Built to last
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Why should a washing machine need updates to begin with?
Always online model of laundry DRM. When the servers shut down then the washing machine stops working.
Also, washing machines tend to eat up one sock. Now there's going to be a micro transaction to get the sock back.
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- It can tell you it's done, so you notice the notification after a couple hours instead of finding musky clothes a day or two later
- It can tell you it's time to do the self-cleaning cycle
- If you're doing something unusual, like washing reusable diapers which need extra rinse cycles, you can upload a custom program for that to the washer
- Even more unusual, someone had stacked units and was too short to reach the buttons on the washer, so they liked to start it via the app instead of getting a stool
Most of this can be achieved in other ways (like a smart plug measuring the current draw and a simple monthly reminder), but non-techies want turnkey solutions.
I can't see any reason to have WiFi on your dryer, though.
All the things that you mentioned are already possible and have been since a decade or before.
- It can tell you it's done, so you notice the notification after a couple hours instead of finding musky clothes a day or two later
There's an estimate and a timer and the machine let's you know when its done. This is a 2014 model to say the age.
- It can tell you it's time to do the self-cleaning cycle
This is also something that is already automated and the machine does itself and can do manually if you ask.
- If you're doing something unusual, like washing reusable diapers which need extra rinse cycles, you can upload a custom program for that to the washer
You can add extra Rinse cycles for specific clothes and have custom programs too.
- Even more unusual, someone had stacked units and was too short to reach the buttons on the washer, so they liked to start it via the app instead of getting a stool
The controls being an inconvenience I can give you that. But, barring that its not stone age you would think it to be.
Fully automatic machines without WiFi work fine and don't need any software updates to begin with.
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You always have to leave the door open...
I picked this up from my parents.
When I moved out, I lived with a flatmate for a few years and I left the washing machine door open after using it and my flatmate closed it.
I explained to her why I left it open and she just stared back at me. Not once had she ever thought of this and said it made so much sense. She is about 20 years my senior.
Certain habits seem to be so obvious, but unless handed down, someone may never even think of it.
Reminds me of that guy that never thought to let the shower water get warm before stepping in.
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All the things that you mentioned are already possible and have been since a decade or before.
- It can tell you it's done, so you notice the notification after a couple hours instead of finding musky clothes a day or two later
There's an estimate and a timer and the machine let's you know when its done. This is a 2014 model to say the age.
- It can tell you it's time to do the self-cleaning cycle
This is also something that is already automated and the machine does itself and can do manually if you ask.
- If you're doing something unusual, like washing reusable diapers which need extra rinse cycles, you can upload a custom program for that to the washer
You can add extra Rinse cycles for specific clothes and have custom programs too.
- Even more unusual, someone had stacked units and was too short to reach the buttons on the washer, so they liked to start it via the app instead of getting a stool
The controls being an inconvenience I can give you that. But, barring that its not stone age you would think it to be.
Fully automatic machines without WiFi work fine and don't need any software updates to begin with.
Love how you took the time for a point-for-point rebuttal while ignoring that I already acknowledged all of that:
Most of this can be achieved in other ways (like a smart plug measuring the current draw and a simple monthly reminder), but non-techies want turnkey solutions.
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Love how you took the time for a point-for-point rebuttal while ignoring that I already acknowledged all of that:
Most of this can be achieved in other ways (like a smart plug measuring the current draw and a simple monthly reminder), but non-techies want turnkey solutions.
I read your smart-plug bit. But, even that's not necessary to achieve most of it since its built-in modern day washing machines.
I made that comment to highlight to others and for information purpose like yours was as a reply to "why would it connect to WiFi?" .
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And it has to be the horrible, congested and overused 2.4 GHz band.
They would need to double the costs to accommodate both 2.4GHz and 5Ghz bands if they choose the latter for backwards compatibility with electronics.
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I picked this up from my parents.
When I moved out, I lived with a flatmate for a few years and I left the washing machine door open after using it and my flatmate closed it.
I explained to her why I left it open and she just stared back at me. Not once had she ever thought of this and said it made so much sense. She is about 20 years my senior.
Certain habits seem to be so obvious, but unless handed down, someone may never even think of it.
Reminds me of that guy that never thought to let the shower water get warm before stepping in.
Huh... I have a top loader and grew up with one so it'd never occur to me this is needed, since with a top loader there's no reason to close it, it doesn't get in the way by being open
I'm glad I saw this thread, if I ever have a front loader now I'll know to leave it open
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Buy European: Miele, Rex Electrolux, Beko (Turkish, don't get into that), Smeg, Candy, AEG, etc...
Don't want to jinx it, but my Electrolux washer-dryier is 7 years old and still like new, despite being relatively cheap and despite combined machines being more problematic.
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Efficiency does little for your wallet and the environment if you need to buy/produce a new machine every few years.
