Each year, appliance manufacturers bring their latest and greatest laundry machines to the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS). And each year, it’s exciting to see how the industry is making machines smarter, more efficient and more tailored to users’ needs. Here’s a look at the standout laundry design and technology trends seen in the innovative products featured at KBIS 2024, held Feb. 27-29 in Las Vegas.
Like cold-water boosting modes, heat pump dryers were touted by major appliance manufacturers at KBIS as a green feature in their lineups. Heat pump dryers absorb and collect moisture from tumbling clothes while recycling the hot air instead of venting moist, hot air to the outside. Although the drying process can take longer, it requires far less electricity, doesn’t require outside venting and is easier on clothes since it works at lower temperatures. Already popular in Europe, heat pump dryers are picking up steam (ahem) in the United States.
LG, for example, introduced this heat pump WashTower a couple of years ago, boasting a double inverter heat pump that uses 60% less energy than vented dryers. This year, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) gave the tower the 2024 Spark Award for innovation and selected it for the official show home of the 2024 International Builders’ Show (IBS), which was held in conjunction with KBIS.
LG, for example, introduced this heat pump WashTower a couple of years ago, boasting a double inverter heat pump that uses 60% less energy than vented dryers. This year, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) gave the tower the 2024 Spark Award for innovation and selected it for the official show home of the 2024 International Builders’ Show (IBS), which was held in conjunction with KBIS.
2. Smart Technology
LG’s mega-capacity top-load washer and ultra-large-capacity rear-control dryer, pictured here in a newly available matte black finish, illustrate a trend sweeping appliances throughout the home: integrated artificial intelligence and smartphone connectivity.
This washer has sensors that detect fabric texture and load size, then automatically select the best wash motions and temperatures. The ezDispense automatic dispenser, which holds enough for 14 to 25 loads, automatically dispenses the right amount of detergent and fabric softener. When the dispenser needs a refill, users receive an alert on their smartphones via the ThinQ app.
Then, with Smart Pairing, the washer communicates with the dryer to select a compatible drying cycle. If a user wants to choose settings manually, they use a sleek LCD digital dial control instead of typical knobs and buttons.
LG’s mega-capacity top-load washer and ultra-large-capacity rear-control dryer, pictured here in a newly available matte black finish, illustrate a trend sweeping appliances throughout the home: integrated artificial intelligence and smartphone connectivity.
This washer has sensors that detect fabric texture and load size, then automatically select the best wash motions and temperatures. The ezDispense automatic dispenser, which holds enough for 14 to 25 loads, automatically dispenses the right amount of detergent and fabric softener. When the dispenser needs a refill, users receive an alert on their smartphones via the ThinQ app.
Then, with Smart Pairing, the washer communicates with the dryer to select a compatible drying cycle. If a user wants to choose settings manually, they use a sleek LCD digital dial control instead of typical knobs and buttons.
Maytag’s smart front-load washer with Extra Power and 24-hour Fresh Hold options, available now, has an array of smart features too. For example, in a first for the brand (which is part of the Whirlpool family), owners in the U.S. can use a Google Assistant- or Alexa-enabled device to control their appliances by voice or monitor and manage them when they’re away from home.
3. Pet Hair Removers
High-temperature washer settings that promise to remove household bacteria and other allergens have become commonplace. But there’s another foe facing homeowners that’s been more stubborn, and that’s pet hair. Accordingly, appliance manufacturers have been hard at work figuring out the best removal methods, which they showed off at KBIS.
This GE Profile UltraFast Combo, a full-size combination washer and dryer with ventless heat pump technology, is one example. Introduced at KBIS last year, the bestselling machine will have a new over-the-air software update later this year called Pet Hair Remover. In this mode, the machine will use air to separate the hair from the clothes and collect it in a filter before the wash cycle begins.
GE offered KBIS 2024 attendees a sneak peek of the feature along with a bonus: the opportunity to pet a sweet golden retriever named Rex.
High-temperature washer settings that promise to remove household bacteria and other allergens have become commonplace. But there’s another foe facing homeowners that’s been more stubborn, and that’s pet hair. Accordingly, appliance manufacturers have been hard at work figuring out the best removal methods, which they showed off at KBIS.
