Most people buying a connected washer are not really shopping for a washer. They are shopping for a notification on their phone that says the load is done, because the machine sits in a laundry room they cannot see into and the wet-laundry problem is the one thing they want solved.
That reframing matters, because it changes the ranking. The best smart washers with app control are not necessarily the machines with the longest cycle lists or the newest touchscreens. They are the machines where the app reliably starts a load, reliably reports when it ends, and reliably tells you what went wrong when something does. Our top pick, the Samsung WF45T6000WPR front load laundry package, pairs a washer and dryer on a single ordinary hookup, and it has the largest body of owner feedback in this group.
We compared seven machines that all genuinely connect to a phone app, across capacity, hookup requirements, app platform and running cost. Every pick in this guide has app control as a core function. Machines that show up in other smart washer roundups but have no Wi-Fi at all are excluded here by design, because they fail the premise of the question. Read on for the full list, then use the buying guide to check the one thing that spoils a smart washer purchase more often than the washer itself: the Wi-Fi in your laundry room.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Picks for the Best Smart Washers with App Control (October 2026)
Samsung WF45T6000WPR Laundr…
- 4.5 cu. ft. front load washer
- 7.5 cu. ft. dryer
- Hygiene Steam
- Sensor Dry
Samsung 4.7 cu. ft. Top…
- Top load with SmartThings
- 4.4 cu. ft. washer
- Sensor Dry
- Quiet operation
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The three cards above are the short answer. The Samsung front load package wins on the combination of owner satisfaction and review volume, the LG combo washes and dries in a single 120 volt unit that needs no dryer vent, and the Samsung top load bundle carries the highest average rating in the group while shipping with the installation hardware most buyers end up buying separately.
All Seven Picks at a Glance in 2026
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Samsung WF45T6000WPR Front Load Laundry Package
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Check Latest Price |
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LG WM6998HBA 5.0 cu. ft. All-in-One Combo
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Check Latest Price |
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Samsung 4.7 cu. ft. Top Load Washer and Dryer Bundle
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Check Latest Price |
 LG WKE100HWA WashTower Stacked Laundry Center
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Check Latest Price |
 Samsung WD53DBA900HZA1 Bespoke AI Laundry Hub
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Check Latest Price |
 GE Profile GFW550SSNWW Smart Front Load Washer
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Check Latest Price |
 LG WM4200HBA 5.0 cu. ft. Smart Front Load Washer
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Check Latest Price |
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Two numbers in that table are worth pausing on. Only the LG WashTower among these seven needs a 240 volt circuit, and the energy figures run from roughly 103 kWh per year for the Samsung Bespoke combo to 607 for the WashTower. Capacity alone does not tell you which machine costs more to run.
1. Samsung WF45T6000WPR Front Load Laundry Package – Quiet Capacity That Owners Rate Highly
Samsung WF45T6000WPR White Front Load Laundry Package
- 4.5 cu. ft. front load washer and 7.5 cu. ft. dryer
- Front load with Hygiene Steam
- Energy Star
Pros
- Large capacity handles king-size bedding and heavy household loads
- Quiet operation including the spin cycle
- Vibration Reduction Technology+ keeps the pair steady
- Sensor Dry ends the dryer cycle when clothes are dry
- Stainless steel drum with touch controls
Cons
- Some units arrive with dents or paint marks on the washer door
- Build quality reads as mid-range rather than premium
- A few buyers worry about the durability of newer computer-controlled appliances
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This package is the one we would put in most homes without hesitating. The washer is a 4.5 cu. ft. front loader and the dryer alongside it is 7.5 cu. ft., which is the combination that handles a king-size comforter without a trip to the laundromat. The washer runs a Hygiene Steam cycle, which matters more than the cycle name suggests for anyone washing bedding or a child’s sports kit.
What owners mention most often in the reviews is quietness. The spin cycle is quiet, and Vibration Reduction Technology+ keeps the stacked pair steady enough that people describe it as unobtrusive in a small laundry room. With 93 reviews averaging 4.5 stars, this is also the pick with the largest body of owner feedback in the group, which matters when you are buying an appliance you will live with for a decade.
Sensor Dry is the feature that ties the pair together for app users. The dryer watches for moisture rather than running a fixed timed cycle, so the alert that lands on your phone tends to correspond to clothes that are actually dry instead of clothes that have been tumbling warm for another twenty minutes. That is the small quality-of-life difference that makes a remote notification worth having.
