It’s not quite Apple sending bumper cases to buyers of the new iPhone 4, but the Whirlpool Corporation’s distribution agreement with B Green Innovations, manufacturer of the Vibe Away anti-vibration pads, suggests that the issue of shimmying front-loaders isn’t going away anytime soon. You’ll even see the Whirlpool-branded Vibe Away pads on Home Depot’s website, where a 4-pack sells for $30.

Vibration isn’t limited to Whirlpool washers, or those sold at Home Depot. In our ongoing tests of washing machines, several manufacturers have at least one model that scored fair or worse in our vibration test. The shaking is caused by the superfast rotation that’s part of a front-loader’s design.

So are anti-vibration pads a solution? To find out, we recently tested seven pads, including the Vibe Away and the SteadyWash (pictured). Unfortunately, the pads or feet didn't cut vibration noticeably. The Steadywash sent less vibration to the floor, but the washer wiggled a bit on the upper plate, so it couldn't abut walls or a dryer. That’s bad news if you own a shaky front-loader. (Moving the machine from a wood-suspended second floor to a concrete-floored basement will help, if that’s an option.)