Technology

Why Steve Jobs Chose a Washing Machine Like It Was an iPhone

2025-06-29

Author: Wei

Steve Jobs, the visionary mind behind Apple, dedicated two whole weeks to selecting a washing machine for his Palo Alto home, showcasing his belief that every decision, no matter how trivial, deserved the same meticulous attention he applied to groundbreaking tech like the Macintosh and iPhone.

The Laundry Dilemma: More Than Just Washing Clothes

In a revealing 1996 interview with Wired, Jobs declared that "Americans make washers and dryers all wrong." He heralded European models for their efficiency, noting they use a fraction of the water while producing cleaner, softer clothes that last longer.

Night after night, Jobs and his family sat down to discuss the merits of their options, debating whether speed or quality was paramount. Would they prefer a quick wash that took an hour, or was the softness and longevity of their clothes more important?

The Chosen One: Miele Triumphs!

After much contemplation, they finally settled on a German-made Miele washing machine. Jobs was so thrilled with the choice that he admitted, "I got more thrill out of them than I have out of any piece of high tech in years." This enthusiasm mirrors the passion he brought to all his projects.

A Design Philosophy That Changed the World

Jobs' obsession with detail and quality was well-noted by colleagues at Apple’s design studio, where he spent countless hours scrutinizing every pixel. Walter Isaacson, Jobs' biographer, emphasized that Jobs believed "God is in the details." This pursuit of perfection once led him to eliminate a cooling fan from the original Macintosh; its noise was deemed unacceptable, prompting engineers to rethink the motherboard's design.

However, Jobs could turn from patient deliberation to demanding immediate results in an instant. Former Google executive Vic Gundotra recalled a surprising Sunday call where Jobs insisted that the second ‘o’ in the Google logo didn’t have the correct yellow gradient on his iPhone, expressing his dissatisfaction bluntly.

The Legacy of a Perfectionist

This blend of meticulous consideration and relentless pursuit of perfection fueled Apple’s minimalist revolution. Jobs famously stated, "It takes a lot of hard work to make something simple," highlighting the rigorous effort behind the clean designs that became Apple's hallmark.

From washing machines to revolutionary technology, Steve Jobs exemplified the notion that every detail matters.