Setup is ordinary: this is a standard front load pair on a normal washer hookup, and the washer’s Energy Star specification is the published one for the model. There is no 240 volt circuit in this package, which removes the installation surprise that does appear later in this list.
The honest weak point is transit and build. A few buyers report minor dents and paint marks on the washer door arriving from delivery, and some describe the construction as mid-range rather than premium. If a scratch on the door bothers you, inspect the unit on the day it arrives rather than a week later.
What the app does for you on this pair
Because washer and dryer are one matched package, one app covers the wash and the dry. You can start a wash while you are still at work, and you get a cycle-complete alert for the dryer rather than having to remember a second timer. For a household doing several loads a week, that single alert is the feature people say justifies the connected part of the purchase.
Because the drum is 4.5 cu. ft. and the dryer is 7.5 cu. ft., the pairing suits a family of three or four doing laundry daily. A larger household running one load a day will get through the work but will feel the capacity ceiling on bedding days.
Who should look elsewhere
If your laundry room is a basement with weak signal, or if you have already built your house around a different smart home platform, this pair is a safe washer purchase but not a special one. Choose a standalone machine instead if you want to replace only the washer and keep your existing dryer.
Avoid this package if cosmetic finish matters more than capacity, or if you want voice control as a headline feature. Neither the washer nor the dryer in this listing is described as having voice assistant integration, and the app does the useful work on its own.
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2. LG WM6998HBA 5.0 cu. ft. All-in-One Combo – One Machine, One Outlet, No Vent
LG 5.0 cu. ft. Mega Capacity Smart Front Load Electric All-in-One Washer Dryer Combo with TurboWash360 WiFi in Black Steel
- 5.0 cu. ft. all-in-one washer dryer combo
- 120V plug-in with no special wiring
- Ventless drying needs no external vent
Pros
- Wash and dry in one unit with no load transfer
- 120V plug-in operation needs no special wiring
- Ventless drying allows flexible installation with no external venting
- ThinQ gives remote monitoring alerts and extra wash programs
- ENERGY STAR certified with 30 wash programs
Cons
- Lowest average rating in this group at 3.9 with 14 percent one-star reviews
- 479 kWh per year is high for the capacity class
- Needs up to 57.75 inches of clearance with the door open
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This is the pick for a flat, a condo, or a laundry closet where a dryer vent simply is not an option. The WM6998HBA washes and dries in one drum, runs on a 120 volt outlet at 1400 watts, and vents the drying heat internally. Nothing about the installation requires an electrician.
It also has a 5.0 cu. ft. drum paired with 30 wash programs and a four-tray dispenser. On paper that is a lot of machine in a 27 inch wide footprint, and the ventless format means you can put it in a hallway closet if that is the only space you have.
The app side is genuinely useful here. LG ThinQ lets you monitor a cycle remotely, receive notifications, and download additional wash programs, which is helpful when the default list does not cover a fabric you wash often. Being able to see that a combined cycle is still running while you are out is the feature people lean on most with all-in-one machines, because those cycles are long.
Now the part that pulled its average rating down to 3.9, the lowest in this group, with 14 percent of reviews at one star. The pattern in the complaints is consistent: combined wash-dry cycles run a long time, and 479 kWh per year is a high figure for a 5.0 cu. ft. machine when comparable standalone washers sit near 105 kWh per year.
That gap is worth understanding rather than ignoring. A combo dries every load with a resistive heater, so the electricity bill reflects a dryer running on every wash. If you wash heavily and dry lightly, the annual cost difference between this machine and a standalone washer plus a heat-pump dryer is real.
Installation planning also needs a measurement. The depth with the door open reaches 57.75 inches, which is deeper than any other machine here and the number most likely to cause a problem in a tight closet.
What the app does for you on this machine
ThinQ covers remote start, cycle monitoring and alerts, and the extra downloadable programs are the part owners mention liking after a few weeks. With a 30-cycle machine you already have a long list, so the downloads matter less than they would on a smaller unit.
The thing to plan for is notification timing on a long cycle. A combined cycle can run well past the point where a standalone wash would be finished, so set your expectation based on the full cycle time rather than the wash portion.
Who should look elsewhere
If you do one load every three or four days, this machine is a good answer to a small-space problem. If you do laundry daily or care closely about running costs, the 479 kWh figure will work against you every year and a standalone washer is the better buy.
Also skip it if you are replacing a washer and dryer pair in a stacked cabinet and want to keep the dryer you already own. This is a one-machine solution, not a way to add connectivity to an existing setup.
