Put off laundry day even longer with LG's self-cleaning closet
Laundry day sucks. And while we don't yet have robots that can actually do our laundry for us (well, WE don't, anyway), LG might have come up with the next best thing: a smart cabinet that can "refresh" your nasty, dirty clothes for you.
It's called the LG Styler Black Tinted Mirror Glass Door, and it's essentially a freestanding wardrobe with a built-in steamer and hangers that automatically move around to de-wrinkle your clothes.
The closet gizmo can't fully clean your clothes for you, but LG says its TrueSteam technology "eliminates over 99.9 percent of the germs and bacteria found in clothing to keep one’s wardrobe hygienically clean." Moving hangers shake out offensive odors while hot air is pumped in to keep clothes dry and wrinkle-free.
The machine has a touchscreen display on the front, and Google Assistant built in.
LG says its vision is to combine the Styler with its washing machines and dryer to create a kind of "ultimate laundry room," but let's be real: If you're going to shell out the cash for this thing, it's because you're trying to do less laundry, not more.
The company has offered a version of the Styler for a few years now, but this latest variation has a slightly updated look. Besides the new black color, LG also showed off a concept for a larger family-size version, which can "refresh" up to six items — five on hangers and a pair of pants in the door — simultaneously. It also has a smart mirror built directly into the closet door so you can virtually try on clothes.
There's no word yet on potential price or availability for the new Styler, but previous models have been about $2,000. Expect it to be pricey. After all, that sweet laundry avoidance isn't cheap.
Topics Gadgets
Karissa was Mashable's Senior Tech Reporter, and is based in San Francisco. She covers social media platforms, Silicon Valley, and the many ways technology is changing our lives. Her work has also appeared in Wired, Macworld, Popular Mechanics, and The Wirecutter. In her free time, she enjoys snowboarding and watching too many cat videos on Instagram. Follow her on Twitter @karissabe.
