Washers with WiFi?

[folly]

I purchased a gas range that has wifi. Didn't know it at the time. Still cannot figure out how it would be useful. The first thing that happened was I went to use it on a Sat and it would not turn on. I was so pissed off. New range and it was not working. Got the instruction out and found this range had a sabbath setting. Our was pre-set to Sat, so no cooking allowed!!! Thankfully I was able to turn that setting off. This is when I found it had wifi, but I do not understand when it would be useful. My microwave had wifi until it died. It was a sickly little Amazon microwave. I did find out close to its death how wifi was helpful. You could say "Alexa, cook for 5 min on high" It would do it, sometimes. This saved me the effort of turning on the light and getting my eyes to see the numbers, remembering which buttons to push, etc. Although I found that Alexa usually just pisses me off because she keeps asking questions and screws up a lot.

 

[ArmchairMillionaire23]

Our house has become highly automated and I find it very convenient to use the technology. I can use the internet to:

1) Turn lights on and off, or have them automatically turn on/off at sunrise sunset.

2) Adjust the thermostat, turn the HVAC fan on/off.

3) Vacuum my house.

4) Turn the ceiling fan on/off

5) Monitor activity around the house with webcams.

6) Open/close the garage door, and get alerts if I leave it open more than 15 minutes.

7) Monitor the progress of the washing machine and get an alert when it’s finished.

8) Schedule TV shows to record on TiVo.

9) Adjust the position of my bed for reading, watching TV, or sleeping.

10) Wash and dry my butt with all in one bidets.

11) Make my coffee in the morning

12) Charge my Tesla, update car software, remotely warm/cool the interior

13) Find out where DH is through the Tesla app to know when it’s time to prepare dinner.

I’m sure I’m forgetting a few things. But I can’t imagine going back to life before I had all of these conveniences. Technology works great when you use it to make your life easier.

Wow! We can't do a single one of those.
Our lights require manual switches. Our thermostat is digital but still requires a manual input to adjust the temperature and the sliding of a switch to change from cooling to heating. We have to plug in our vacuum and manually push it where we want it to go. We do not have any ceiling fans or webcams in or around our home. Our garage door opens by hand and is not electric. We hear a buzzer when our washer and dryer finish their cycles. We cannot record anything on our TV. (heck, we can't even get any local channels where we live and we do not have cable TV) Our beds do not adjust and we would never own a bidet. We don't drink coffee. Our vehicles run on gasoline and we know when the other one is home when they pull into the driveway. Plus we do not own a smart phone.
We love our life the way it is and we couldn't imagine having any of those so-called 'conveniences'.

 

[a60dan]

In 1984, bought my first house and a Maytag washer.

Married 1985. Three kids grown with first grandchild on the way.

I’m an engineer and would buy with WiFi, if I outlast the Maytag.

 

[Koolau]

Wow! We can't do a single one of those.
Our lights require manual switches. Our thermostat is digital but still requires a manual input to adjust the temperature and the sliding of a switch to change from cooling to heating. We have to plug in our vacuum and manually push it where we want it to go. We do not have any ceiling fans or webcams in or around our home. Our garage door opens by hand and is not electric. We hear a buzzer when our washer and dryer finish their cycles. We cannot record anything on our TV. (heck, we can't even get any local channels where we live and we do not have cable TV) Our beds do not adjust and we would never own a bidet. We don't drink coffee. Our vehicles run on gasoline and we know when the other one is home when they pull into the driveway. Plus we do not own a smart phone.
We love our life the way it is and we couldn't imagine having any of those so-called 'conveniences'.

You're my kind of people!

 

[zippy2020]

In 1984, bought my first house and a Maytag washer.

Married 1985. Three kids grown with first grandchild on the way.

I’m an engineer and would buy with WiFi, if I outlast the Maytag.

Hang on to that Maytag washer. The new ones aren't anywhere near as good.

 

[brett]

We purchased a new fridge this month. I was surprised to see that it had wifi.

Why on earth would we use that? It prompted me to actually read the manual.
It seems this enables a remote diagnostic capability in case of a breakdown.