This GE Profile UltraFast Combo, a full-size combination washer and dryer with ventless heat pump technology, is one example. Introduced at KBIS last year, the bestselling machine will have a new over-the-air software update later this year called Pet Hair Remover. In this mode, the machine will use air to separate the hair from the clothes and collect it in a filter before the wash cycle begins.
GE offered KBIS 2024 attendees a sneak peek of the feature along with a bonus: the opportunity to pet a sweet golden retriever named Rex.
Maytag has taken up the pet-hair-removal challenge too, designing a washer-dryer duo with pet owners in mind. The company says its Pet Pro top-load washer removes five times more pet hair with its Pet Pro filter versus a traditional agitator without the filter. The dryer’s Pet Pro setting uses a no-heat, extended dry time to lift pet hair from clothes and then capture it in an extra-large lint trap. While not new for 2024, the washer and dryer were prominently featured in Whirlpool’s lineup of product innovations at KBIS this year.
4. All-in-One Models
As mentioned in our recent article about kitchen appliance trends at KBIS 2024, the show had an abundance of products designed for small-space living. Perhaps that’s why all-in-one laundry machines were displayed prominently in several booths. They require less space than a washer-dryer duo and often include ventless heat pump dryers and standard 120-volt plugs that allow them to be placed in condos (or pretty much anywhere in your house with hot and cold water).
The new All-in-One WashCombo from LG, pictured here, and the GE Profile UltraFast Combo, both of which use heat pump technology, are two standout examples of all-in-one models. The LG model accommodates full-size loads, including king-size comforters, and the brand says it offers the greatest energy efficiency of all available washer-dryer combos. Its bells and whistles (including built-in AI technology) are similar to those of separate full-size duos, and it can complete a load from washing through drying in two hours, without the need to transfer the clothes.
As mentioned in our recent article about kitchen appliance trends at KBIS 2024, the show had an abundance of products designed for small-space living. Perhaps that’s why all-in-one laundry machines were displayed prominently in several booths. They require less space than a washer-dryer duo and often include ventless heat pump dryers and standard 120-volt plugs that allow them to be placed in condos (or pretty much anywhere in your house with hot and cold water).
The new All-in-One WashCombo from LG, pictured here, and the GE Profile UltraFast Combo, both of which use heat pump technology, are two standout examples of all-in-one models. The LG model accommodates full-size loads, including king-size comforters, and the brand says it offers the greatest energy efficiency of all available washer-dryer combos. Its bells and whistles (including built-in AI technology) are similar to those of separate full-size duos, and it can complete a load from washing through drying in two hours, without the need to transfer the clothes.
5. Dark Finishes
Black — especially matte black — was a popular color for new kitchen appliances at KBIS 2024, and it made its way into the laundry room as well. In addition to all of the previous examples (notably the new matte black finish on the LG large-capacity washer and dryer seen earlier), here’s one more to drive home the point: Maytag’s Pet Pro washer and dryer in Volcano.
Black — especially matte black — was a popular color for new kitchen appliances at KBIS 2024, and it made its way into the laundry room as well. In addition to all of the previous examples (notably the new matte black finish on the LG large-capacity washer and dryer seen earlier), here’s one more to drive home the point: Maytag’s Pet Pro washer and dryer in Volcano.
Source: www.Houzz.com
Getting clothes clean and dry takes a lot of energy. Reducing energy use leads to smaller utility bills and environmental impact. Those two factors have prompted appliance manufacturers to steadily improve the efficiency of their products — a trend on full display in the new and updated products at KBIS this year.
Choosing cold water over warm or hot when running a load of laundry results in big energy savings. But fewer than 1 in 4 laundry cycles are run with cold water, according to GE Appliances research — presumably because users think cold water isn’t as effective at getting clothes clean. To encourage users to make the switch to cold, the company introduced a line of GE and Hotpoint top-load cold-water washing machines with a Cold Plus temperature setting that increases agitation time to improve performance. GE’s 4.5-cubic-foot top-load washer with dual-action agitator, water level control and cold-water wash — a finalist for the Best of KBIS awards in the Sustainable Standout category — was on display at the show, and the full lineup of machines will be available in April.