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3. Samsung 4.7 cu. ft. Top Load Washer and Dryer Bundle – The Quiet Top Load With SmartThings
Samsung Smart 4.7 Cu Ft Top Load Washer & 7.4 Cu Ft Electric Dryer, Sensor Stops Overdrying, Low Vibration Quiet Wash, WaterJet w/Power Cords, Hoses, Vent Duct, 1 Year CPS Protection Bundle (White)
- 4.4 cu. ft. top load washer with 7.2 cu. ft. dryer
- SmartThings app control and cycle alerts
- Bundle includes cords hoses and vent duct
Pros
- SmartThings app control with cycle alerts and remote programming
- Very quiet operation on both washer and dryer
- Handles large comforters and bulky loads on both units
- Self Clean tub cycle keeps the drum fresh without harsh chemicals
- Sensor Dry stops the dryer automatically when clothes are dry
Cons
- Some cycles take noticeably longer end to end
- Single-compartment detergent dispenser rather than a split dual dispenser
- One reviewer reported a slight vibration at the back of the washer
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This bundle carries the highest average rating in the group at 4.6 stars, with 84 percent of reviews at five stars. What stands out in the owner feedback is consistency: quiet machines, large load capability, and an app that sends the notifications people bought the set for.
The washer is a 4.4 cu. ft. top loader with Active WaterJet and vibration reduction, and the dryer is 7.2 cu. ft. with Sensor Dry and a reversible door. A top loader is the easier format for anyone who does not want to bend down into a front-loader drum, and the opening is wide enough to load a bulky comforter without wrestling it.
What makes this listing unusual is the bundle contents. You get a three-prong and a four-prong dryer cord, the washer hose set, an 8 foot vent duct and a one-year CPS protection plan, which covers the items most people discover they need on installation day and end up sourcing separately.
The app runs through SmartThings, so washer and dryer both appear in the same app alongside other connected appliances. Cycle alerts and remote programming are the two functions owners actually use, and Self Clean on the washer is a reminder you can trigger from the phone rather than remembering to run it.
The recurring criticism is time. Some cycle settings run noticeably longer end to end, and the single-compartment detergent dispenser is a step back from the split dual dispensers on the Samsung front load package. One reviewer also reported slight vibration at the back of the washer.
Review volume is the other caveat. Thirty-nine reviews is enough to establish a pattern but thin enough that you should weigh the specifications as heavily as the ratings.
What the app does for you on this bundle
SmartThings is the platform to pick if your household already has Samsung devices, because the washer and dryer join the same app as everything else rather than living in a separate silo. The cycle alerts are the feature owners praise, and remote programming means you can queue the next load before the current one finishes.
Top load is also the more forgiving format for an app-connected machine in a busy household, because you can add a forgotten sock without stopping a cycle that is halfway through a long wash.
Who should look elsewhere
If you need separate detergent compartments, or if cycle duration is your main frustration with your current machine, look at a front loader with a dual-compartment dispenser instead. The higher-capacity front loaders in this guide split detergent and softener into separate compartments.
Buyers replacing only the washer also should note that this is a washer and dryer bundle, so it is the wrong shape for a partial replacement.
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4. LG WKE100HWA WashTower – One Stacked Unit With Remote Controls
LG WKE100HWA WashTower Stacked Smart Laundry Center 4.5 Cu.Ft. Front Load Washer & 7.4 Cu.Ft. Electric Dryer in White
- 4.5 cu. ft. washer and 7.4 cu. ft. dryer stacked in one unit
- 240 volt hookup required
- 607 kWh per year with 10 year motor warranty
Pros
- Integrated stacked design saves floor space in one unit
- Wi-Fi phone connectivity described as genuinely helpful
- Very quiet operation and a large capacity that handles big loads
- Central control panel is intuitive and easy to use
- 10 year direct drive motor warranty
Cons
- 311 pound single unit is hard to move without help
- Requires 240 volt wiring
- 607 kWh per year is high and one dryer failed within about 10 weeks
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The WashTower is the pick when floor space is the constraint rather than width. The washer and dryer are integrated into one vertically stacked cabinet that measures 27 inches wide, so you get two machines in the footprint of a single washer. There is no separate dryer to align, no stacking kit to buy, and no second power cord to route.
Owners describe the phone control as the feature that made the purchase feel worthwhile, and the machine is quiet enough that some reviewers say they miss the end-of-cycle buzzer. The washer is 4.5 cu. ft. with a stainless steel drum and a tray dispenser, and the drum spins at up to 1300 rpm.
