Ask HN: Any resources for finding non-smart appliances?

Hacker News Discussion ↗

Concerns about “smart” appliances

  • Many commenters want appliances with no networking at all, due to:
    • Privacy and surveillance (TVs “begging” for Wi‑Fi, data sharing, excessive app permissions like location/search history).
    • Feature lock-in: some devices hide basic functions (dishwasher cycles, AC settings, stove features) behind apps and online accounts.
    • Reliability and lockouts: fear of forced updates, time‑bomb behaviors, and devices refusing to work without checking in.
    • Usability: app-only controls don’t work well for guests, Airbnbs, multi‑user households, or when a phone/account is unavailable.

Workarounds and “dumbing down”

  • Common strategies:
    • Never connecting devices to the internet, or isolating them on separate VLANs/firewalls and blocking outbound traffic.
    • Using external boxes (Roku for TVs), “store mode” on TVs, or jailbreaking when possible.
    • Using smart plugs (e.g., Tasmota) only as dumb current sensors to get “cycle finished” notifications.
  • Some argue many washers are still “smart‑optional” and fine if left offline; others counter that hidden behavior (settings reset unless configured via app, child-lock state lost on power failure) makes this insufficient.

Finding non-networked models

  • Tactics:
    • Download user manuals to see real functionality and connectivity, not marketing.
    • Filter by “no Wi‑Fi/app” on retailers (examples given from Dutch sites and Consumer Reports).
    • Look for lower‑end or commercial lines, which often stay “dumb,” though sometimes with shorter warranties.
    • Specific brands/models frequently praised as minimal and durable: Speed Queen (especially top‑load, TC5), Maytag commercial, older Whirlpool and Electrolux/AEG units, plus some non‑smart lines from Gorenje and Electrolux in Europe.
    • Buy refurbished/used from appliance stores, thrift stores, and estate sales; older gear is often simpler and more repairable.

Repair, longevity, and commercial gear

  • Strong theme: repair/keep older machines (decades‑old Whirlpool/Maytag, gas dryers) because they’re easier to service and outlast modern boards.
  • Mixed experiences with newer brands (e.g., Samsung dryers needing frequent or costly repairs vs. AEG/Electrolux lasting well).
  • Commercial appliances and monitors are highlighted as a source of non‑IoT gear, with cautions about insulation, noise, power, and code/safety differences.

Ethics, terminology, and side discussions

  • Some joking proposals: “unshittified,” “sans IoT enshittification.”
  • A satirical digression compares dishwasher costs to underpaid disabled labor, prompting debate about legality and ethics.