Best smart washing machines: Save time and money with a connected washer

Smart washing machines have come a long way since the first connected washers were released in the mid-2010s
Pete Wise
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Published on 7 March 2023

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Operated with the help of a smartphone app, smart washing machines started out with a handful of connected features, often including remote control and automated reordering of detergent. These innovations may have pleased some early adopters but they pale by comparison to the massive advances we’ve since seen in other connected appliances, such as smart TVs and security cameras.

The good news for tech lovers is that we seem to have entered a new era of useful smart washing machine innovations. Leading appliance manufacturers are now competing to capture customers’ interest with genuinely game-changing smart features.

A hallmark of the most advanced smart washers is that they can often give you lots of detail about your washer and how you’re using it, through digestible in-app features such as energy usage reports, maintenance notifications and tailored tips on how to use the machine more effectively.

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Smart washing machines may have lots of fancy features but at the end of the day, they’ve still got one job to do… wash clothes. That’s why our advice for choosing the right smart model isn’t much different to the advice we would give someone who was looking for a non-smart type.

Does size matter?

Absolutely. You will want a machine that has the right capacity for your household and that fits in your kitchen.

Most washing machines have a capacity in the range of 6kg to 10kg. The lowest-capacity machines sometimes have a smaller-than-usual footprint, suitable for compact kitchens.

Households that get through lots of laundry will likely be better served with a higher-capacity washer (which usually come in a standard width of 60cm). You will also need to decide whether you want a freestanding washer or an integrated one that can be built into your kitchen units.

Is energy efficiency important?

It is if you want to save money! Some washing machines use less energy than others to achieve similar results, meaning they can help you save on utility costs while keeping your carbon footprint relatively small.

Despite our exit from the EU, the UK currently still uses the same energy labelling system for washing machines as other European countries, with an A to G scale classifying appliances from most to least efficient. It’s worth bearing in mind that this rating system is very stringent, compared to the one that was used before 2021: a machine rated ‘A+’ before the system changed would be rated ‘F’ today!

What smart features should I look out for?

Some smart washing machines have energy-saving features such as app-based load identification and detergent dosing. If energy efficiency matters to you, we suggest you start by checking the energy rating – and then go on to consider which energy-saving connected features will benefit you most in the long term.

Smart washers are daily becoming, well, smarter when it comes to their connected features. Above all, think about the practical likely benefits of each smart machine in terms of time, energy and effort saved.

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Price: £499 | Buy now from Currys

A high-performance washer with a sprinkling of handy smart features, the Haier I-Pro Series 5 strikes a great balance between clever connectivity and solid core functionality.

Using the connected ‘hOn’ app on your smartphone, this machine lets you scan the labels on your clothing to catalogue the items in your wardrobe, helping you easily find the ideal wash settings for your clothes. Once you’ve done the work of scanning your clothing, you can refer back to the inventory and put together optimal washloads. This could very well be a wardrobe-saving technology for households where certain members are less careful than others when it comes to looking after their clothing.

The I-Pro Series 5 uses ‘direct motion’, meaning the drum itself acts as the machine’s motor, rather than relying on a separate component. This is one of the keys to its generous drum capacity.

We also note that this machine’s seal is well designed to avoid buildup of grime – a common problem among washers.

Key details – Smart features: Remote control, notifications, self-maintenance, laundry inventory and setting-matching, performance monitoring and best practice guidance; Capacity: 9kg; Energy rating: A; Type: Freestanding

Buy now from Currys

Price: £499 | Buy now from Currys

The Candy Rapido is the friendly face of smart washing machine innovation, with a variety of useful connected features enabled through a user-friendly app.

In our opinion, the Rapido’s best ‘superpower’ is its automatic load detection. You simply open the machine’s app on your smartphone, select the appliance, and then take pictures of your laundry load using the ‘snap and wash’ option. The Rapido then identifies the best setting to use, based on the colours and quantity of items in the basket. Do bear in mind that this technology isn’t perfect: if you’re washing delicates, you should still choose a setting manually, rather than relying on the app.

As for the Rapido itself, we found this washer remarkably easy to use and cheerful. It even plays a little tune when you turn it on.

Key details – Smart features: Automatic load detection and mode selection, additional programmes, remote control; Capacity: 9kg; Energy rating: D; Type: Freestanding

Buy now from Currys

Price: £739 | Buy now from AO

This high-performing machine is at its best when you connect it to your Wi-Fi network to optimise its clever onboard features.

One of the WAU28PH9GB’s biggest draws is its detergent management system, ‘i-Dos’. The feature precisely measures detergent (and, if you need to add it, fabric softener) into the machine. It does this load by load, according to the chosen setting and contents, which both saves water and optimises washing performance. You can use the machine’s connected app to finetune i-Dos just to your liking, by selecting the type and amount of fabric care product you’re using in each drawer.

And some good news for those who struggle to keep up with all of their household chores: the Serie 6’s app sends automated reminders to your phone when it’s time to clean the washer’s drum.

Key details – Smart features: Remote control, energy management, additional settings, i-Dos detergent management configuration; Capacity: 9kg; Energy rating: C; Type: Freestanding

Buy now from AO

Price: £920 | Buy now from AO

Using the LG ThinQ smartphone app, you can download additional cycles such as ‘School uniforms’, ‘Denim’ and ‘Rainy day’, providing an easy way to access more tailored settings than you could ever fit onto an analogue washing machine dial. If you like to divide your laundry up efficiently into really well-matched washloads, this is the machine that will help you do it.

Another of this machine’s smart features which can help with laundry optimisation is energy monitoring. You can view the machine’s exact energy usage over time, or for the most recent wash, see which cycles are costing the most to run.

As with most smart washers, you can remotely control the F4V910WTSE using its app, a real boon if you need a wash to commence while you’re away from home..

Key details – Smart features: Additional settings, remote control, energy monitoring, voice control; Capacity: 10.5kg; Energy rating: A; Type: Freestanding

Buy now from AO

Written by

Pete Wise

Pete Wise is a freelance writer from Leeds. His work has been published by titles including The Guardian, Independent, BBC Good Food, Sunday Times and Ideal Home. A frequent contributor of in-depth guides to Expert Reviews, Pete bases his articles on interviews with subject matter specialists, first-hand experience, and research using books, academic articles, patents and instruction manuals. Over ten years in journalism have seen Pete report on aquifers in Namibia, interview public figures including Jeremy Corbyn and Craig Charles, and – one fateful day – review twenty Christmas trees at a small suburban house in Yorkshire.

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