Since the advent of faster connections like fibre to the home (FTTH) and 5G, we’re seeing more smart home appliances hit the market, also known as the Internet of Things (IoT). These devices have sensors that need internet connectivity to provide additional information.

Here are some cool home appliances that you can buy right now and hook up to your WiFi:

Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop

Xiaomi’s Robot Vacuum-Mop is a vacuum cleaner and mop in one that has a 200ml water tank and 600ml cleaning tank. It pairs with Android and iOS, and once connected you start mapping out the rooms in your house, which is saved and labelled on the app. It uses a gyroscope and laser sensors to map and manoeuvre, but small objects should be removed ahead of a clean-up. The robo-vacuum weighs 3.6kgs and has a 2600mAh battery that takes around 250 minutes to charge fully at its docking station. A single charge yields 150 minutes of use. After cleaning, it will return to its dock.

Philips Airfryer Essential XL

Airfryers have been around for a while now from various brands,but the new Philips Essential XL model goes one step ahead with WiFi connectivity. Airfryers typically cook food in a shorter time, thus using less electricity and being more efficient than an oven or stove. The Essential XL works with the Android and iOS NutriU app, and has Amazon Alexa voice support. The app lets you select recipes and send it to the airfryer to start cooking; monitor and adjust cooking levels, and access articles. Once linked to your Amazon account, voice commands let you easily switch it on or off and set cooking temperatures and time.

LG AI Washer Dryer

LG has a ThinQ AI-powered washer dryer space-saving combo that uses its Direct Drive (DD) proprietary technology. It is smart enough to detect the weight and softness of the fabric on a laundry load to optimise washing patterns. As a ThinQ appliance, it can be used with Google Assistant on both Android and iOS devices. It lets you control your laundry loads from the couch like start and stop cycles, notifications when it’s done and when it needs maintenance. Some models also work Amazon Alexa. By being able to control loads remotely, it could be used to work around load-shedding schedules.

Samsung Air-Conditioner – AR9500T

Samsung has a new range of air conditioners that are WiFi-enabled with its Smart Home app. It offers a Wind-Free cooling mode that is energy saving, which uses up to 77% less electricity than its Fast-Cooling mode. With a built-in AI, it is able to optimise the temperature based on room size and usage patterns, including factoring outdoor temperatures. It forms part of Samsung’s Smart Things platform to control it remotely with one-touch access, monitor energy consumption etc., which works on both Android and iOS. The Smart Things app also lets you access other smart household connections like Galaxy Smart Tags, automations, voice assistant, etc.

Fibre to your home

Vodacom offers a variety of home internet solutions, including fibre-to-the-home and LTE plans. Click here to check if there’s Vodacom fibre coverage in your area. Visit the Vodacom LTE site as well to see our LTE internet products.