First World WTF

[tiggymalvern]

Our elderly tumble dryer died yesterday. The motor makes a horrible noise and the drum doesn't turn. We don't know exactly how old it is because it came with the house, but that makes it at least nine years old, and one look at it says rather older. So I begin to google tumble dryers.

OMG people, why the hell would I want my tumble dryer to be 'smart' and programmable by phone? Unless it's smart enough to empty the washer, sort the laundry into tumble dry and dry flat and then load itself up, I'm going to be standing right next to it. Why then would I want to program it via my phone instead of using buttons and dials on the dryer?

I know that some people now come surgically attached to their phones and find it impossible to put the damn things away for even the length of a meal or a movie. But how is this anything other than a stupid gimmick to get people to pay more for a dryer?

Comments

[tameiki.livejournal.com]

A couple of years ago when our dryer had to be replaced, I was stunned at all the unnecessary bells and whistles that were on dryers when all I wanted was a basic one to dry my clothes. When did it become so difficult to find one where I could set the time, the temperature, delicate or normal tumble, etc.? It took me nearly two hours to read through all the different dryers' specs to find something that did what I wanted and not everything else.

At this rate, the next thing the dryers will have is an onboard touch screen so you can watch movies on it while your clothes dry. *rolls eyes*

Did you finally find something that will work for you?

[tiggymalvern.livejournal.com]

I've been narrowing things down. By consumer report surveys, LG dryers seem to be the most reliable with fewest problems under warranty, and Ecostar is a waste of time (takes longer to dry your clothes and saves maybe $20 a year). That made a short list easier to deal with!

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

To find a simple microwave that didn't also double as a computer, with 17 different cooking settings, I resorted to ebay. Most of them in the shops were HUGE! Who the hell needs a four foot tall microwave? I just wanted on/off/timer. Nothing else.

Like fridges with TVs or computers, that monitor your shopping for you. They make them into just more hard work.

[teaforme.livejournal.com]

I'll be interested in what you get, and how it turns out. Our W/D is ageing, and could go at any time.

[tiggymalvern.livejournal.com]

I can't imagine wanting a fridge that monitors my shopping. I have perfectly good eyes to do that with.

As far as I'm concerned, the only things in my house that connect to the internet are computers and phones. Anything else is adding needless security risks.

[tiggymalvern.livejournal.com]

I ended up ordering this:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/LG-Electronics-7-3-cu-ft-Electric-Dryer-with-Steam-in-White-DLEY1701W/204377890

We'll see how it works out!

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

Nice!

I have a fairly simple one but the sensor died about a year ago so now it's even simpler: temperature, time, that's it.

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

I replaced my thermostat this weekend and did consider a Nest for a minute--"I won't be home for another two hours, I guess I'll keep the temperature down," that kind of thing--and then I thought, "but hacking" and decided to save my two hundred bucks.

[tiggymalvern.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I need/will use the steam functionality, but I wanted flexibility in temperature and program settings which didn't seem to come without it.

[tiggymalvern.livejournal.com]

My SO works with a lot of tech-infatuated guys, and he personally knows people who installed Nest. Most of them disconnected it/no longer use it because of various annoying foibles.

[teaforme.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that looks amazing! For a dryer. :-)