(Not to say that we shouldn't strive for efficiency.)
Plus these fancy new machines can’t even wash a fucking blanket (unbalanced every time, no matter what I do).
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Buy European: Miele, Rex Electrolux, Beko (Turkish, don't get into that), Smeg, Candy, AEG, etc...
Don't want to jinx it, but my Electrolux washer-dryier is 7 years old and still like new, despite being relatively cheap and despite combined machines being more problematic.
wrote on last edited by [email protected]Candy
Buy European and not cheap
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Why should a washing machine need updates to begin with?
So that manufacturers can patch up remote exploits, duh!
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Don't buy American washers, I think only speed queen still bothers with quality.
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Survivorship bias is a heck of a drug.
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Huh... I have a top loader and grew up with one so it'd never occur to me this is needed, since with a top loader there's no reason to close it, it doesn't get in the way by being open
I'm glad I saw this thread, if I ever have a front loader now I'll know to leave it open
wrote on last edited by [email protected]If you ever need a new one, front loaders tend to fit more and I believe they're more efficient too. Plus if a top loader grenades itself, it might be a pain to get your laundry out if the drum doesn't move anymore. Front loaders are more expensive though.
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If repairman laugh at durable machinery they either just want your money or don't care about longevity. My father usually tells people to keep the old one if it's still working cuz the newer ones break down after a year or two and suck to repair (simple stuff just replaced with electronics that you have to replace whole for half the price of the whole machine).
As a repair guy that gives a shit about his customers, i encourage folks to fix their older appliances when feasible. I prefer the older stuff and find them to be easier to diagnose and repair a lot of the time.
A couple years ago i had an elderly lady with a Kitchen Aid washer and dryer that were in pristine condition. Based on some lookups, i determined the units to be 37 years old. Until that day, neither unit had been serviced once. Dryer needed a new door switch, lol. To be fair though, i got another call on the dryer a couple years later and it had a bad motor. Almost 40 years with virtually trouble-free operation! They loved the unit and didn't want to deal with the flimsy bullshit on the market today so they opted to repair it. I overhauled the dryer in addition to replacing the motor and it's quiet as the day it was new. What a well-built machine!
Oldest dryer i still service has to be from the 60's or something -- one of those old Maytag dryers that just has the timer in the center of the control panel and you push the timer in to start it. I swear the motors on some of those old units may never die, lol.
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You always have to leave the door open...
wrote on last edited by [email protected]As well as the hatch where the detergent goes in. Otherwise it will get swampy in there. That part of the post kinda makes me wonder if maybe her mother just takes better care of hers.
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Candy
Buy European and not cheap
Our super cheap Candy (Washer and a drier) has been going for 5 years now without issue
Though i'd buy a different brand if i had to again and wasn't pressed for money, I am definitely surprised how well it's doing. -
As well as the hatch where the detergent goes in. Otherwise it will get swampy in there. That part of the post kinda makes me wonder if maybe her mother just takes better care of hers.
I take the detergent tray out after every wash so it dries properly. Occasionally wipe the tray slot down if it needs it, and wash the tray. Seen a few horrible swamps in shared housing over college years.
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Efficiency does little for your wallet and the environment if you need to buy/produce a new machine every few years.
(Not to say that we shouldn't strive for efficiency.)
That's the same way i look at it. How much energy is involved in building a new washing machine? How much energy is spent scrapping it? So much waste. I recently had a run of energy-efficient washing machines that all had the same problem with the main CPU board. In 2 weeks i had 4 instances all come out of the woodwork. Only 1 opted for the repair but it cost them almost as much as a new washer. The rest got scrapped. These washers were all about 2 years old when i witnessed this phenomenon (and I ran into yet another one just a couple weeks ago)... Other techs online are sharing similar reports.
Not only are they over-engineering the fuck out of these things for "energy efficiency" which i swear is just an umbrella they use to cover their real goals--to make appliances less user and tech friendly. They want their guys selling their overpriced junk and bespoke computers/sensors/gizmos so they can extract every last cent of value out of the product, then try to sell you another one every 3-5 years almost like leasing a car.
Still, that doesn't mean the tech used to extract greater efficiency is a bad idea -- it's all the approach they take to get there. They're making the cheapest tech possible while trying to sell it for the most $. These digital electronics they design to handle the various functions that give them such energy efficiency are often made with design flaws that aren't worked out before release and/or they're made with the absolute bottom-of-the-barrel components and/or manufacturing standards. If they wanted to make nearly-indestructible computers and sensors and transmissions and motors they absolutely could. They could even make them extremely energy efficient as well, but it's simply not gonna happen.
Energy efficiency is a valid goal, but if that's really what they're going for they need to make some major changes to the way they're approaching it. The engineers in these companies are too smart for this to be the best they can do.
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Front loaders suck for moisture retention. They need more care between cycles to prevent build up.
