Haier Washpass review: the subscription washing machine arrives | VIDEO

The last few years have been marked by the subscription business model: the focus of many companies active in the production of consumer products has shifted to services and this, combined with the arrival of increasingly simple and affordable payment systems of clicks, has made it possible to change the paradigm with which we consume. From streaming services to virtual gyms, from food to cars, many areas have been invaded by a new way of understanding our purchases and the products we use every day.

It is therefore not surprising that a giant of household appliances such as Haier has thought of Washpass: a smart subscription washing machine, to simplify to the bone, which allows you to pay an initial token, then choose how many washes per month you intend to do and spend only on those. In reality, the matter is a little more complex than that and there are other interesting aspects to talk about, but it is inevitable that this element is the one that most catches the eye and intrigued us when we learned about the project.

A curiosity that we have put to the test (and many washes) in recent weeks. Will your next washing machine be on subscription, then? Let’s find out together.

Haier Washpass is apparently a normal, modern domestic washing machine in class A: 9Kg load capacity with a 35cm porthole partially covered by the compartment in which the detergents are housed and a spin cycle at maximum 1,200 rpm. Even in aesthetic terms it does not differ much from other similar products and, with the exception of the anthracite gray colour, no particular design solutions have been opted for.

As mentioned, however, the peculiarities become apparent even before installation: after paying an initial contribution of 150 euros, through the site on which the purchase is made, it is possible to select the subscription that best suits one’s needs. There are three and they range from 18 euros per month for a maximum of 100 washes per year (roughly two a week) up to 28 euros per month for 340 washes, with an intermediate solution of 23 euros per month for 220 cycles per year. If the set limit is exceeded, an extra will be charged based on the subscription chosen (from 1 euro for those who have selected small up to 0.70 euro for those who have the large one).

No problem even for the detergents which, when they are about to run out, are automatically sent to the user’s home. The contract has a duration of 36 months and provides for a penalty of 150 euros if you wish to terminate it prematurely; at the end of this period it will be possible to renew the subscription or return the washing machine and the user will be charged a cost of 45 euros for the return. Any maintenance interventions are instead included for the entire subscription period.

Once we got home, the Haier technicians made us install the hOn app, which is useful for controlling all the company’s devices and therefore also Washpass. To make it work obviously you need a wi-fi connection and a smartphone equipped with Bluetooth that allows us to communicate with the appliance.

Once the app has been launched and the washing machine recognized, we move on to the bottles of detergent: each one has its own QR code to be recognized by the app so that, from that moment on, it can monitor the level and possibly automatically request refills from the company .

After a first wash with no payload to check that everything is working properly, you can start using Haier Washpass independently. There are dozens of programs to choose from based on the most diverse needs. We go from the classic ones, designed for white or colored garments and fabrics rather than for specific materials, such as cashmere and various types of cotton, up to other more specific ones such as the anti-mite and anti-allergen ones, with the spin cycle at a minimum for do not disturb neighbors at night or for diving or ski suits. There are about seventy in total and they embrace a very wide range of needs.

Each wash has its own really well done card which indicates the suggested temperature and spin, energy efficiency (on a scale of 1 to 5) and the duration of the entire wash. Depending on the type of programme, some of these parameters can be adjusted, for example by increasing the spin cycle or indicating the degree of soiling. These cards are very well done, give a lot of information and enjoy a clarity and simplicity that facilitates the use of Haier Washpass even for less savvy users.

I also found the ECO Planning mode very useful which, if your energy bill is linked to a multi-time program, helps you choose the best time to do a given wash. Gradually new functions are discovered, for example the notifications that suggest whether to do a wash on a given day depending on the weather, but the use is always simple and getting to know the washing machine takes place in a fluid and progressive way.

There are also three guided wash selection modes accessed via the drop icon within the app. The most suggestive one is Snap & Wash which allows, by framing the laundry, to have a suggestion on the ideal type of washing. A nice idea but which I felt the need up to a certain point, for me it remains more of a suggestion than a real convenience.

Washing Lens, which reads the label of the garments to understand the best type of program, can instead be more useful if you find yourself in front of garments or fabrics whose composition you don’t know exactly and which you don’t want to risk ruining.

Finally, Lavaggio Guidato offers exactly what the name suggests, asking us to specify what we intend to wash through multiple choices, so as to suggest the best possible program.

From the app you can also see the statistics on your washes, quickly choose the most used ones and, of course, see the level of detergents which, as mentioned, will be sent directly to the user’s home when finished. We found just a few bugs during use but nothing that represented a real obstacle to use and above all it is not understandable considering that it is a newly launched project.

If desired, Haier Washpass could also be used as a normal washing machine by using the front wheel with which to select one of the 14 predefined programs, but it would be a waste considering the peculiarities of this washing machine that also and perhaps above all pass through its app and the system of active ingredients developed ad hoc. Finally, there is a tray for loading normal detergents but it should only be used if there are problems and on the advice of the assistance centre.

The other element that intrigues is that of the Active Ingredients: Haier has identified four detergents that include all the active ingredients useful for washing and cleaning the largest amount of clothes and fabrics possible, mixing them from time to time in different quantities according to the needs of the items put in the washing machine. The advantages of this customization are reflected both in the results of the cycles and obviously in terms of saving on detergents which are used only in the necessary quantities.

The process of disaggregated chemistry, i.e. this “on the fly” creation of the detergent useful for each wash, exploits, as mentioned, the four products included in the tanks inside the washing machine. It is a stain remover that removes dirt at low temperatures, a delicate detergent necessary for wool and silk garments, for example, but also to perfume, a super degreaser to remove stains and sanitize therefore a fabric softener to remove creases and avoid that they get felted.

Now, I’m not an expert in washing and detergents, so the judgment is purely subjective and based on some empirical tests, but I must admit that the result offered by Haier Washpass is very good. Over the days she has removed food stains from tablecloths and napkins very well, cleaned and perfumed the clothes I use at the gym and washed towels and sheets with perfect results. For the latter I missed the dryer function, available on the LG washer dryer that I normally use, but all in all it is a different product and it is said that a “2 in 1” Washpass may not arrive in the future.

In conclusion, trying Washpass was a fascinating experiment. Haier’s installation and support make it a product that essentially does not require any effort or commitment from the user who is limited to installing the app. Which by the way it proved to be very convenient, full of options, statistics and immediate use.

There are some “smart” functions that are perhaps more a sort of stage for what can be done nowadays with these connected devices, without always being useful or necessary, but they are interesting extras that will delight those who are more techno-curious .

The idea of ​​the active ingredients that mix by themselves depending on the wash is excellent, allowing for a reduction in consumption and environmental impact.

Considering the 150 euros and the request to subscribe to a monthly subscription for 36 months, the Haier Washpass ends up costing between 798 euros and 1,158 euros in the first three years of use, Active Ingredients included (find all the information on the official website). Certainly you can save money by buying a washing machine and standard detergents, but Haier focuses a lot on the convenience and personalization of the service, aspects that inevitably come at a price. Not for everyone, therefore, but certainly an interesting solution.

In collaboration with Haier