Two of the most expensive gadgets you can add to your smart home are a smart washer and a smart dryer. Unlike smart bulbs or smart speakers, which are highly affordable, these gadgets typically cost well over $1,000. Smart washers and dryers are designed to streamline the tedious process of washing your clothes — and they do so by offering a bunch of cool features you won’t find on a standard set. But are smart washers and dryers worth the upfront investment? Do they truly do enough to be worth their hefty price tags?
Here’s a closer look at smart washers and dryers to help you decide if you should upgrade from a traditional set.
Smart washers and dryers offer unique features not found on standard washers and dryers, most of which are derived from their online connectivity. These sorts of appliances typically sync with your Wi-Fi network, allowing you to check in on the status of your load remotely or toggle settings without being near your machines. They can also send you various alerts — so if your load ends, you can receive an alert reminding you to move it to the dryer.
Smart washers and dryers also come with more settings and cycle options, giving you extensive control over how to clean your delicate garments or heavy loads. Toss in alerts for maintenance tasks, futuristic designs that make them look fancier than standard sets, and onboard sensors that work with AI to detect dirt levels to optimize your settings, and it’s clear that these devices pack a serious punch.
Of course, exact features vary by brand and model, but most of the above features are quickly becoming standard on today’s smart washers and dryers.
One of the best aspects of smart washers and dryers is that they can save you money over the years. While your upfront investment is going to be sizable (popular models like the Samsung Bespoke AI Laundry Combo can cost over $3,000), these machines can be programmed to use less water and require less detergent than standard machines. In fact, the Samsung Bespoke AI Laundry Combo mentioned above can run a Tide Pod Cold Cycle that “delivers 23.8% energy savings.”
These water, energy, and detergent savings can add up over time, making smart washers and dryers a decent long-term investment. Thanks to a variety of sensors and AI tech, they take the guesswork out of running loads of laundry, ensuring you’re always running an optimized cycle that’ll cut down on resources — and save you serious money.
If your budget allows and you’re looking to streamline your chore list, upgrading to a smart washer and dryer is a wise decision. Not only do they make it easier than ever to keep tabs on every load, but they’ll send you various maintenance alerts and give you a ridiculous number of ways to customize their performance. More importantly, they’re a great way to reduce your water, electricity, and detergent usage, helping you save money on these bills and consumables.
These benefits will be most noticeable for large families, where laundry is an almost daily occurrence. If you’re only running a load once a week, you’ll only run about 50 loads a year. That means you probably won’t recoup your upfront costs for quite a while. Families with multiple children, on the other hand, will probably run the laundry well over 150 times a year — meaning the upfront cost of a smart washer and dryer will quickly be recouped.
Of course, smart washers and dryers do a lot more than save you money on recurring expenses, so if you’d benefit from their smart alerts and customization options (and their price fits within your budget), you’ll find these smart gadgets to be a welcome addition to any smart home. Consider shopping during sales events like Black Friday or Prime Day to catch the biggest brands at the lowest prices, making them an even smarter investment.
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.
With AI progressing so fast, it's only a matter of time before we start getting AI companions like the ones we used to see in movies like R2-D2, Wall-E, or Baymax. Now, Singapore-based OKA Technology has unveiled Mori, a cute little AI companion that looks less like a conventional home robot and more like someone turned the Pokémon Foongus into a table lamp.
Mori isn't meant to clean your house or control your smart home, but to serve as what OKA calls a "Nature Companion." It uses subtle movements, warm lighting, nature-inspired sounds, and small reactions to make its presence around the house feel calming rather than distracting. Mori can sit quietly while you read, sway along to music, welcome you when you enter a room, or encourage you to slow down for a moment without requiring a screen or a conversation.