Is It Time To Switch To A Smart Washing Machine?

It’s fair to say that the invention of the washing machine changed the world. With a washing machine in the home, a grinding exhausting chore that ate up most of the day was reduced to simply pressing a few buttons and waiting for an hour or two.

Since the invention of this brilliant household helper, washing machine manufacturers have spent the years coming up with minor improvements to the basic concept. Now the next generation of washing machines are here: smart washing machines! With an array of special features that make doing the laundry easier than ever before, these intelligent appliances look destined to take over the world.

But with so many machines on the market, you’ve doubtless got a lot of questions. What are the benefits of using a smart washing machine? Which smart washing machine should I buy? Answering those questions is just what this buyer’s guide is for! Over the next several pages we’ll tell you what sets smart washing machines apart from their less intelligent fellows, examine how you use them and suggest a few of our favourites. So if (or when!) you decide to buy your own smart washing machine you’ll feel prepared.

Your old-school washing machine has served you well over the years, so why should you make the switch? 

One of the most appealing features of smart washing machines is how easy they are to control: every feature is handled through the app provided by your washing machine’s manufacturer. From starting up the spin cycle to adjusting the load and wash settings, you do everything with a few taps of your phone’s screen.

It’s not just about giving commands, though: smart washing machines are packed with all sorts of extra features to make your laundry life easier. If your washing machine has broken down and left you scrabbling for clean clothes, you know how important it is to keep it well maintained. Many smart washing machines have troubleshooting features that detect problems as they arise and let you know via a notification on the app, so you can solve problems before they become catastrophic.

Some smart washing machines can also adjust their settings automatically based on how many clothes you’ve loaded them with. They’ll reduce the power, time cycle and detergent they use to match, saving you time and money. Once you’ve experienced the convenience of using a smart washing machine you’ll never want to go back!

In one sense, using a smart washing machine is just like using an ordinary one. You still load your clothes into the drum, add your favourite detergent and fabric softener, select the settings and start your cycle. The only difference is that you’re using an app rather than dials to do it! In order to use a smart washing machine, you’ll need to download the relevant manufacturer’s app from either the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, depending on the device you want to use it on. 

You’ll also have to connect your washing machine to your home’s Wi-Fi network. Don’t be put off if you’re allergic to technology: the app will give you a step-by-step setup guide for how to do this, and you only need to do it once.

Once you’ve done these things, your smart washing machine is ready to use! Just follow the instructions on the app for complete control. Of course, you can still control your smart washing machine using the buttons and dials on its surface like a regular machine. This is great if you misplace your phone or your Wi-Fi connection drops off.

Now without further ado, let’s strut into the virtual laundrette and examine our picks for the smart washing machines you ought to buy!

The Bosch Serie 8 WAV28KH9GB is one of the smoothest operators in this buyer’s guide. Why? It’s equipped with Bosch’s patented Eco Silence technology. Take a glance at the side of this Bosch smart washing machine and you’ll see a series of expanding circles moulded into its frame. Though they look cool, these panels are much more than simple decoration. They cushion the machine against vibrations, keeping it stable and damping the distinctive buzz that washing machines make. If you need to pop a load on late at night without disturbing anyone, this is the machine for you.

Not only does this Bosch smart washing machine cut down on noise, but emissions as well! It has received the maximum A+++ energy efficiency rating from the EU, saving you pennies and being kind to the environment in the process.

This Bosch smart washing machine uses the Bosch Home Connect app as its remote control. As well as letting you create a customised wash program for all of your threads, the Bosch Home Connect app will interact with other Bosch appliances in your home. This Bosch app lets you run your whole household.

Like a beloved Labrador, the Whirlpool SupremeCare FSCR12441 is large yet surprisingly gentle, and it’s great for families. This Whirlpool smart washing machine has a gargantuan 12-kilogram load limit - the biggest in our buyer’s guide. You’ll be able to do an entire family’s worth of washing in a single load. Perfect for if you and your family love to get involved in messy activities like sports or finger painting!

