Wilshire Refrigeration & Appliance, Inc. is factory-certified to install, repair, and maintain Sub-Zero refrigerators, even the latest connected models. Amazon Alexa enabled fridges are part of the latest phenomenon of connected appliances. Smart fridges are all the rage and incorporate advanced features that can be controlled by voice assistants. So, just what can an Alexa skill enable a refrigerator to do?
Alexa and Your Fridge: A Perfect Pairing?
With a voice assistant built into your refrigerator, you can:
- Add items to shopping lists
- Manage your family calendar
- Play streaming music
Once you enable the skill (Amazon’s Smart Home Skill) and create an account username and password, you can let the system discover all connected appliances from Sub-Zero, Wolf, or Cove. The appliance name “fridge” or “fridge freezer” will appear in the Sub-Zero Group Owner’s App, but you can rename or customize appliance names using the Amazon Alexa app. Using Alexa, you can also:
- Set the refrigerator temperature.
- Find out the exact refrigerator temperature.
- Adjust the freezer temperature.
- Turn on and adjust the ice maker.
- Set the fridge operating mode to:
- High Usage: Enhanced cooling and increased ice production.
- Short Vacation: For when you’re away for less than a week.
- Long Vacation: Can minimize energy use from 2 to 12 weeks.
- Night Ice: Limits ice production from midnight to 6:00 a.m.
- Max Ice: Increases ice production for 24 hours, by up to 40%.
- Receive notifications on open doors and drawers, adjustments to the temperature setpoint, and when to change the water filter or air purification cartridge.
- Access model/serial number information, product use and care details, and information about your product’s warranty.
A Closer Look into the World of Smart Refrigerators
Some smart refrigerators incorporate a digital screen that lets you access other smart devices, adjust the lighting, talk to someone at the front door, or even view the interior of the fridge. A smart fridge from Samsung even enables you to add pictures and handwritten notes to the screen.
The InstaView ThinQ refrigerator by LG can read out recipes and includes speakers for listening to music. It’s 29-inch screen lets you take notes and upload family photos; it even allows kids to draw doodles on it. Tap on the glass, and it becomes transparent so you can see inside the fridge without opening the door. An interior camera is accessible via connected devices, so you can look in the fridge when you’re not home.
This refrigerator is also capable of communicating with your oven. It can send a message for the oven to start preheating as Alexa talks you through how to cook a certain recipe. Even view details of the process on the touchscreen. Also, the refrigerator can communicate with a ThinQ dishwasher to set a cleaning cycle suited for the types of ingredients used during cooking and that may be stuck to pans and dishes.
Learn More from Wilshire Refrigeration & Appliance, Inc.
Alexa can be used with Classic, Designer, and Designer Wine types of Sub-Zero refrigerators. Also, this connected functionality isn’t limited to refrigerators. Wolf ovens, including the E Series and M Series, are also Alexa-compatible, as are Cove Dishwashers such as the DW2450 and DW2450WS.
If you’re considering an upgrade to an Amazon Alexa enabled refrigerator or other appliance, or have questions about the one you have, our factory-certified technicians can help. We’re committed to helping customers get the most out of Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove appliances. For questions and assistance, call us at 800-427-3653.
