What’s a White Line?

The term ‘white line’ or linea blanca is used in most of Latin America to describe larger household appliances, especially stoves and washing machines, but also refrigerators, dryers, and the like. You’ll come across a lot of weird theories for the name, such as these machines sharing a “silver” or “white” piping system at some point in the distant past, which, of course, is hogwash, as stoves and washing machines don’t share much in the way of plumbing.

Instead, the term seems to have originated in the stores that sold these items, as ‘white line’ referred to the appliances that were often grouped together (i.e. lined up next to each other) and traditionally painted white, while ‘brown line’ or linea marron was used to refer to appliances such as televisions and radios that were typically displayed together and had wooden exteriors. This commercial term caught on with the public through advertisements.

So if you see a listing for an apartment stating that ‘white line’ is included, then that means that it’s got at least a stove, refrigerator, and washing machine. If you see an ad for a sale on 'white line' items, then there's a sale on appliances.

(Dishwashers, just as a quick aside, aren’t common in Panama. And by ‘not common’, I mean rare. Now, Jenny and I have a countertop dishwasher that cleans what a family of four might dirty in an average day and maybe that’s a workable option for you too, but we got the last model in stock at Do it Center and they’re somewhat difficult to come by so snag one when you can.)