Discussion of "Development of a microwave clothes dryer" [and reply]

In the original paper (see ibid., vol. 32, p. 47-50, 1996), Kesselring and Smith presented several results regarding laboratory tests of a prototype of a microwave clothes dryer. For the three distinct operating modes (i.e., cool drying, fast drying, and efficient drying), the authors discuss how the microwave dryer compares to the performance of a standard electric dryer with respect to: (1) kWh consumption; and (2) noise level. Despite the lower drying temperatures obtained in the case of the microwave model, they question whether an assessment been made with respect to any eventual influence on the useful life of different types of fabrics. They also query whether a sample of prospective users surveyed about their opinions on the quality of the drying job and if the authors have new developments to present. They argue that a description of possible impacts on the urban/rural electrical distribution systems due to these future loads would also be valuable.