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We take an early look at LG's WT6001HV Smart ThinQ Washer

Is this the smartest washing machine ever? LG thinQs so.

Ry Crist Senior Editor / Reviews - Labs
Originally hailing from Troy, Ohio, Ry Crist is a writer, a text-based adventure connoisseur, a lover of terrible movies and an enthusiastic yet mediocre cook. A CNET editor since 2013, Ry's beats include smart home tech, lighting, appliances, broadband and home networking.
Expertise Smart home technology and wireless connectivity Credentials
  • 10 years product testing experience with the CNET Home team
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Ry Crist
2 min read

The question at hand with LG's WT6001HV Smart ThinQ Washer: Just how smart is it? On paper, it appears to stack up pretty evenly with its nearest rivals, the Samsung WF457 and the Whirlpool WFL98HEBU. LG's washer has a 7-inch LCD touchscreen, while Samsung's has an 8-inch LCD touchscreen. LG boasts a sanitizing cycle, as does Whirlpool. The Smart ThinQ offers smartphone controls and remote alerts - so do both the Samsung and the Whirlpool. All three are similarly priced, with the Smart ThinQ coming in at $1,599, compared with $1,499 for the Samsung and $1,699 for the Whirlpool.

Meet LG's boldest, smartest washer yet. LG

But even if LG doesn't quite seem to be breaking the smart mold here, there's a lot about this washer I'm excited to test out. Smartphone controls for large appliances have been hit and miss in my experience thus far, but I like what LG is describing about the capabilities of its app. In particular, LG claims that you can easily download custom wash cycles in order to help combat specific and challenging stains. That's something that no other washer currently offers.

Design and features

From the simplistic brushed graphite steel exterior to the luxurious windowed lid to the vivid, gorgeous LCD menu, the Smart ThinQ washer might also be one of the best-looking appliances I've seen (and its companion Smart ThinQ dryer isn't bad, either). With 4.7 cubic feet of capacity, it's easily the roomiest smart washer available. Its motor, with a maximum spin speed of 1100 RPM, lags just slightly behind other smart washers, but still stands as a high quality piece of machinery, especially given the reassuring 10-year limited warranty.
The Smart ThinQ washer's colorful 7" touchscreen is one of the nicest-looking that you'll find. LG

In terms of features, there are a few in particular with the Smart ThinQ washer I'm eager to test out. LG's ColdWash technology promises to use enhanced washing motions to give you cold water savings with warm water performance, while its WaveForce cycle combines rapid drum movement and powerful water jets for a supposedly better washing and rinsing experience.

With Smart Diagnosis, the washer can serve as its own service technician when something goes wrong, figuring out the source of the problem for you and helping you and the folks at LG, if necessary, work through a solution. This would clearly be a helpful feature in the event of a major malfunction, but also something that I'd enjoy for smaller, easier fixes. The last thing you want is to waste your time making an embarrassing service call when you've simply overlooked something painfully obvious, like a loose water seal cap, or a door that isn't quite shutting all the way. If Smart Diagnosis can help alert us to those kinds of finicky, little issues, I'll be a fan.

Stay tuned here at CNET Appliances, as our full review of the Smart ThinQ washer is coming soon.