Smart Appliance Buying Guide

What are smart appliances?

Smart appliances can connect to your smartphone, or other devices, and be controlled remotely. They can also often remember your preferred settings, automate routine chores and more. Smart appliances use sensors to detect, monitor and adjust settings and activity in your appliance.

Whirlpool brand offers a line of smart appliances including wall ovens, ranges, microwaves and washers and dryers. Select voice-enabled devices, app integration and other features let you set, start, pause and track progress on your laundry and kitchen appliances, even while you’re away.¹

How do smart appliances work?

Smart appliances work by using WiFi or Bluetooth to connect smart devices to one another so you can operate the appliance outside the kitchen or laundry room using an app on your smartphone. Sensors in the smart appliance keep track of things like temperature, cycles and timing to keep you up to date on the progress of your recipe or laundry load.

The Whirlpool^® App allows you to turn an appliance on remotely, save favorite and custom cycles, select cycles from your smartphone and more.¹ Smart appliances can also recognize your cooking or laundry patterns and store that information, which enables them to assess your habits and offer up options personalized to you.

Are smart appliances worth it?

Smart appliances help you manage everyday tasks by providing a heightened level of convenience and productivity that can be beneficial to any home. By letting you keep an eye on your chores from anywhere, your smart appliance helps you multitask and helps create more time for you to share with loved ones. Find some specific uses for smart home appliances to improve your day-to-day.

What are types of smart home appliances?

Appliance manufacturers offer a wide selection of smart appliances, like smart ovens, ranges, microwaves, dishwashers, refrigerators, washers and dryers. Smart appliances from Whirlpool can help you in your kitchen or laundry room, with a variety of smart ovens, ranges, microwaves, washers and dryers to choose from.

Smart ovens and ranges

Some smart ovens and ranges bring extra convenience to the cooking process with the ability to remotely preheat your oven from your smartphone or use your compatible voice-enabled device to adjust settings when your hands are full.¹ Whirlpool^® Smart Ovens and Ranges include an innovative touchscreen that adapts to your cooking habits, providing immediate access to the settings you use most.

Air Fry Mode is a recent upgrade to connected ovens and ranges that offers your family a healthier alternative to frying in oil. Try Air Fry Mode to create crispy fried foods quickly and without excess oil.

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Smart microwaves

Smart microwaves have advanced the convenience of traditional microwaves by allowing you to start and keep an eye on cooking cycles remotely from your smartphone. Whirlpool^® Smart Microwaves incorporate features like Scan-To-Cook Technology that allow you to send recommended cooking instructions directly to your microwave with the scan of a barcode and a touchscreen that adapts to your family’s patterns and suggests customized presets based on their routines.³ Learn more about what a smart microwave can do.

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Smart dishwashers

Some manufacturers offer smart dishwashers that apply innovative technology to simplify what some may consider the messiest chore in the kitchen. Models with built-in WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity may allow you to run cycles remotely once everyone wakes up by connecting the unit to your smartphone, ensuring clean dishes are always at the ready.

Smart refrigerators

Keeping food fresh for your family is perhaps one of the most important responsibilities for an appliance. Smart refrigerators from some manufacturers let you check on their function remotely by connecting to your smartphone, and then will send notifications if mechanical issues occur or the kids leave a door ajar.

Smart washing machines and dryers

Choosing a smart washing machine or dryer enables you to multitask in more ways than ever before. With the ability to control the unit remotely from your smartphone, many smart washers and dryers allow you to select cycles and monitor their progress from wherever you go.¹ Whirlpool^® Smart Laundry Appliances’ Assign a Task feature allows you to send customized texts to family members asking them to take care of the next laundry step, and the ability to schedule cycles ahead of time means your clothes will be ready when you need them.¹

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How to choose smart appliances

Making the decision to purchase a smart appliance is an investment that may greatly benefit you and your family by saving you time and catering to your specific needs. When making that choice, there are several factors to consider to ensure you welcome the most optimal unit into your home.

1. Compare smart features

One of the most important factors to consider when selecting your smart appliance are the available features. To make the best choice, find a smart appliance with features best fit for your family and the chores you do the most. For large households that require a lot of multitasking, voice-enabled smart appliances can help you. For instance, save time by loading the dishwasher on one side of the kitchen and directing the oven to preheat on the other.

2. Consider smart device compatibility

Different brands and appliances are sometimes compatible with a specific set of smart devices in order to function properly. Whirlpool^® Smart Appliances, for example, are compatible with Hey Google and Alexa.⁴ Before selecting your unit, ensure that it will connect with your smartphone, tablet and other devices.

3. Evaluate potential time and energy savings

Consider which aspects of your day-to-day routine a smart appliance would benefit. A smart oven may speed up the process of getting dinner on the table after a busy day at work while a smart washer could ensure your kids have clean jerseys for soccer practice after school by keeping your wash cycles running while you’re away. You can also help save money on your utility bills by keeping an eye out for smart appliances that are ENERGY STAR^® Certified.

Shop for Whirlpool^® Smart Home Appliances

If you’re ready to purchase a new Whirlpool^® Smart Kitchen or Laundry appliance, you can choose from a variety of models that help you get more done at once. Shop smart wall ovens, ranges and microwaves to help streamline meal prep, while smart washers and dryers can keep you covered in the laundry room