It is also the only machine here with a 240 volt requirement, and that is not a detail to discover on delivery day. A 240 volt circuit is the same one a standard electric dryer uses, so if you have an electric dryer hookup in that laundry room already, you are covered. If you have never had one, this is an electrician conversation and possibly a panel upgrade.
The running cost deserves a look too. At 607 kWh per year, this is the highest published figure among the picks, which is what you would expect from a unit that is a washer and a dryer in one cabinet running continuously through a load.
Two practical warnings. The unit weighs 311 pounds as a single piece, so moving it into position needs more than one person and a dolly. And one owner reported a dryer failure within about ten weeks with warranty support described as poor, which is one report rather than a pattern, but on a 240 volt appliance it is worth asking your dealer about their service terms before you commit.
Depth with the door open reaches 55 inches, so measure the alcove rather than the wall.
What the app does for you on this unit
The control panel is remote, which is the point: you set the washer and dryer from your phone rather than reaching a panel at chest height. The Wi-Fi connectivity is what reviewers single out most often, and it covers the whole tower rather than one half of it.
Because the two machines are one cabinet, the app experience matches the physical experience. There is no second appliance on a separate platform to configure after delivery.
Who should look elsewhere
If your laundry room is only 120 volts, this is not the machine. A washer and dryer you install separately give you more flexibility on placement and let you replace one half at a time when it eventually fails.
Also pass if you are moving into the house and installing alone, or if running cost is a priority. The capacity and space saving are excellent, and the energy figure works against it.
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5. Samsung WD53DBA900HZA1 Bespoke AI Laundry Hub – Auto Dispensing For a 47-Load Reservoir
Samsung 5.3 cu. ft. Bespoke AI Laundry Ventless Heat Pump Dryer Combo All-in-One Ultra Capacity Washer with AI Home, Dark Steel, WD53DBA900HZA1
- 5.3 cu. ft. all-in-one at 103 kWh per year
- 120 volt outlet with no dryer vent
- Flex Auto Dispense holds up to 47 detergent loads
Pros
- Washes and dries in one machine with no load transfer or dryer vent
- Plugs into a standard 120 volt outlet
- AI Opti Wash and Dry adjusts settings during the cycle
- Flex Auto Dispense holds up to 47 detergent loads
- Full load cleaned in about 98 minutes with a 20 year motor warranty
Cons
- Some cycle settings run about 6 hours per load
- One owner reported heat exchanger cleaning errors after the 1 year warranty
- Heavy unit at 317 pounds
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This machine has the longest specification sheet in the group and the one most likely to disappoint if you buy it for the wrong reason. It is a 5.3 cu. ft. all-in-one that washes and dries without transferring the load and without a dryer vent, on a 120 volt outlet. The washer side alone is the largest drum here, and it runs 23 wash programs including Active Steam and Delicates.
What separates it from the LG combo is the dispenser. The Flex Auto Dispense system holds up to 47 detergent loads and 34 softener loads, so you fill it once and stop measuring. For a household doing several loads a week, that is the feature that changes the routine rather than just adding a screen.
The AI Opti Wash and Dry cycle reads soil level and fabric and adjusts settings during the run, and the published claim is a full load cleaned in about 98 minutes. That figure applies to wash performance, not to a full wash-and-dry cycle, and that distinction matters.
Here is the complaint that defines this machine: some cycle settings run about six hours per load. One prominent review flags exactly that, saying it is not made clear up front. If you set the machine to a long combined cycle, you are waiting out a load that takes most of a day, and the app alert arrives after a period when you have long since checked.
Running cost is the surprise in the opposite direction. At 103 kWh per year, this is among the lowest published figures in the guide, well below the LG combo at 479. A ventless heat pump all-in-one is doing something genuinely different from a resistive combo dryer, and the energy data reflects it.
Reliability is the open question. One owner reported heat exchanger cleaning errors and a failure after the 1 year parts and labor warranty expired, which sits alongside a 20 year digital inverter motor warranty. The motor is covered for two decades; the heat exchanger is not covered nearly as long.
What the app does for you on this machine
Control comes from the AI Home smartphone app alongside the physical touch panel, and remote start matters more on this machine than on any other in the guide, because the cycles are long. Being able to launch a six-hour combined cycle from your phone and leave the house is the entire use case.
The app also reflects the auto-dosing setup, so you can see reservoir levels rather than opening a drawer to check. With 23 wash programs and an auto-dosing drawer already on the machine, the program list in the app is where most of the day-to-day value sits.
