Is a smart appliance actually useful?

For a small number of genuine functions, yes; for most of what is marketed, no — and the important question is what happens when the manufacturer's servers are switched off, because that determines whether you bought an appliance or a subscription.

Where connectivity is genuinely useful:

Notifications — telling you a cycle has finished, which is a small but real benefit if the machine is not within earshot.

Fault diagnostics, where the appliance reports an error code and support can identify the problem without a visit. Manufacturers value this and it does reduce engineer callouts.

Tariff-aware scheduling. Genuinely valuable with a time-of-use electricity tariff, where running a load at the cheapest period saves real money and, at scale, helps the grid. This is the strongest argument, and it is growing.

Software updates adding programmes or fixing faults.

Remote diagnostics for heating and refrigeration, where a fault detected early prevents spoilage or damage.

Where it is not useful:

Starting an appliance remotely. A washing machine must be loaded, a dishwasher must be filled. Remote starting solves almost nothing, because the limiting step is physical presence.

Fridges with cameras and screens, which add cost and a further thing to fail.

Recipe features duplicating a phone.

Voice control for functions requiring you to be standing there anyway.

The genuine concerns:

Server dependency. A cloud-connected appliance loses its smart functions when the manufacturer discontinues the service — which has happened repeatedly across consumer devices. Appliances last ten to fifteen years; app platforms frequently do not, and this mismatch is the central problem.

Security. A poorly secured device on your network is an entry point, and appliance software is rarely updated for the life of the product.

Data collection, which is a real commercial motivation for connectivity.

Repairability, where a failed control board with proprietary software cannot be substituted.

What to check: whether the appliance works fully without connectivity — it should; whether control is local or cloud-dependent; the stated support period; and whether it uses an open standard such as Matter rather than a proprietary app.