We were introduced to the concept of AddWash at IFA 2015, but we didn’t get a real look at a machine with the feature until Samsung showed one off at CES 2015. Because the machine is equipped with an extra door on top, it’s possible to add in more clothes mid-cycle on a front-load machine. Lots of top loaders let you toss in that errant sock, but others (like some of Samsung’s own machines) lock the lid for safety reasons. Machines with the AddWash feature will have a child lock for the same reason.
Pressing the button pauses the machine and opens the extra door. The smaller door on top also lets users drop in some extra detergent or fabric softener to the load if they wish.
And Samsung is adding another feature to its Top Load Washer with Mid Control. This moves the control panel on its machines that have an Activewash sink to the middle of the top panel. So instead of needing to reach for the controls at the back of the machine, or locating them on the front (where, we can attest, it’s easy to accidentally press buttons with your hip), the buttons are now conveniently accessible. The sink itself is also larger, with a flatter bottom. This could help with some of the design issues we found in the original version.
When it comes to smartening up appliances, Samsung had a couple other tricks up its sleeve for CES as well. Its four-door fridge with a 21.5-inch screen is definitely eye-catching (you can learn more about it here), and the Flex Duo Dual Door range received some interesting connected capabilities, too. The oven lets chefs switch between a single 5.8-cubic-foot cavity and two differently sized (2.4 cubic feet and 3.3 cubic feet) compartments by sliding in a divider. A big dish can go in the divider-free oven, but cooks can use less energy and save some time baking in the smaller compartments when dishes don’t need as much space. Samsung now lets users preheat the oven remotely and has some microwave-like auto-cook options, like pizza and lasagna.
We’ve never found those preset buttons much help on microwaves, but it will definitely be interesting to see some in action on an oven.