They are too expensive and gimicky either way

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I want a Speed Queen. They're way more expensive than your standard machines, but there's a reason you find them in laundromats everywhere. They're built to be abused.
What do people even do with their wifi appliances? Throw the load in and say Alexa start the washer? How is that easier than setting it yourself?
- What do people even do with their wifi appliances?
  Timing, automatic and stuff. To keep the washing machine example: you want the laundry out of the machine as soon as possible go hang it up as fresh as possible. You're having a long day ahead of you, not a long time between coming home and going to bed, not enough for a full laundry run at least. You load up your machine before leaving home and remote start it the adequate time so it's done shortly after you're back home.
  At least that's what I'd use such features for.
  Other people listen to Spotify over their fridge.
  
  But regular washing machines have programmable start times. I have a cheap Beko and can set it to start up to 19 hours in advance.
  
  Main thing is I get a notification on my phone when it’s done. I’m not always near my washer. Sometimes I forget. The times vary a lot by load size so a timer it’s as good. Saves me time and keeps my clothes from getting moldy
  
  Triggering home automation too. Like ventilating the laundry when it's washing/drying and for half an hour after.
  
  I cannot help but imagine people in a few decades to be completely detached from basic physics in the house and unable to plan for even the smallest things, without having their appliances help them. Then, when somethings not working, they just break down and cry, because they have no concept of how to do basic stuff anymore.
  
  Sounds like a south park episode
- I don't connect mine .
  But I wanted a washer dryer that had a heat pump drying system.
  The one I got on sale also had an auto dosing tray for detergent and softener.
  Genuinely very pleased with all the features my "smart appliance" has.
  It uses less power, less water, less detergent. And it weighs and uses humidistats to not over dry my clothes.
  The dumb ones that just work on set timers are less efficient than one measuring the load to decide how much water to use and when it's dry.
  I suppose I used to eyeball detergent but now a 40 wash bottle lasts me 50 washes.
  Long warranty on it I hope I'll never have to test. But it's there.
  To get that I ended up with a WiFi enabled machine and just never put it on a network and turned its own broadcast off.
  I occasionally set a time on it. But genuinely throw in the clothes, push 2 buttons, and walk away.
  Any appliance that can now be a heat pump instead of an element, or actually measures things instead of using timers is a genuine improvement. Even if it's fairly rudimentary still.
  Not everything is worse if it's more complicated.
  
  I ended up the same way. The heat pump washer/dryer combo I got happens to have wifi. I genuinely enjoy this machine even though I don't think I'm capable of fixing it outside of buying a whole new "heat pump unit" and installing it. It works well and it's way more efficient than the old electric unit that was here when we moved in.
- I have a wifi washer and dryer.
  The biggest advantage is that it sends you a ping when it's done, and can send you a message about the need for routing maintenance, like changing filters or refilling the detergent container.
  Settings wise, it's slightly easier to set from the app, since a telephone has better UX than a washing machine. Mostly I just leave it at "you figure it out" so it's moot.
  You can't actually start it remotely unless you press a button on the machine first, just send settings to it to activate by pressing start.
  
  How is the phon UX better than the machine UX? The machines i know just have a knob dial for the program and a button each for stuff like temperature, spin, pre-program and start timer. It doesn't get simpler than that imo.
  
  It's got a few more options for different settings than my previous washer did, as well as a steam setting that's only available with certain programs.
  It also has a couple of toggles for things like "extra rinse" and "wash faster".
  Having four knobs and three toggles, two of which are context dependent on one or more knob settings would be confusing, so it uses a screen with a knob and a couple of buttons.
  It's perfectly possible to use standing at the machine, but I also noticed that the last time I needed to change a setting I did so on my phone is all.
- I got one of these after my Samsung literally caught fire and it is... fine. Kinda small, loud, and beeps incessantly sometimes when nothing is running to the point I have to unplug it at night lest it go off at 4am again. Has yet to explode so soft recommend from me
- Hey, that's our new metal band name: Speed Queen!!
- This thing is legit, but why is their example photo showing a laundry machine next to a kitchen sink as part of a whole kitchen set up lol
  
  I think that's supposed to be a laundry room, or at least what seems like a reasonable laundry room to people who think $1,500 is a reasonable price for just a washing machine.
  
  It’s reasonable given the reliability. It’s not affordable however.
  
  In many countries flat layouts often result in having a washing machine in the kitchen. I do too. Of course it is not such a fancy thing and it wouldn't fit here anyways.
- Why would you abuse a washing machine? How much do you have to wash that such a machine would not be a complete waste of resources and money?
  You don't buy a truck just because every container is moved by trucks when all you transport is yourself and a bag.
  
  Not a Texan, I see.
- Only reason I have a smart washer and dryer is so they can send me a notification when they finish their load. As someone with ADHD and anxiety that's a godsend.

83 comments