CES 2018: Apple Watch Users Can Control Select Whirlpool Washers, Dryers, and Ovens Early This Year

[RobinInOR]

I’ve always liked my Whirlpool appliances, though like others I’m not fond of the HE. Ive had clothes come out of the washer with dry spots! I always run loads on ‘deep water’. I know when the loads will be done, so I just tell Siri to set an alarm on my watch - I don’t need the machine to do it. But I’m not their target customer, I only do 2 loads a week, maybe 3 every other week. No kids!

 

[69Mustang]

I think the monitoring and notifications features could be useful to a busy or forgetful user, but utility appliances are compromised when electronics are added to them. Ask any appliance repairman, the chief cause of appliance failures today is the electronics. Our dryer quit heating because of a defective relay switch on the circuitboard. The repair protocol requires the entire board to be replaced, a $400 part—almost half the cost of a new dryer! Most owners would have discarded the machine altogether and purchased a new one. Instead, I found a $11 relay switch online and paid an audio electronics technician $25 to solder it to the board. Three years later, still going strong.

100% what you said. Also, people are soooo gung ho for IoT they conveniently forget the atrocious security habits in that sector of tech. I don't get it.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

I was about to say "Sous vide steak, wtf?" until I looked it up. Now I'm intrigued and will have to try it sometime

It's AMAZING. Perfectly cooked every time. I have a Joule and we absolutely love it. The app has all kinds of recipes with video tutorials.

It has a visual doneness guide too. Just pick how done you want your food based on the pictures and it sets the temp correctly based on your selection.

When it's done cooking, take it out of the bag and a quick seer on the stove and you're set. Perfect every time.

ChefSteps.com is a great resource for recipes and more information (along with the Joule sous vide machine).

 

[Chupa Chupa]

I know! You still have to put the clothes, detergent, softener, whatever in the machine...why would you not just start it right then?

But dishwashers at least have had a "delay start" feature for 20+ years. Here is why you might not start a machine when you load it:

1. You don't want to hear the noise or vibrations
2. Everyone in the family just took a shower and the hot water is tapped out
3. You live in an area which has a surcharge at peak power use times.

So you load the machine and detergent drawer before you leave and then can program it to start when convenient, even if you are not home -- or because you are not home.
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I think the monitoring and notifications features could be useful to a busy or forgetful user, but utility appliances are compromised when electronics are added to them.

That ship sailed a long time ago. My mom had an electronic interface washer & dryer set in 1980. It was a bit unique then. What appliance doesn't have a chip in it these days? When I built my house in '97 all my appliances had electronics. I tossed my refrigerator and stove about 4 years ago because they were dated looking -- worked perfectly though. I had to replace my over the range microwave 2 years ago because the interior was rusting, but the touch interface never gave me any trouble. Still have my original dishwasher and washer/dryer.

I had a condo that came with a Maytag stackable washer/dryer from 1988. All electronic interface. It only stopped working in 2014. 26 years of service. So much for electronics compromising appliances.

 

[apolloa]

Oh my this is total geek fest stuff! Shame it’s not Bosch appliances offering this though

 

[44267547]

First I am CRAZY into tech, but am I the only person on the planet that has no desire to control every little thing in their house with a phone/watch?

This is marketing and not functional.....thermostats are nice and security systems are nice but why do I want to remote start my washer?

Agreed. I am a huge Apple Watch supporter, but by No means do I have any desire to control my washer/dryer with my Apple Watch. The Watch meets my expectations with fitness and communication. Sometimes I think the Apple Watch adds to much functionality where it's not necessary.

 

[BuffaloTF]

Ah, you answered my question before I needed to post it. I desperately want to replace my “high efficiency washer” because it only works when I run it on the mode meant to consume the most water. Shocker, a washing machine actually needs more than one cup of water to wash a load of clothes. Whodathunkit?

Oh actually that’s not the only reason. It’s a front loader that has a tendency to shove our socks up under the large rubber gasket that always smells of mold and forces us to leave the washer door open all the time.

Drawing from purely personal experiences... might I suggest that the problem isn't high efficiency, but rather it being a front loader that happens to be high efficiency?

Top-loading high-efficiency works incredibly well, from my own experiences and those close to me that have been through the same crap with front loaders as I... my problem is with the fact I shouldn't have gotten a Whirlpool (the same issue as who you are replying to), as even the Maytag -- the Buick or GMC to my Chevy, not even the Cadillac -- is better made with fewer "cracks" in the dryer for things to snag on and then twist that article into oblivion.

