As more and more items around the home are connected to the internet, some people are excited about extending this to the laundry room and kitchen. Meanwhile, there are others who are…let’s just say, reluctant to give in to the craze. Where do you fall on the spectrum?
To help you make a decision, we’ve broken down the main pros and cons below!
Pros of Smart Appliances
- Firstly, perhaps the main reason we consider the investment is because it can help to reduce electricity bills. While some equipment will reduce output during certain hours, others will work out energy rates for us. Suddenly, you’ll run your laundry when the rates are cheapest.
- Elsewhere, for laundry in particular, the features are incredibly useful. While they still can’t fold and put away the laundry (sorry!), they will send notifications when loads are finished and even order more detergent online when the machine is running low.
- Furthermore, for those interested in kitchen appliances, we have more control over our fridges and freezers than ever before. Want to see what’s in your fridge while shopping online? No problem.
- We should also note that both laundry and kitchen appliances have safety features too. For example, a smart dryer will send a notification when the vent needs to be cleared and cleaned.
- Finally, we can’t deny the fact that smart appliances look great in the home. With backlit touch screens and other cool features, friends will be jealous as soon as they see your high-tech home.
Cons of Smart Appliances
- On the other hand, smart appliances are more expensive; there’s no easy way around this. Unfortunately, the repairs are also more expensive and tend to be required more frequently.
- Also, some users have complained of firmware issues. If the manufacturer is too slow in supplying an update, this can cause issues with integration and suddenly your home goes out of sync. Sadly, this also opens the doors to hackers.
- What happens if your smart appliances simply cannot connect? Well, in this case, you’re left with an ordinary appliance and you lose all the major features that led you to invest more money than normal.
- As another drawback, we cannot forget the risk to privacy. If the appliance isn’t using the correct safety protocols, hackers have an opportunity to access your information; they’ll receive data regarding your home and your habits.
Should You Invest?
First and foremost, you should understand the risks when investing in smart appliances. These days, the most common failure comes with the computer controller board and this requires professional assistance.
From here, ask yourself whether you actually need the additional features. We recommend leaving it a couple of weeks and returning to this question because it’s easy to get caught up in the moment.
Eventually, prices of such appliances will come down so this is important to remember. Between 2018 and 2023, Juniper Research has predicted a 52% decrease. For those who love technology and will utilize the features, why not treat yourself?
