Housekeeping
High-Tech Appliances Are Taking Over Housecleaning
Housekeeping
High-Tech Appliances Are Taking Over Housecleaning
Our look at tech-savvy appliances that are making a clean sweep at home.
According to Pinterest, searches for cleaning tips have increased 123% since 2022. Apparently, some people love to scrub showers (really?). Luckily, technology has made appliances smarter and chores easier. Now, let’s get back to what’s really important: eating chips on the couch. Here are the high-tech contenders we’ve got our eye on.
Full Steam Ahead
Germ-Zapping Game Changer
Samsung’s steam closet, the AirDresser, easily sanitizes, deodorizes and de-wrinkles; simply toss in teddy bears, your bedding or a silk T-shirt. The unit is decidedly snazzy looking and can be operated remotely using the brand’s SmartThings app. No need to install any plumbing or special electrical hook-ups: just refill the water tank before using and plug into a standard 120-volt outlet.
Samsung AirDresser, Best Buy, $1,800
Press Refresh
LG’s Styler Steam Closet is a great option when refreshing hard-to-wash fabrics. The Wi-Fi-enabled product – which is the size of a slim fridge – sanitizes, refreshes, removes allergens and dries hard-to-care-for garments, like cashmere and wool. Or use it for sports gear, such as stinky sneakers. An independent certification company tested the Styler Steam Closet and found that it kills 99.9% of bacteria, including E. coli, P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae.
LG Styler Steam Closet, LG, $1,995
Vacuums Take the Floor
AI Gets an A+
Thanks to AI technology, Samsung’s Bespoke Jet Vacuum seamlessly shifts from floors to carpet without having to change brush heads. The suction power grows more intense if you hit a super-dirty patch. An LED light illuminates dark spots and makes dust visible. A cool feature is the optional docking Clean Station: after vacuuming, set the machine inside the station, where it will empty automatically.
Samsung Bespoke Jet Vacuum, Best Buy, $1,200
Done & Dusted
Who wants a dust cloud in the face when dumping dirt from a handheld vacuum? That’s not an issue with the Shark Cordless Detect Pro 1.3L Auto-Empty System with HEPA Filter. The strong, lightweight device empties directly into a docking station, where its odour neutralizer keeps the unit smelling fresh.
Shark Cordless Detect Pro, Canadian Tire, now $500 (was $600)
Look! No Hands!
This super powerful purple hands-free Dyson vacuum – the 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum – is named for its 360-degree panoramic vision system with a fisheye lens. The intelligent unit remembers where it has cleaned and which areas to target. Other perks: after 50 minutes, the unit re-docks itself to recharge; the app provides a cleaning report after use; special sensors allow it to clean along the edges and corners of a room (it can climb up a wall a smidge); and its low profile means it can scoot under furniture.
Dyson 360 Vis Nav, Dyson Canada, $1,500
Dirt Detective
Meet iRobot’s Roomba Combo j9+ Auto-Fill Robot Vacuum and Mop, with a trendy black reeded facade on its base that makes it nice enough to leave out. Functionally speaking, the device sucks up dry floor and carpet dirt, and even does a wet wash. Its Dirt Detective technology tackles a home’s filthiest areas first. If the cleaning solution is low, the gadget zips back to base to be refilled. Also nifty? There’s no need to dispose of the dirt for 60 days.
iRobot’s Roomba Combo j9+ Auto-Fill Robot Vacuum and Mop, iRobot, $1,800
Banish Laundry Day Blues
Good Thinking
Design enthusiasts will appreciate the black-steel tempered-glass doors and streamlined LCD digital controls on LG’s AI Front Load Washer and Dryer. The machines’ AI smart sensors can detect fabric texture, soil level and load size, then get to work to clean efficiently at the optimal settings using just the right amount of detergent. Use LG’s ThinQ app to remote-start the machines and monitor energy usage.
LG’s AI Front Load Washer and Dryer, LG, starting at $1,200
All-in-One Appliance
No one likes waiting for the wash cycle to end. Could GE’s Profile UltraFast Combo be the answer? The two-in-one appliance washes and dries in two hours. This space-saving beauty has the capacity for a king-size comforter and plugs into a 120-volt outlet – laundry in the walk-in closet, anyone? SmartDispense technology doles out the exact amount of soap needed based on detergent type and load size, while odour-block Microban technology kills bacteria in the wash drum. Bonus: The lint filter is located up top, eliminating the need to bend down.
GE’s Profile UltraFast Combo, Best Buy, $3,300
Sleek & Smart
Samsung’s Bespoke Front Load Washer and Dryer with AI Smart Dial has a sleek, minimalistic flat-front design, and if you stack the units, you can control both machines from the easy-to-reach washer panel. The Smart Dial advises on cycles and selects the best drying course – unlike old clunkers, it doesn’t waste money by continuing to heat dried clothes. Also handy: fill the auto-dispense detergent feature and you’re good to go.
Samsung’s Bespoke Front Load Washer and Dryer with AI Smart Dial, Best Buy, $2,600
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