As a fabulously wealthy yet idle person, you must know what an appalling chore it is to find reliable household help these days. For example, your 18th-century washerwoman has just handed in her notice and has gone off to write software programs for IBM.

It's going to be hell to replace her - the working class just can't seem to grasp that those "washing machines" don't get the clothes as clean as a good scrubbing by hand.

But dry those tears. With the new Dyson Contrarotator machine your clothes will get the washing workout they deserve, every time.

The machine, devised by that clever James Dyson fellow who invented that new vacuum cleaner that has been causing so much trouble for Hoover, has two aligned drums that rotate in opposite directions. This flexes the fabric, expels the grime and gets your clothes cleaner in half the time of a normal wash.

All this, and it won't quit after a few weeks and complain about you on the Joe Duffy Show.

The Dyson Contrarotator, priced around £1,250 (€1,587), will be in the stores within the next few weeks.

Become a gizmo source: maccarthaigh@irish-times.ie