[cnst]

I disagree. You can still put the proper settings on the newer High Efficiency washers, at least; and they do wash clothes much better than the older models, especially deep stains, due to much better rotation on the side-loading machines. I always select the maximum possible cycle on HE washers, and was never disappointed with the results, especially compared with the older models.

As for the driers, if your coloured clothes have that whitish undertone that suggests they've been through a good drying in your drier, then I think you're doing it wrong. I was so disappointed how much my clothes would wear out in the American driers that I'd always make sure to only use them on the lowest setting possible, even for jeans and such. Definitely not missing any old non-HE driers; you're not really supposed to kill the bacteria with the heat of the drying anyways, and using hot water is much more efficient for that.