Who should look elsewhere
Buy this one if you want a ventless all-in-one and hate measuring detergent. Skip it if anyone in the house will need a load finished within a couple of hours, or if you are not prepared to accept a repair exposure on the heat exchanger after year one.
It is also a 317 pound machine, so the delivery and placement question is the same as the WashTower: more than one person and a proper dolly.
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6. GE Profile GFW550SSNWW – A 4.8 cu. ft. Drum on a Standard 28 Inch Width
GE PROFILE 28 Inch Smart Front Load Washer with 4.8 cu. ft. Capacity in White GFW550SSNWW
- 4.8 cu. ft. front load on a 120 volt outlet
- SmartHQ app for remote start and alerts
- UltraFresh Vent with OdorBlock and 10 year warranty
Pros
- Built-in Wi-Fi with SmartHQ for remote start stop monitoring and alerts
- 4.8 cu. ft. drum washes more in fewer loads
- Quick Wash finishes lightly soiled loads in 20 minutes
- Time Saver Mode gives a full deep clean in 35 minutes
- UltraFresh Vent with OdorBlock keeps the drum fresh between uses
Cons
- Push button and dial controls lack the touchscreens rivals offer
- Semi-automatic operation rather than fully automated
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The GE Profile is the odd one out in this guide in a useful way: it is a plain 120 volt front loader with a 4.8 cu. ft. drum and a 28 inch width, so it fits a standard alcove and needs no circuit work. It is also the only pick with a ventilation system aimed at a specific problem rather than a general feature list.
The one wash-only machine in this guide with an UltraFresh vent. It reduces excess moisture and keeps the interior of the drum fresh between uses, and front loaders otherwise develop a musty smell when damp laundry sits inside. This is the pick to buy if that has been your complaint about a previous machine.
The cycle options are unusually quick ones. Quick Wash handles lightly soiled clothing in 20 minutes, and Time Saver Mode delivers a full, deeper clean in 35. Ten standard cycles are available, the drum is stainless steel, and the maximum spin speed is 1300 rpm.
SmartHQ gives you remote start, stop, monitoring and alerts over built-in Wi-Fi, and owners in the reviews describe that connectivity as reliable. The warranty is a 10 year limited warranty, the longest stated coverage among the standalone washers in this guide.
What you give up is the interface. This machine uses a dial and push buttons with an LED display, where the Samsung and LG machines here use touch panels. It is also listed as semi-automatic rather than fully automated. Neither issue is a fault, but if you want the machine to make more of the decisions, this is not the one.
What the app does for you on this washer
SmartHQ handles remote start, remote stop, monitoring and cycle alerts, which is the same core set as every other pick here. The GE is the pick to choose when you want that set of functions in a straightforward standalone washer that does not need a 240 volt circuit or a second appliance.
The 20-minute Quick Wash cycle is the one to program into the app. For someone who wants to start a load from work and come home to finished laundry rather than an alert three hours later, a short cycle is what makes remote start feel useful.
Who should look elsewhere
If you want an automatic detergent dispenser or a large all-in-one, this is a washer and you will still need a dryer. It is also the wrong choice if a touchscreen matters to you, because there is no screen here beyond an LED display.
With 26 reviews the owner feedback is thinner than most of this list, so read the specifications more carefully than the star figure here.
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7. LG WM4200HBA – A 5.0 cu. ft. Standalone With The Lightest Running Cost
LG WM4200HBA / WM4200HBA / WM4200HBA 5.0 Cu. Ft. Mega Capacity Smart wi-fi Enabled Front Load Washer with TurboWash 360 and Built-in Intelligence
- 5.0 cu. ft. front load at about 105 kWh per year
- ThinQ remote monitoring and notifications
- TurboWash 360 with 14 wash programs
Pros
- ThinQ gives full remote start monitoring and cycle notifications
- TurboWash 360 cleans effectively while treating fabrics gently
- 5.0 cu. ft. drum handles comforters and large family loads
- Quiet Inverter Direct Drive motor
- ENERGY STAR certified at about 105 kWh per year
Cons
- Some cycles run long despite TurboWash
- The cat hair clean-out port drains awkwardly and is messy to empty
- 1 year manufacturer warranty is shorter than some competitors offer
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The WM4200HBA is the standalone washer to beat on running cost, and at about 105 kWh per year it uses roughly a fifth of the energy of the two large all-in-one and stacked units in this guide. It runs on 120 volts, needs no dryer to be useful, and carries a 5.0 cu. ft. stainless steel drum.
