concept washers are a dime a dozen, and most are not that well thought out. On the other hand, the Indra washing machine by Elodie Delassus appears to be a more serious effort. The basic premise (that labor is cheaper than using electricity and electric washers) makes a great deal of sense.
The machine also uses embers to heat the water, which is a clever idea as the cost of heating water is very expensive. It has a side compartment where embers can be loaded to heat the water. Another unique feature is a clay/coffee water filter, so the wash water can be reused.
The Indra uses a foot pedal design for washing and spin dryer, and has a 12 kg. washing capacity.
It’s meant to reduce the amount of washing by hand that is normally done by the Dhobi (washer man).
While it’s a really neat idea and has a stylish design, there are naturally some potential obstacles:
Who will buy them? Because by Indian standards, the machines are quite expensive. Also people who can afford them might buy a regular automatic washing machine instead. It doesn’t say how much they would cost, and who the potential buyers would be.
The cost of labor is extremely low in India.
More details can be found at
