Smart appliances promise convenience: check your fridge from your phone, preheat the oven from the couch, get alerts when the laundry is done. The reality is often more complexity than you asked for.
What you give up with "smart"
Connected appliances add WiFi radios, touchscreens, companion apps, and sometimes subscriptions. More electronics mean more that can break — and when the manufacturer sunsets the app or the cloud service, your expensive appliance can lose its "smart" features overnight. You also pay a premium for connectivity you may never use.
What dumb appliances do better
Dumb appliances do one job: keep food cold, cook food, wash clothes. No firmware updates, no account required, no data collection. They tend to cost less, last longer, and stay fixable. If something breaks, you can often repair it yourself or hire a local technician — no proprietary parts or locked-down software.
Who should choose dumb?
If you want reliability over features, privacy over connectivity, and long-term value over the latest gadget, dumb is the way to go. We only list appliances with no WiFi, no apps, and no smart features. See our picks by category: refrigerators, ranges, washers & dryers, microwaves, and small kitchen appliances.
For the full case, read Why dumb appliances?