Shopping for a new washing machine and want to feed real usage/energy data into my home energy management setup (Home Assistant + InfluxDB, alongside a home battery and EV charging) rather than just get “cycle finished” push notifications.
I found an older thread here asking almost the same question that’s been sitting unanswered for a couple of years, so thought I’d try a fresh post.
What I’m after:
A washing machine (any brand) with WiFi/app connectivity that exposes real data via a local API, or a cloud API that’s actually documented/sanctioned — not just reverse-engineered and one takedown notice away from disappearing
Ideally actual energy consumption per cycle (kWh), not just on/off or “in progress” status
Bonus if there’s a working, actively maintained Home Assistant integration already
I was looking at a Haier 500 Series (uses SmartHQ in Australia — same backend as GE Appliances, and there’s a new official developer.smarthq.com API plus a fresh HA integration built on it), but I can’t find anyone who’s confirmed a Haier-branded (not GE-branded) AU laundry appliance actually exposes the meter energy service through that API yet.
If you’ve got a washer or dryer with genuinely useful energy data flowing into HA — any brand, Bosch/Home Connect, Miele, LG ThinQ, Samsung SmartThings, whatever — which model and which integration are you using? Trying to avoid buying blind and finding out after the fact that the energy numbers are locked behind the app.
Samsung is going to start changing customers, and I don’t think they have energy anyway. Just add a energy monitor, I have some from zemismart that work ok. Those had a problem with being chatty, but the newest ones has that fixed.
Thats an excellent point. An inline energy monitor via a smart switch would give me the same data regardless of washing machine brand.
I guess I was thinking via the washing machine API I can add all kinds of nerdy stats like load types, cycle stage, even ridiculous data like spin RPM would be fun to track. But i’m a huge nerd and the more data I can get the better
At the most basic level, yes that would be fine. If i just go with power monitoring then any brand of washer would work.
Since some brands such as Haier include wifi connectivity to the washing machine itself, I was wondering if anyone has experience with these brands in Australia with a working setup in HA.
https://www.bunnings.com.au/marquee-basic-green-folding-camp-chair_p0863330
The first is a Tuya badged device. The second is to sit and watch it in operation.
Both will take considerable time of your day. You will discover it is extremely boring, which is why washing machines were invented in the first place.
Seriously, check what entities any integration exposes and whether the sensors are listed that you need. Do this after checking star ratings for energy and water use, as well as price comparison sites. Most white box vendors will price-match and haggle, especially close to the end of the month when sales bonuses are in clear focus, and the season for new models means you can get brand new devices, just last season’s ones for heavy discounts. Demo models will be given away at ridiculous prices as the Aussie annual rollover is in August, so they will be desperate to move old stock off the floor and clear the warehouse, so do your shopping this week! Be aware you can’t haggle too far - the salesperson knows their base price which they cannot go below without incurring losses - you stretch them by getting them to bundle warranty extension plans, etc, but be sure to read the fine print as some are just not worth it.
Choice magazine guides may point you towards a particular model:
Or away from some:
A visit to Hardly Normal or the Bad Guys, or Ching Bee to see what is on the floor, let the sales person spiel wash over you without taking the plunge and not succumbing, just watching them desperately ply their art, and then go home, armed with your new found knowledge and do the research online before deciding. Late night shopping Thursday night to see. Check out whether you like top or front load, where the detergent filler is, how much you have to bend to add and remove clothes, the things you cannot mentally envisage from looking at a screen. Analyse afterwards, and go, cash in hand, with a printout for competition prices to the store to haggle on Friday this week.
My recent experience: Friends in Toowoomba when I was there last November in a posse, group buying for the honeymooners: Bouncing bride: “ooh, I love that white one with the black door - it will fit in with the laundry decor just nice”. Me to the salesman “Does it support Matter and WiFi, and will it go with the matching clothes drier above if you throw in the stacker stand as well” that I had chipped in for. Older friend, the one paying for the washing machine: “what’s the best cash price you can do for the lot”? Exhausted groom: “What are those stars on the label for”. His newly minted mother-in-law’s reprise “Read the fine print underneath”. I hugged her! Add new fridge, freezer, robot vacuum, TV, blender, oven, fryer, and a few gadgets, all price matched to their competitors with bonus free extended warranty, and the salesman very comfortably made their monthly bonus (yes, I asked and they were grinning) From memory, LG, HiSense, Whirlpool, Electrolux, Klipsch, and Dyson were some of brands eventually selected - no vendor bias here!
Don’t forget to allow for running costs. Not just water, but washing detergent/powder, electricity, as well as water heating. Amortise that over 10 years, the usual life span of a brand name device, and the initial sticker shock becomes only a minor component.
If your washing machine experience is “sort into black and colours, open the lid, chuck in the clothes, press the go button” then go buy by price. If you want to do a four way speadsheet analysis on whether selecting the ‘eco’ option or running it for two minutes less is going to affect the Daintree rainforest next century, then you may need a device that has AI supplementation with a correspondingly price tag, and as warned above by @Sir_Goodenough that Samsung is hinting at, ongoing costs for integration.
No wonder all the new models have “smart”, “AI” on the promotional labels - they are rubbing their hands with glee, the residual ongoing income supplementing their cheap purchase price they used to lure and lock you in for ten years.
So, the real answer is “it depends”. Good luck mate - you’ll need it!
When setting up timers etc for monitoring washing machines and dryers via smart plugs use the amp readings and see where your lows and peaks are for idle, each cycle you will be using and throw in a vibration sensor and a door sensor to make sure its only polling when the door is closed and it detects vibration and its not in an idle state then you know its in use in HA.