 

[Telly]

.....We cannot record anything on our TV. (heck, we can't even get any local channels where we live and we do not have cable TV)....

I liked that!

 

[Koolau]

Hang on to that Maytag washer. The new ones aren't anywhere near as good.

Yep, ours is over 30 years old. Keeping fingers crossed each time we fire it up, but so far so good. YMMV

 

[harley]

So what happens when your wifi-enabled dryer puts your wifi-enabled pacemaker on spin cycle?

 

[bluelight]

We don't have wi-fi (that I'm aware of), but the GE Profile washer and dryer that came with our house have a capability of talking to each other if I connect them with a cable. I still believe (though I may be mistaken) that I am in control of making the decisions for my laundry, so we have not set that feature up yet.

 

[O2Bfree]

Well, it solves some of those horribly inconvenient first-world problems now, doesn't it? At this rate we'll soon be free of all inconveniences!! (Or at least we'll be well-trained to expect to be free...)

 

[ownyourfuture]

Unlike most of society, I do not carry my phone with me at all times. It's usually charging on the corner of my desk back in the office. It's probably easier to check the washing machine than checking my phone.

Besides, do I really need to know the instant the washing machine is done? We don't even have a buzzer on our washing machine. We put clothes in and know we'll need to move them to the dryer in an hour or so. It's not rocket science, and I don't need a WiFi connection to my phone to tell me. I wouldn't waste my money on that stupid feature.

That's almost as bad as "connected" toothbrushes. Technology looking for a solution has gone too far.

https://www.amazon.com/Oral-B-8000-Rechargeable-Connectivity-Replenishment/dp/B01KTII3DS

Thank you!

 

[Koolau]

So what happens when your wifi-enabled dryer puts your wifi-enabled pacemaker on spin cycle?

Or someone 'hacks' your wifi and takes control of your enabled car?

 

[dixonge]

I do not anticipate a scenario where we have a washer/dryer for at least the next decade or so, but when we do, I like having the option for connectivity and/or automation. The main issue is whether or not it can be simplified so that the wife can use it. I can see status alerts on an app being a nice benefit.



I'm sure it will be easier than the time I hacked together an automatic sprinkler system using an odd assortment of parts and above-ground hoses/sprinklers...

 

[Koolau]

I do not anticipate a scenario where we have a washer/dryer for at least the next decade or so, but when we do, I like having the option for connectivity and/or automation. The main issue is whether or not it can be simplified so that the wife can use it. I can see status alerts on an app being a nice benefit.



I'm sure it will be easier than the time I hacked together an automatic sprinkler system using an odd assortment of parts and above-ground hoses/sprinklers...

How'd that work out for your DW?

 

[GalaxyBoy]

That's almost as bad as "connected" toothbrushes. Technology looking for a solution has gone too far.

https://www.amazon.com/Oral-B-8000-Rechargeable-Connectivity-Replenishment/dp/B01KTII3DS

I find it amusing that Amazon flags the Oral B Genius Pro 8000 as "Amazon's Choice" for "Oral B 8000."

My new washer is working fine, and I don't miss the WiFi. OTOH, since it has such a long cycle much like the more recent dishwashers, it would be nice to have my phone alert me or DW when it's finally time to move it to the dryer. Not worth a hundred bucks, though.

 

[Koolau]

I find it amusing that Amazon flags the Oral B Genius Pro 8000 as "Amazon's Choice" for "Oral B 8000."

My new washer is working fine, and I don't miss the WiFi. OTOH, since it has such a long cycle much like the more recent dishwashers, it would be nice to have my phone alert me or DW when it's finally time to move it to the dryer. Not worth a hundred bucks, though.

Oh, we always know when it's time to shift to the dryer (or to the rack on the lanai). The noise of the final spin cycle - which is nearly deafening - stops, followed by a faint beep, beep, beep. I fear a bearing is going out, but not sure whether to make a service call as long as it keeps running. YMMV

 

[O2Bfree]

An option for the ready-for-the-dryer notice would be to just set a timer on your phone or other device. We do this for our dishwasher when we're working outside because it doesn't have a preset to turn off the heated dry cycle.

And you could set reminders on your phone for any regular maintenance your appliances need as well.