The Inverter Direct Drive motor is the part owners mention most, along with how quiet the machine is during operation. TurboWash 360 is the wash system, and 14 wash programs cover the normal range of fabrics and temperatures.
ThinQ is the app, and it does what this guide ranks on: remote start, remote monitoring and cycle notifications. Owners frequently name the app first when describing why they are happy with the machine, which tells you the connected part is landing as intended rather than as a gimmick.
Two criticisms come up repeatedly. Some cycles run long even with TurboWash, and the cat hair clean-out port on the front drains awkwardly and is messy to empty, which is worth knowing if you have pets. A third is the warranty, listed as 1 year manufacturer, which is short against the GE Profile’s 10 year limited warranty on a comparable size of machine.
One owner also reported the machine struggling with very heavy bulky items such as a thick corduroy cushion. At 5.0 cu. ft. the drum is large, but drum size and the weight a suspension can handle are different numbers.
What the app does for you on this washer
ThinQ gives the same core functions as the rest of the guide: start, stop, monitor and get notified. On a machine this efficient, the app’s scheduling matters more, because a low-cost cycle you can start overnight is a cheaper pattern than running a long cycle when you are home.
Downloadable wash programs through ThinQ extend the 14 built-in cycles, so the program list is not fixed to what shipped with the machine.
Who should look elsewhere
If you need a dryer in the same purchase, this is a washer only and you will still need a separate dryer and a stacking kit. If you wash a lot of pet bedding or heavy bulky items, look at a machine with a dispenser and a bigger suspension.
Buyers who care most about warranty length should also weigh the GE Profile, which carries a 10 year limited warranty against this machine’s 1 year.
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What the App Actually Does For You
Every app-controlled washer in this guide does the same five things, and it is worth being precise about them because that is the whole purchase case. You can start a cycle remotely. You can stop or pause one. You get a notification when the cycle ends. You can schedule a cycle to begin later. And you can read fault codes in the app instead of guessing from an error code on the panel.
Beyond those five, the differences are about how deep the integration goes. The Samsung washer in our top pick and the LG all-in-one both let you download additional wash programs to the machine through the app. The Samsung Bespoke combo also reports auto-dosing reservoir levels. Everything else is a variation on the same five functions with a different app interface on top.
The function people value most is the last-cycle notification, and it is worth being honest that remote start is the second. Starting a wash from work is a convenience. Knowing a load is finished is what stops wet laundry sitting in a drum for two hours, which is the problem that makes people pay for a connected machine in the first place.
Forum discussion on connected laundry is consistent on this point. Voice control comes up constantly as a feature owners like having and rarely use, and the reliability of the end-of-cycle alert is what determines whether a buyer is happy a year later.
Before You Buy, Check Your Laundry Room Wi-Fi
This is the step that decides whether you are happy with a smart washer, and it takes about ten minutes to check. Work through it before you order, not on installation day.
Most connected washers only join a 2.4 GHz network. If your router splits 2.4 and 5 GHz onto separate SSIDs, the washer will not see the network you think it should. During setup you may need to temporarily turn off the 5 GHz band so pairing succeeds, then turn it back on afterwards.
Basement, garage and upstairs laundry rooms are where connections fail. A router in the main hallway often cannot reach a washer two floors down through concrete and floor joists. If that describes your setup, plan on a mesh node or a Wi-Fi extender near the machine before delivery, because a machine that cannot reach the network will not send the alert you are paying for.
The good news is that losing the network does not break the washer. Every machine in this guide runs its normal cycles on its physical controls whether or not the Wi-Fi holds. You lose remote control and notifications, not the ability to wash clothes.
Two smaller prerequisites are easy to miss. You will need a phone to create an account with the manufacturer before the machine can register, and the phone needs to be on the same network as the washer during setup. Owners repeatedly report buying a connected machine and never getting the app paired, and the app is where the value is.
App Ecosystems Compared: ThinQ vs SmartThings vs SmartHQ vs AI Home
Four platforms appear across these picks, and the practical question is which one your household already uses. The apps overlap more than the marketing suggests, but the surrounding devices, voice assistant support and automation options differ.
LG ThinQ powers the LG all-in-one, the WashTower and the WM4200HBA. It offers downloadable wash programs and a wide range of cycle options, and it is the platform most often used in home automation setups for laundry because remote control works reliably over a cellular connection away from home.
