I’ll admit something slightly embarrassing for someone who has been in charge of doing her own washing for a long time: I know very little about my own washing machine.
I put the clothes in, add detergent, select essentially the same cycle every time and walk away. The dryer gets even less consideration. I tend to choose the longest setting because I don’t want to keep walking out to our laundry to check whether everything is dry yet. And if either machine tells me there are “10 minutes remaining,” I know better than to believe it.
So, when Samsung invited me to see its new Bespoke AI Laundry Combo 19.5kg in action, I was curious. How smart does a washing machine really need to be?
As it turns out, considerably smarter than mine.
The all-in-one appliance combines a huge 19.5kg washing capacity with a 10kg heat-pump dryer, but it was the amount of thinking the machine does for you that surprised me. From choosing the right wash settings to dispensing detergent, adjusting the drying cycle and telling your phone when the load is finished, it feels less like Samsung has added AI for the sake of it and more like it has looked at all the mildly annoying parts of doing laundry and asked: could the machine handle that?
And seeing it in action, these are the five features I couldn’t stop thinking about.
1. It washes and dries without you moving a thing
This is the feature that immediately sold me on the concept. The Bespoke AI Laundry Combo is both a 19.5kg washer and 10kg heat-pump dryer, so rather than washing a load, coming back, transferring everything into another machine and starting again, you can select a wash-and-dry cycle and leave it to get on with the job.
One of the best parts of the machine is that it is an all-in-one appliance with 19.5kg smart washer + 10kg smart heat pump dryer. As someone who hates transferring my clothes from a washer to dryer, this is incredibly appealing.
There’s also a very practical design benefit. The machine is taller than your average washer, but you’re getting washing and drying functionality in a single appliance rather than having to accommodate two separate machines.
For anyone dealing with a small laundry, hello, me–that’s a pretty compelling proposition.
2. The AI actually does something useful
I discovered during the demonstration that I’m apparently among the 60% of Australian respondents who wash all their clothes on the same cycle every time.
Guilty.
The problem is that towels, everyday clothes and heavily soiled items don’t necessarily need the same treatment. With AI Wash & Dry+1, the machine can detect factors including the weight, fabric and soil level2 of a load and adjust detergent, water and cycle length accordingly. Once the washing is finished, the drying cycle is then automatically optimised based on the wash.
In other words, you don’t need to become a laundry expert. The washing machine has volunteered for the position.
Samsung has also committed to seven years of software upgrades for the appliance. That particularly caught my attention because of my questions about bringing increasingly smart technology into our homes is how quickly it becomes outdated. The idea here is that its software capabilities can continue to evolve after you’ve bought the machine.
SAMSUNG Bespoke AI Laundry Combo 19.5kg Review:
- Our rating: (9.5 of 10)
- Why we rated it a (9.5/10):
An impressively smart all-in-one washer and heat-pump dryer that combines huge capacity, excellent energy efficiency and genuinely useful AI features. It’s a significant investment, but the convenience, clever energy-saving technology and ability to wash and dry without transferring loads make it a standout for busy households.
Pros
- Huge 19.5kg washing capacity and 10kg drying capacity in one appliance
- 10-star energy rating for the dryer
- AI Wash & Dry+ automatically optimises each load
- Super Speed Wash & Dry can wash and dry a small load in just 68 minutes
- SmartThings lets you monitor cycles and energy use from your phone
- Auto Open Door+ helps prevent forgotten washing from developing musty odours
- BubbleWash helps detergent penetrate fabrics effectively at lower temperatures
- Heat-pump technology recycles heated air for more energy-efficient drying
- Seven years of software upgrades
Cons
- It’s extra-large capacity means the unit is taller than a standard washing machine, so you’ll need to check your laundry dimensions before buying
3. It can wash and dry a small load in 68 minutes
This was the moment during the demonstration when I genuinely asked, “Are you serious?”
The Super Speed3 Wash & Dry cycle can wash and dry a small load in just 68 minutes. Not wash in 68 minutes and then begin drying. Washed and dried. Anyone who has discovered at 7pm that the daycare clothes, school uniform or outfit they need tomorrow morning is sitting dirty at the bottom of the hamper will understand the appeal.
Samsung’s research found 55% of Australian respondents wish their washing machine had a quick cycle that cleaned clothes effectively, and as a mum to a toddler, this is the kind of smart-home feature I can see being genuinely useful. I don’t necessarily need my appliances to perform futuristic party tricks. I need them to give me clean, dry clothes before I’ve forgotten I put them in there.
4. Its energy credentials completely changed the way I think about using a dryer
This might have been the biggest education for me during the demonstration. I’ll confess: I use my dryer a lot. I’ve always known it’s probably not the most energy-conscious habit, but I hadn’t given much thought to how different dryer technologies actually work.
The Bespoke AI Laundry Combo has a 10-star energy rating for drying and uses heat-pump technology rather than venting warm, humid air into the room in the same way as a conventional vented dryer.
