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Costco Connection | May/June | Up Front | Tech Connection
TECH CONNECTION
smart appliance
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Get smart

Wi-Fi-enabled appliances can make your life easier

by MARC SALTZMAN

Love help in the kitchen? Wait until you see what’s cooking in smart appliances now. Wi-Fi connected appliances make keeping up with laundry easier, too.

From artificial-intelligence-powered fridges with cameras and touch screens, to ranges that obey verbal commands, to app-controlled washers and dryers, many of today’s appliances incorporate high-tech amenities designed to make home life easier for you and your family.

While the exact features may vary between brands and models, here’s a look at how smart appliances add convenience and can help you get more done in less time.

Remote control

You can easily control your smart appliances, even if you’re nowhere near them, by tapping an app on your phone or tablet. Or, if you are at home, you can ask Alexa or Google Assistant to keep your dryer tumbling for another 10 minutes.

Real-time notifications

Not only can you remotely talk to your appliances, but they can communicate with you, too. Because smart appliances are connected to your Wi-Fi, they can send notifications to your phone, if, say, a child left the fridge door open or if you forgot to turn the oven off. And because we all know the mouldy smell if wet clothes are left in the washer for too long, your washing machine can send a note to your phone or smartwatch that it’s time to take the laundry out.

Smart updates and diagnoses

Smart appliances can receive software updates that optimize performance and add new features. If there’s a problem with a dishwasher, for example, it can even notify the manufacturer about the specific issue so the repair technician only needs to arrive at your home once, with the correct part in hand, instead of you having to pay for multiple visits. Some appliances can even coordinate a service call on your behalf.

Handy extras

Not only do some refrigerators have a giant touch screen that lets you manage your family’s calendar (or stream music while cooking), but a few have a camera inside that lets you see (on your smartphone) what you may be out of while you’re at the supermarket. And some ovens let you scan the bar code on frozen food (using your phone), and automatically set the correct temp and time to cook the meal.
Costco Connection: You will find a variety of smart appliances, as well Wi-Fi routers and mesh Wi-Fi system components, at Costco.ca.

Strong signals


For your smart appliances —and all other devices connected to your network— to work smoothly, make sure you’ve got a fast and reliable wireless router.

Wi-Fi 6 is the latest standard. Place the router on your main floor, as close to the centre of the home as possible, and elevate it for optimum performance.

If your home is on the larger side, consider a mesh Wi-Fi system, which includes multiple plug-in pods (access points) to place around the home to help extend the wireless range.—MS

Built At: 8/14/2026, 4:10:11 PM