Samsung SmartThings powers the front load package, the top load bundle and the Bespoke combo. Its real advantage is breadth: if any other appliance in your house is Samsung, the washer joins the same app rather than asking you to learn another one.
GE SmartHQ powers the Profile front loader and does the core five functions well. Owners describe its connectivity as reliable, and the machine carries a 10 year limited warranty, longer than any other standalone washer in this guide.
The Samsung AI Home app covers the Bespoke combo, including reservoir levels for the auto-dispenser. Note that the question of controlling a Samsung washer through a single Samsung Smart Control app comes up often, and in practice SmartThings is the platform these machines register with.
None of these apps charges a subscription. That is worth stating plainly because connected appliances have trained some buyers to expect one.
Capacity Guide: Matching Drum Size To Your Household
Drum capacity in this guide runs from 4.4 to 5.3 cu. ft., which is a narrower range than most buyers expect. The practical difference is loads per week, not fits or does not fit.
A couple or one person doing two to three loads a week will be comfortable at 4.4 to 4.5 cu. ft. A family of three or four doing laundry most days wants 4.8 to 5.0 cu. ft. A household washing bedding for five or more people wants the 5.3 cu. ft. end of the range.
Bedding is the real capacity test. King-size comforters need roughly 4.5 cu. ft. or more of drum, and a front loader that is underfilled cannot balance a heavy comforter properly, which shows up as vibration rather than as a failed wash. If you wash a king comforter regularly, do not buy the smallest machine here to save space.
Top loaders in this guide are kinder to bulky items despite similar or smaller drum figures, because you can add a forgotten item without stopping a cycle.
Installation Reality Check: Hookup, Clearance And Weight
Appliance purchases fail on installation logistics more often than on features. Here is what each format asks of your laundry room.
A standard washer hookup is a 120 volt outlet, hot and cold water, and a drain. The Samsung front load package, the Samsung top load bundle, the GE Profile, the LG WM4200HBA and both all-in-one machines all run on 120 volts and need nothing more.
A 240 volt circuit is required for the LG WashTower. That is the same circuit a standard electric dryer uses, so an existing electric dryer hookup covers it, and a room that has never had one will need electrical work.
Three of the seven include a dryer that vents outdoors: the Samsung front load package, the Samsung top load bundle and the LG WashTower. The two all-in-one machines are ventless, which is what makes the LG combo usable in an apartment.
Clearance with the door open is the number people miss. The LG all-in-one needs up to 57.75 inches, the LG WM4200HBA and the WashTower need 55 inches, and the GE Profile needs 54.5 inches. Measure the alcove with the door fully open before ordering, not the width of the wall.
Weight matters for placement. The Bespoke combo and the WashTower each weigh around 311 to 317 pounds as single units, the LG all-in-one and the GE Profile are near 246 pounds, and the LG WM4200HBA is the lightest listed figure at about 201 pounds. Anything over 300 pounds wants two people and a dolly.
One more installation note: if a machine arrives with transport bolts still fitted and you start it, it will walk across the floor. Removing them is a two-minute job that protects the flooring and the machine.
What The App Does Not Do
A connected washer is still a washer, and the gap between the promise and the product is where most disappointment lives. These are the limits we would tell a friend about before they spend the money.
It will not move your laundry to the dryer for you. A stacked or integrated tower has two drums, but the load has to be moved by hand. The all-in-one combos do wash and dry in one drum, which is a different solution to the same problem rather than an automatic hand-off.
It will not deliver an alert it cannot send. If the machine cannot reach your network, there is no notification. This is why the mesh node advice earlier is not optional for basement and garage rooms.
It will not tell you the drum is empty. A cycle-complete notification tells you the machine stopped, not that the load came out, and no app replaces checking a front-loader glass before you start a cycle.
It requires an account. Every one of these apps needs a sign-in, and the account has to exist before the machine registers. That is also why the app works over cellular away from home, since control routes through the manufacturer’s cloud service rather than your local network.
Voice control will not run a cycle for you reliably. Starting a load by voice assistant is possible on some platforms, but nobody in forum discussion on connected laundry uses it as the reason they bought the machine.
When Not To Buy A Smart Washer
Four situations where the connected part is not worth the money, in our view.
If nobody in the house will open the app, you are paying for a feature that stays unused. A reliable washer with a timer does the same job for less.
If your laundry room has no usable Wi-Fi and you do not want to fix that, the app functions will not work. Add a mesh node first, or buy a non-connected machine and be happy.
