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Category: Living

Imperial, California - Time is a precious commodity so much so, it seems, that Americans are willing to spend a little more on faster household appliances, according to a recent Consumer Reports survey of more than 4,000 readers.

The survey found that about one-quarter of dishwasher, washer, and dryer owners said they’d pay extra for speedier appliances, and about one-third of that group said they would pay an extra $100 or more. The full report, “Life in the Fast Lane,” is featured in the February 2015 issue of Consumer Reports and is available at ConsumerReports.org.

Manufacturers are aware of the consumers’ desire for speed. Induction ranges and cooktops are growing ever more popular, single-serve coffeemakers are crowding store shelves, and faster settings are being built into washers and dishwashers. Buyers of electronics have a different definition of fast; they want devices that stream, process, and download swiftly.

In Consumer Reports’ survey, 41 percent of subscribers 44 years or younger said they would pay more for a faster washing machine than the one they have. Of the dishwasher owners willing to pay more for a faster dishwasher, 87 percent said they would pay an extra $50 or more.

“The time savings really adds up: 15 minutes here, an hour there,” said Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman, Deputy Content Editor of Consumer Reports. “If a home was equipped with one of each type of product, consumers could save more than 2 hours per day!”

Consumer Reports’ Time-Saving Appliance Picks

Consumer Reports tested several types of appliances to see which ones gave consumers back the most minutes. Below are a few examples:

For more information on the appliances tested and recommended for speed by Consumer Reports, as well as a list of speedy electronics, check out the February 2015 issue of Consumer Reports and ConsumerReports.org.