Samsung’s newest appliance on the U.S. market seems tailor-made for pandemic life—that is if you still have the need to regularly clean your work wear.
Behold the AirDresser, a self-service cleaning mechanism designed for the home closet that cleans and dries clothes, while eliminating odors and up to 99.9% of bacteria in all types of clothing and fabrics. Although first announced in 2018, and since released elsewhere around the world including the U.K. and Russia, the AirDresser’s arrival stateside is almost prescient as American consumers are more concerned than ever about keeping all of their belongings as disinfected as possible without having to leave the house to go to the dry cleaner.
“We’re seeing that consumers are looking for better clothing-care options, and there’s need in the marketplace for an easy and effective home solution for gently refreshing and sanitizing clothes,” says Shane Higby, vice president for home appliance product marketing at Samsung Electronics America.
Higby suggests the ideal customer is anyone who’s looking to help increase the life span of his or her clothes, while saving time and money on refreshing garments in between washes or trips to the dry cleaner.
The AirDresser doesn’t completely eliminate the need for dry-cleaning, but it should help refresh and disinfect your wardrobe in between trips to the dry cleaner.
The AirDresser comes with three hangers (a.k.a. “Air Hangers”), which can hold up to six hanging garments, including pants. There’s also an accessory rack built into the door that can hold scarves and ties, and a shelf ideal for items that can’t be hung, such as hats, sweaters, and toys.
The three Air Hangers release air and steam throughout the AirDresser to refresh clothes, remove dust and odors, and reduce light wrinkles from the inside and out. Users can choose among four general cycles, three dry cycles, nine special cycles (for suits, winter coats, wool, fur, and leather), and six additional cycles for denim, bedding, and more.
The Sanitize cycle offers high-temperature steam that penetrates clothes to eliminate bacteria and dust mites from fabrics. For delicates, the gentle and lower-temperature Heat Pump Drying function reduces the risk of heat damage and shrinking. And the odor-elimination technology and deodorizing filter removes stubborn odors that linger in fabrics, like smoke, perspiration, and food. Users can also insert a dryer sheet into the built-in Fresh Finish compartment to leave garments smelling fresh and reduce static cling.
“The purpose of the AirDresser was always to provide consumers with a more convenient and cost-efficient at-home solution to care for their clothes,” Higby says. “Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the sanitization features and convenience of the product are even more relevant, so consumers can ensure hard-to-clean items like jackets and other outerwear, bedding, and even soft children’s toys are sanitary from the comfort of home.”
The AirDresser connects via Wi-Fi to Samsung’s SmartThings App, which will recommend the best cycle based on the garment and fabric type, and the app will send a notification when the cycle is complete and garments are ready.
The portable closet is designed to fit into the home easily, plugging into a standard U.S. 120-voltage outlet and using a refillable water reservoir, meaning no separate water lines are needed.
The new Samsung AirDresser is now available in the U.S. with a $1,500 price tag.
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