If you only want to know when a load is finished, there is a cheaper retrofit. A smart plug or power monitor paired with a power-reading app can detect when your existing washer switches off and send a notification, which forum readers use precisely because appliance apps are not always dependable. It is a fraction of the cost of a new machine.
If the machine you already own is several years old and working, the honest answer is usually to keep it. Connected features do not fix a failing bearing or a worn drive belt.
How We Picked These Seven
Every machine here has app control as a core function. We excluded connected-looking machines with no Wi-Fi, portable washers with no app connectivity, and duplicate listings of models already in the set. That leaves a smaller list than some competing roundups show, and we would rather show seven machines that answer the question than pad to ten with machines that do not connect to a phone.
Ranking was based on published specifications for each exact model and on what owners report in the reviews: app reliability, cycle-complete notifications, capacity against household size, installation requirements, and running cost. We weighted review volume as a confidence signal, so a model with 93 reviews tells us more than a model with 23. We did not test these machines ourselves, and we do not claim to have.
Every figure quoted in this guide comes from the manufacturer specification or the owner review data for that model, including the kWh per year numbers, drum sizes, dimensions, weights and warranty terms. Where the two disagree, we have said so rather than averaging them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I start my washing machine from my phone?
Yes. Every smart washer in this guide has a manufacturer app that lets you start a cycle remotely, stop or pause one, receive a notification when the cycle ends, and read fault codes without touching the machine. You need the washer on your home Wi-Fi, a phone with the brand app, and an account created before setup. Remote start works over cellular when you are away from home, since control routes through the manufacturer’s cloud service.
Is there a washing machine you can control from my phone?
Yes, and most connected washers launched in recent years can. LG, Samsung and GE all build Wi-Fi into their connected washers, and the app handles remote start, remote stop, monitoring, cycle notifications, scheduling and in-app diagnostics. The two things to check before buying are whether your laundry room can reach your network and whether the app is one you will actually use.
Which washing machines have an app?
The connected brands in this guide are LG ThinQ, Samsung SmartThings, GE SmartHQ and Samsung AI Home. The LG all-in-one, WashTower and WM4200HBA use ThinQ. The Samsung front load package, top load bundle and Bespoke combo connect through SmartThings, with the Bespoke combo also reporting auto-dosing levels in AI Home. The GE Profile GFW550SSNWW uses SmartHQ.
Can I use the Samsung Smart Control app to control my washing machine?
Samsung connected washers register with the SmartThings app, and the Bespoke combo additionally reports its auto-dispenser reservoir levels through the AI Home app. If you already run Samsung devices in SmartThings, the washer joins that app. None of the platforms here charges a subscription for the connected features.
Can I make an existing washer smart?
Yes, for the purpose of knowing when a load is finished. A smart plug or a power monitor that reads energy draw can detect when the machine switches off and send a notification through its own app. It will not give you remote start, scheduling or fault diagnostics, but it costs a fraction of a new connected washer and works with the machine you already have.
What washer should I stay away from?
Stay away from machines with no Wi-Fi listed in a smart roundup, from washers in a basement with no usable signal, and from all-in-one models where long combined cycle times are the norm. A combo rated around 479 kWh per year will cost noticeably more to run than a standalone washer at roughly 105 kWh per year, and an integrated tower does not move your laundry to the dryer for you.
Do smart washing machines save energy?
Not because they are connected. The app can help you shift a load to an off-peak period or skip a cycle you do not need, but the energy figure comes from the motor, the heater and the drying system, not the Wi-Fi. Among these picks, the Samsung Bespoke combo and the LG WM4200HBA publish figures near 103 to 105 kWh per year, while the LG all-in-one publishes 479 kWh per year.
Conclusion
The Samsung WF45T6000WPR front load laundry package is the pick we would put in most homes in 2026. It pairs a 4.5 cu. ft. washer with a 7.5 cu. ft. dryer on an ordinary hookup, runs quietly, and has the largest body of owner feedback in this group at 4.5 stars across 93 reviews.
Choose the LG WM6998HBA if your space rules out a dryer vent. Choose the Samsung 4.7 cu. ft. top load bundle for the highest average rating in the group and a wide, easy-load drum. Choose the LG WM4200HBA for a standalone washer that costs roughly a fifth as much to run as the large combo, and the Samsung Bespoke combo if you want auto-dosing and a 47-load reservoir.
Whichever you pick, spend ten minutes on the Wi-Fi in your laundry room before you order. A connected washer is only a smart washer if it can reach your network, and that is the one requirement no product page will check for you.