The Whirlpool SupremeCare FSCR12441 shows off its soft side thanks to its wave motion technology & 6th Sense sensors. The 6th Sense sensors weigh your clothes as you place them into the machine and adjusts its spin cycle and detergent settings accordingly. The wave motion technology measures the movement of your clothes as they rattle around in the washer drum. It then adapts to the motion, making sure that all of your clothes are evenly distributed. This feature is great for washing delicates like wool.

This gentle giant is controlled by the 6th Sense Live app. This app’s supernatural ability is harnessing the power of the internet to save you money! When connected, the 6th Sense Live App accesses a database of information about when electricity is least in demand, and therefore when it’s cheapest to run your Whirlpool smart washing machine. Then just set the time, load up the washing machine with your clothes and your washing is taken care of!

Next up in our list is the Samsung Ecobubble WW10N645RPX. The most eye-catching feature of this Samsung smart washing machine is its AddWash door. As well as opening outwards like a normal side-loading washing machine, a plastic panel at the top of the door can be flipped open during a wash cycle. If you discover an errant dropped sock, this nifty feature lets you pop open the door and slip it in.

This Samsung smart washing machine takes its name from the Ecobubble technology it uses to wash your clothes. Rather than adding detergent to the wash normally, the Samsung AddWash Ecobubble WW10N645RPX forces it through tiny holes which cause the detergent to froth up into bubbles. These bubbles quickly penetrate your fabrics for a deep clean, even at low temperatures.

Of all the smart washing machine apps in this buyer’s guide, Samsung’s Q-rator is one of the most advanced. It uses the power of artificial intelligence to help you manage your wash days. Its Laundry Recipe recommends the best cycles for your clothes, while its Laundry Planner feature uses previous washes to optimise your schedule, making sure you’re never without clean clothes.

There’s nothing fun about airborne allergens like pollen or animal hair. If these things give you a runny nose or eyes as itchy as they are red, you want to avoid exposing yourself as much as possible. That’s where the LG J6 F4J610SS Washing Machine comes in! This LG smart washing machine has a super-powerful allergy care cycle that will take care of any allergen particles with a blast of superheated steam. This cycle won’t harm your clothes, but it will get rid of up to 99.9% of allergens! It’s so good it’s even received the British Allergy Foundation’s Seal of Approval - wow!

This LG smart washing machine is a top pick even if you don’t have any allergies at all. That’s because this machine uses LG’s specially designed Direct Drive technology to rotate the washing machine drum up to 6 different directions, depending on which cycle you select. Tough, stained clothes are tossed, turned and scrubbed to get rid of stains before being spun at a hyper-fast cycle to wring out excess water. On the other hand, delicates are gently rolled around in swing patterns to gently remove dirt.

Controlling this LG smart washing machine is even easier than other smart models in this buyer’s guide, because you can do it with your voice! LG’s Thin-Q app is fully integrated with Google’s Voice Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa. If you have one of these smart home devices, all you’ll need to do is speak a command and your LG J6 F4J610SS Washing Machine will dutifully carry out your instructions!

The Candy Smart Pro CSOW4855DC is a super sweet washing machine! One of the less well-known brands in this buyer’s guide, Candy is an Italian company with 75 years of washing machine experience. They’ve squeezed every drop of knowledge they’ve accumulated over the years into making sure this washing machine is the best it can be - and we’re certainly impressed!

Along with brilliant smart washing features like a series of quick wash cycles, this Candy washing machine has a unique feature that sets it apart from the smart washing machines in this guide: it doubles as a tumble dryer! The Candy Smart Pro CSOW4855DC takes the same smart approach to drying as it does to washing. Its helpful Sense Dry feature lets you choose between three different levels of dryness: ready to iron, dry wardrobe and extra dry. Once your clothes have reached that level of dryness the machine will switch itself off.

The Candy smart washing machine uses the Simply Fi app, developed by Candy. Simply by name, simply by nature, this app gives you access to clear, easy to read graphs about how well your Candy washing machine is performing. Plus, if none of the default washing cycles are to your liking, you can create your own by combining elements of existing wash profiles to make one that fits your needs.