Instead, warm air circulates through the wet clothes and the evaporated moisture passes over a cold heat exchanger, where it condenses back into water. The now-dry air is heated again and circulated back through the clothes, creating a closed-loop system.
Essentially, it’s reusing that air rather than continually losing hot, humid air from the system–which suddenly made the whole concept of a heat-pump dryer make much more sense to me.
Then came my second laundry lesson: detergent.
During the demonstration, Samsung explained how its BubbleWash4 technology pre-mixes detergent with air and water before it reaches the clothes. The bubbles are then distributed throughout the load, helping the detergent penetrate the fabric and tackle dirt and grime. The official product information also describes BubbleWash and BubbleSoak as helping detergent penetrate fabrics quickly and tackle stubborn stains.
What I found particularly interesting was the explanation of this process helps get the detergent working effectively without simply relying on heating an entire drum of water. If you’re someone who regularly chooses a cold wash without giving the chemistry happening inside the machine a second thought, it was one of those ohhh, that actually makes sense moments.
There is also AI Energy Mode, which Samsung says uses up to 20% less energy during the wash cycle and up to 10% less energy during the dry cycle. That’s relevant when you consider Samsung’s research found 51% of Australian respondents feel concerned about energy every time they use their dryer.
5. SmartThings means you can stop babysitting your washing
My laundry is separated from the main part of our house, so checking a load means physically going outside–the horror. Apparently, I’m not unusual. Samsung’s research found 50% of Australian respondents have a laundry area separated from the main part of their home.
The Bespoke AI Laundry Combo connects to Samsung SmartThings5, so you can monitor what’s happening from your phone and receive notifications when your cycle has finished. Better still, you can monitor your laundry energy consumption, rather than just crossing your fingers every time you turn on the dryer.
On the appliance itself is a 7-inch AI Home touch screen, which provides controls for the machine and can become part of Samsung’s wider connected-home ecosystem.
And then there’s a deceptively simple feature that might actually be one of my favourites: Auto Open Door+6. I like putting washing on at night. What I am considerably less talented at is remembering I’ve done it the following morning.
After a wash-only cycle, Auto Open Door+ automatically opens the machine’s door and activates internal air circulation, helping prevent clothes left sitting inside the drum from developing that familiar musty smell.7
So did Samsung’s AI washing machine win me over?
I went into the demonstration wondering how much intelligence a washing machine really needed.
I left wanting mine to be significantly more intelligent.
What impressed me about the Samsung Bespoke AI Laundry Combo wasn’t any single futuristic feature. It was how much of the technology is aimed at removing all those little points of friction that make laundry annoying: choosing which cycle to use, remembering to transfer wet washing, checking whether the dryer has finished, finding forgotten clothes the next morning and wondering how much energy you’re using.
There are clever maintenance features, too. Auto Condenser Cleaning uses water to help remove lint and dirt from the heat exchanger, while Self Clean+ cleans the drum and lets you know when another clean is needed. And yes, at $4,499 RRP, it’s a significant investment. But this is also a seriously large-capacity washer and heat-pump dryer in one, with technology designed and made for Australians to take some of the thought, time and energy out of a chore most of us would happily outsource altogether.
I may have found the next best thing. As someone who walked into the demonstration openly admitting that my current laundry strategy is essentially put clothes in, press button and hope for the best, perhaps the greatest compliment I can give the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo is this:
For the first time ever, I’ve found a washing machine genuinely exciting, and that was before I was told it plays music, too.
Where to buy the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo 19.5kg
The Bespoke AI Laundry Combo 19.5kg is currently available in Australia from:
- SAMSUNG, $4,499
- Harvey Norman, $4,492
SAMSUNG DISCLAIMERS
[1] AI Wash & Dry +’s detection and sensing capabilities are based on our deep learning models trained using predefined set of data and may yield inaccurate or incorrect results. New datasets may be introduced to our learning models from time to time to enhance its accuracy.
[2] Based on AI-based algorithm and internal testing using the AI Wash & Dry + cycle on a 3kg load. A turbidity sensor operates for all weights, while fabric sensing operates for 3kg and under. Actual results may vary depending on individual use.
[3] Based on internal testing and verified by Intertek for the cycle time was measured when drying a DOE (50% cotton / 50% polyester) 3 kg load (based on bone dry) with a Super Speed cycle on model WD90H**AH***.
[4] BubbleWash™ is Samsung technology designed to optimise laundry cycles through fabric sensing, bubble generation, and AI Energy Mode.
[5] Available on Android and iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required.
[6] Auto Open Door+ automatically opens the door and blows air to help remove moisture inside the drum more quickly. The default setting for Auto Open Door is ‘Open immediately’. This also can be changed in Settings > Washer > Auto Open Door to “Open 5 mins later”
[7] Manual cleaning is required after using the dry cycle every 180 times.
Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com.
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