Be honest: how many times have you thrown a load of laundry into the washing machine only to forget it was there? It quickly becomes a sour-smelling load that needs to be rewashed, and that means you waste time, electricity, and inevitably money on your power bill. Smart appliances help by letting you control your laundry machines remotely and do things like run a tumble cycle of clothes in the dryer so they don’t get wrinkled. One thing a washing machine can’t do, however, is transfer the items from the washer to the dryer. That is, until now thanks to LG. The new LG Mega Capacity Smart WashCombo all-in-one washer/dryer machine that’s being introduced at CES 2024 makes doing laundry super simple because clothing and linens both wash and dry in the same unit. It’s hard to believe, but it’s true.
Wash and dry in one unit with LG Smart WashCombo
The 5 cubic-foot Mega Capacity Smart WashCombo All-in-One Washer/Dryer with Inverter HeatPump technology and Direct Drive Motor is said to be able to run a complete wash and dry cycle in under two hours, and you won’t have to rush over when you hear the signature chime so you can move the clothing from the washing machine to the dryer either. It has a ventless design as well, and it also claims to use up to 60% less energy than a vented model.
The LG Smart WashCombo All-in-One can fit ultra-large loads including a king-size comforter, yet it still saves space because everything is done in the same unit. LG’s Inverter HeatPump technology delivers quiet operation while streamlined controls make it easy to switch settings with a turn of the dial. It even has helpful prompts and status updates, and it offers more than 20 one-touch cycles, all controllable via a touch panel.
The lint trap is located at the top of the unit and the design makes it simple to remove lint after each load without having to do it manually by hand.
As with all the latest smart appliances, this combo machine also includes built-in sensors that use AI technology to detect fabric texture, soil level, and load size. It can automatically select the right wash/dry motions, temperature, and other settings for optimal fabric care. This is handy for busy families in a rush, or parents who want their kids to learn how to do their own laundry (to avoid them ruining a load of clothing by selecting the wrong cycle!)
There’s also an ezDispense Automatic Dispenser that dispenses the right amount of detergent and fabric softener, skipping refills for up to 18 to 31 loads. You’ll get an alert via the app on your phone letting you know when you need to add more.
The machine uses five powerful jets to spray clothing from multiple angles for a complete clean. An Allergiene wash cycle uses stream to remove over 95% of dust, pet dander, and pollen, and that’s a game-changer for those with allergies or asthma. The Direct Drive Drying Technology, meanwhile, does not contain any belts or pulleys, and it comes backed by a 10-year limited warranty. Using a standard 120V plug, the combo machine is compatible with multiple pedestals and risers. You can opt for a secondary pedestal washer with the LG SideKick if you want to be able to wash two loads at once.
Naturally, it includes LG SmartThinQ technology as well, so you can control it remotely or even by voice commands using Google or Alexa voice assistants. You can also use the app to download additional cycles and access Smart Diagnosis, customer support, and more.
Alongside all the cool high-tech features, the ability to both wash and dry from the same unit is what really makes this machine stand out. Of course, you won’t be able to use it for every load. For some items, like jeans, you’ll want to shake and fluff them out before transferring to the dryer to ensure they retain their shape and don’t shrink. For delicates, meanwhile, you might hang to dry versus tumble. But for regular everyday loads, from the kids’ clothing to linens and everyday wear, the LG WashCombo could be a massive time saver.
LG Styler
Moving over to the more aspirational category, LG’s Stylers are perfect for those who have the space to accommodate one and who need to dress to the nines each day for work. The Styler has been around for a few years now, but the latest version adds a handheld, high-pressure steamer, dynamic moving hanger, and Dual TrueSteam technology. It’s designed to help you refresh clothing, improve drying, dehumidification, and de-wrinkling.
A handheld, high-pressure steamer is included with the LG Styler line for the first time, helping you remove wrinkles from shirts and other garments so you don’t need to use a separate iron. All you have to do is hang up your wrinkled clothing inside the door, take out the steamer attached to the bottom of the Styler, and start the steam process with a single button press. The high-pressure steam penetrates garments, smoothing them and eliminating wrinkles. Since the steamer itself is compact, it is easily stored right in the styler itself.
As someone who has more clothing than my small closet can accommodate, I can see how an appliance like this one would be useful. In fact, my partner uses a handheld steamer for his clothing each morning versus pulling out an iron and ironing board, and it’s a welcome time saver.
The new LG Styler has a Dynamic Moving Hanger system, meanwhile, no longer just moves side to side for dust removal like with the previous generation model. It boasts enhanced dust removal, deodorization, drying, and wrinkle mitigation with a twisting motion, using a rotating mechanism. It also contributes to the LG Styler’s upgraded cycles, such as the Fine Dust cycle, which twists and shakes up to 350 times per minute to remove large and fine dust particles from clothing.
A key feature of the new Styler is LG’s Dual TrueSteam technology. Instead of a single heater, Dual TrueSteam uses a pair of heaters to boil water and generate steam, allowing for more precise control of the steam spray’s volume and strength. If you’re steaming more delicate materials, like silk and cashmere, you can use just one of the two heaters. Dual TrueSteam also enables a Sanitary cycle, a specialized cycle that keeps clothes hygienically clean by eliminating over 99.99% of germs and 11 different kinds of harmful bacteria.
A built-in ventilation system automatically circulates air throughout the room and offers a de-humidification function that can collect up to 10 litres of moisture from the room without opening the door of the Styler. There’s also a Pants Press option that adopts an upgraded hanging structure to enable sharper, wrinkle-free creases. You can choose the right selection using the built-in LCD touchscreen.
LG mycup Tumbler Washer
Every year at CES, whether it’s with the appliances category or something else, we always ask ourselves “what will they think of next?” Every year without fail, companies both large and small deliver something new. In the case of LG and appliances, it’s with the mycup tumbler washer. Most fitting for businesses like office spaces, gyms, cafes, and schools, the LG mycup tumbler washer is designed to encourage the use of reusable cups and tumblers. You can clean one tumbler at a time on either a quick wash or extra wash cycle. The latter is ideal if you need to clean a tumbler that had a milk-based drink or protein shake in it, for example, with harder to remove residue. It even gives you a notification on the app once the cycle is done, and it uses 65°C hot water cycle for sanitary cleaning while the extra wash course adds air drying as well.
The LG Smart Wash Combo, LG Styler, and LG mycup will be on display at LG’s booth at CES 2024. You can find LG washer and dryers right now at Best Buy, and stay tuned for more details and photos from the show.