I know it's anecdotal for me to say this... but I merely aim to broaden the approach you're taking in narrowing down the issue.
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I know! You still have to put the clothes, detergent, softener, whatever in the machine...why would you not just start it right then?

There's certainly value in "smart" electronics with such a high draw on the grid. To put the air conditioner example out there, if everyone's AC turned on at the exact same time in the summer, you'd have a massive power surge all at once, and only for the initial startup as the running draw is much lower, like the guy in Christmas Vacation that turns on the backup nuclear generator when Clark turns on his Christmas lights. Making it "smart" allows for a load balance to happen, to avoid that surge and, at the extreme end, brownouts from that draw being so large.

As for the other features... I guess it'd be cool to get a notification that the thing is done, rather than rely on listening for the beeps.

 

[tgara]

Also, the stove thing would be great for my wife. When we leave the house she always worries - 'Did I leave the stove on?' . She could easily check with the app.

Yes, that, and the fact that you can preheat the oven remotely so it will be hot and ready to cook when you get home.

 

[5105973]

Drawing from purely personal experiences... might I suggest that the problem isn't high efficiency, but rather it being a front loader that happens to be high efficiency?

Top-loading high-efficiency works incredibly well, from my own experiences and those close to me that have been through the same crap with front loaders as I... my problem is with the fact I shouldn't have gotten a Whirlpool (the same issue as who you are replying to), as even the Maytag -- the Buick or GMC to my Chevy, not even the Cadillac -- is better made with fewer "cracks" in the dryer for things to snag on and then twist that article into oblivion.

I know it's anecdotal for me to say this... but I merely aim to broaden the approach you're taking in narrowing down the issue.
[doublepost=1515440764][/doublepost]

There's certainly value in "smart" electronics with such a high draw on the grid. To put the air conditioner example out there, if everyone's AC turned on at the exact same time in the summer, you'd have a massive power surge all at once, and only for the initial startup as the running draw is much lower, like the guy in Christmas Vacation that turns on the backup nuclear generator when Clark turns on his Christmas lights. Making it "smart" allows for a load balance to happen, to avoid that surge and, at the extreme end, brownouts from that draw being so large.

As for the other features... I guess it'd be cool to get a notification that the thing is done, rather than rely on listening for the beeps.

Ah, I have no experience with the new top loading high efficiency washers. Thanks for the information. Our first three houses had washers that were built in the 70’s and 80’s. This house had a front loader which is a form factor I’ve never used before, and I also had no experience with high efficiency washers and no users manual.

I don’t know if you have ever seen the episode of The Brady Bunch where one of the kids puts an entire box of detergent into the washing machine and fills the laundry room with bubbles. Well I have lived it. All I did was use the usual amount of detergent I have been using for the 40 years I’ve been doing laundry up to that point.

 

[jgilmore]

Manufacturers are missing the opportunity, I believe, to market things like internet connected stoves and ovens to families of senior citizens. My elderly mother uses a Samsung range that I can monitor remotely. It’s very rudimentary but it gives me some peace of mind. Would be ever better if I could set an alert to tell me, for example, if the cooktop was on longer than 5 minutes

 

[jermwhl]

Manually carries wet clothes from washer into dryer like some sort of monolithic heathen.

Begrudingly lifts shiny Apple Watch to lips.

"Hey Siri, blow my load."

Like a Christmas miracle, the dryer starts and technology, once again, reigns supreme.

OMG, thanks for the lulz!

 

[bbeagle]

Manufacturers are missing the opportunity, I believe, to market things like internet connected stoves and ovens to families of senior citizens. My elderly mother uses a Samsung range that I can monitor remotely. It’s very rudimentary but it gives me some peace of mind. Would be ever better if I could set an alert to tell me, for example, if the cooktop was on longer than 5 minutes

Agreed.

We have a few older relatives that have alzheimers and live alone (refuse to move). It's very unsafe. Family members have to check up on them at least once a day. If not, they will take too many pills (forget they took them already), none at all (forget even to take them), forget to shower or change clothes for weeks, forget to put away things like milk, leave it on the counter and then drink it from the counter for the next week. Things like a stove with monitoring would help a lot.