Samsung Bespoke 18.5kg-10kg AI Heat Pump Combo: Australian review
It’s the AI powered washing machine and dryer that will take a phone call, turn your TV off and even automatically open its door so your clothes don’t get smelly. But it comes with a hefty price tag.
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It’s the washing machine and dryer combo where you can take a phone call, turn your TV off and even automatically open its door so your clothes don’t get smelly.
But more to the point, it washes and dries your clothes well without you having to move them from one machine to another.
Put it on AI mode and it will start spinning and ‘sensing the load’ before deciding exactly what type of cycle to use.
You don’t even have to add detergent each time with a bulk dispenser for both detergent and softener allowing the machine to determine exactly how much you might need – along with how hot your water should be – based on the clothes in the mix and your load.
That monitoring continues throughout the wash and drying cycle so if your load turns out to be dirtier than first assessed, adjustments will be made.
Samsung’s Bespoke AI Heat Pump combo is a beast of a machine that comes in a total 144kg package – so get it delivered and installed as we did for our loan unit.
As our delivery guy said after hauling it up our driveway, it weighs more than a fridge.
The ultra-large 18.5kg smart washer with a 10kg smart heat-pump dryer is designed for large families – or smaller households where people just hate having to do multiple loads of washing each week.
You can fit a king size doona in it – or do small loads on super speed which will be done in 98 minutes.
And despite its big size (it’s 88cm deep, 1.1m tall and 68mm wide), it saves space by not having to have a separate dryer.
When we first were offered the opportunity to put it to the test, I had my reservations after using a heat pump dryer previously.
It was so slow, while it saved energy, it was impractical. We ended up replacing it with a quicker dryer.
The dryer in Samsung’s combo unit, however, is considerably faster.
The first load we put on was huge with both my clothes and my wife’s clothes for the week.
We chose the AI setting and it finished washing and drying in under five hours.
It is obviously designed for people who just want to set and forget.
However, a small load to wash can take as little as 27 minutes.
Samsung says its 10-star energy rated heat pump dryer is far more efficient and quicker than a condenser drying while causing less damage and shrinkage to clothes than a vented dryer which uses and circulates really hot air.
With our laundry just a few metres away from my office one thing I have noticed is the combo unit is a lot quieter than our previous washing machine.
On the tech side, it has a 7 inch display and connects up with Samsung’s SmartThings app – which you can use on an IOS or Android device.
When your washing is done, it will even send you a notification.
I get the notifications on my phone, watch and TV – so there’s no excuse for not putting on another load if I’m working from home.
My wife loves that. A lot.
She also smiled too enthusiastically when we were told in a Samsung virtual demo that she could turn the TV off from the washing machine.
I can just imagine on a Saturday morning switching off the TV and sending me a message saying there are still chores to be done!
The AI wash and dry mode uses a whole range of sensors to determine how dirty your clothes are, the weight of the load, types of fabrics.
It will then adjust the run time, detergent, water amounts and temperatures.
Of course, you can also make your own decisions with cycles for less energy use, microfibre clothing, denim, cotton, wool, super speed, towels and so on.
Samsung says its super speed mode is the fastest in the industry, handling 3 kgs of clothes (about three days’ worth of clothes for one person) in 98 minutes.
I noticed the initial estimate for our biggest load ending up being less than what it first forecast as the clothes drying process was shorter. The time adjusted as the drying continued.
Another smaller load we did took a lot less time (about three hours) with it including three rinses and a level four (extra high) spin and medium detergent.
The unit is really designed for people who just want to turn it without having to worry about having to go back home to change loads.
If you really want to save more energy – and money – you can switch on AI energy mode in the SmartThings app to reduce your costs. That will also work on other compatible devices like your TV.
Samsung’s washing machine expert told us that many people still laboured under the misconception that you needed water temperatures of 40, 50 or 60 degrees to get a better result.
With AI energy mode on, temperatures are restricted to 30 degrees, reducing costs of each load.
Samsung says the combo unit saves up to 60% energy use on the wash cycle and 20 per cent on the dry cycle.
While you can receive calls via your washing machine (along with Ring Doorbell notifications), you can’t make them.
But you can use Bixby to ask it to start your wash cycle or open the door.
You also get reminders on things like the need to empty the lint out from the dryer.
According to Samsung research, as energy costs rise, 94 per cent of Australian households are making adjustments in their home to reduce energy consumption.
Through the SmartThings app, consumers can monitor energy consumption in real-time, receive an estimated electricity bill (once local tariffs are put in), and even get alerts if their usage exceeds the preset target.
When the wash or dry cycle is finished, the combo provides an energy and water consumption estimate report that can be viewed on the LCD display or the SmartThings app.
The washing machine screen also offers a clear view of the 3D Map View, which shows all connected appliances within the home, so you can turn them on or off, as well as being able to check if the air conditioner is on, or get the robot vacuum cleaner to start cleaning.
All I need now is a bot to do the ironing.
SAMSUNG AI WASH/DRYER COMBO AT A GLANCE
Capacity: 18.5kg washer, 10kg dryer
WELS Water rating: 4 (best practice)
Energy rating: Washer 4.5 stars, dryer 10 stars
Washing program types: AI Wash & Dry, Bedding, Baby Care, Delicates/Hand Wash, Denim, Down Jacket Care, Less Microfiber, Pet Care, Product Care, Rinse plus Spin, Shirts, Spin Only, Super Speed, Wool
Spin speed 1100 RPM
Dimensions: 686mm x 1110mm x 875mm
Extra features: Bubble Technology, Interior Drum Light, Samsung Smart Things Enabled, Child Lock, Drum Clean+, StayClean Drawer, Steam, Superspeed Option, Auto Open Door, Self Dry, Voice Enabled
Warranty: 2 years, 20 years on digital inverter motor
RRP: $5499
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Originally published as Samsung Bespoke 18.5kg-10kg AI Heat Pump Combo: Australian review
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