The different systems we offer can be confusing especially if you are not constantly on top of Steigen news (psst...stay tuned to our social media channels for the latest updates and promotions!).
Trying to decide between Steigen’s Solar Ultra and Solar Alpha? We’ve collected the most important specs, plus some additional info to help you decide.
Here’s what you need to know between our bestseller, Solar Ultra, and our latest addition, Solar Alpha.
Solar Alpha
Price: $1399
Drying Speed: 8x faster compared to natural breeze*
Ioniser and Dust Mite Repeller: Yes
LED Light: 3-tone Soft White, Daylight and Warm Glow (20 Watts)
How it stands out: This latest addition to the Solar Series is perfect for large families who struggle with laundry load. With a whopping 50kg load capacity, you can dry approximately 3 full loads of washing with Solar Alpha. The additional pole caters for more drying room too. Not to mention, it comes with slidable built-in plastic clips to hold smaller garments (e.g. baby laundry, handkerchieves, socks etc).
Unlike the other models in the Solar Series, Solar Alpha is the only one whose Solar Drying function heats up to 60ºC, which is the optimal temperature to eliminate bacteria. With an improved motor to dry faster and produce higher heat, the Solar Alpha also requires at least a 13 Ampere power source to function, unlike the other models that only require 6 Ampere.
Solar Ultra
Price: $1199
Drying Speed: 4x faster compared to natural breeze*
Ioniser and Dust Mite Repeller: Yes
LED Light: White Light (12 Watts)
How it stands out: The Solar Ultra is the next best automated laundry drying system in the Solar Series after Solar Alpha, and you only give up some physical enhancements and the higher Solar Drying temperature. Otherwise, it’s got all the bells and whistles: Solar Drying (up to 50ºC) and Cool Breeze functions, poles for drying, Obstacle Recovery, and up to 45kg load capacity.
Our Verdict
The main advantage Solar Alpha has over Solar Ultra is its drying performance in terms of speed. Plus, the additional physical hardware improvements such as built-in clips, three-tone LED light, and a bigger system. Otherwise, the drying experience will be similar.
It is always tough to justify a $200 price difference between models when often the price is a crucial consideration factor in buying household products, especially for first-time homeowners. However, if you have a big family with laundry drying issues or are a tech-savvy homeowner who cannot seem to shy away from cool household gadgets, Solar Alpha might be the way to go.
*Based on spin-dried cotton t-shirt and jeans in normal weather.
