GE smart technology coming to Australia “soon”

March 7th, 2012

Smart electricity meters that are connected to household appliances will arrive in Australia soon.

GE is already running a pilot project in the United States where appliances can monitor the electrical grid and adjust their settings to work at the most economically efficient level. The system operates independently and automatically with a Nucleus energy meter in the house acting as the go between the electricity provider and the appliances.

Speaking at the Brisbane Home Show yesterday, Mark McManus of GE said the smart technology would be making it’s way down under “soon”.

Using refrigerators as an example, McManus said that appliances could be programmed to operate efficiently during off-peak times.

McManus points out the larger door bins on a GE fridge

What Australians look for in a fridge

McManus also revealed what features Australians appreciate in a fridge.

“Design trends are different around the world. In Australia, pole handles and flat, square doors are very popular,” he said.

As far as how the contents inside a fridge affect design, it seems Australians are taking a biggie-sized turn in the tradition of the US.

“We’re also making fridges now with larger door bins to fit bigger items on the side door. In the US the side doors are designed to hold gallon-sized juice and milk containers. We’re quite not that big in Australia, yet.”

Black finishes are also increasingly popular, though not remarkably so.

“Everyone likes it, but still, it’s not the biggest seller. We’re still selling more stainless steel fridges.”

“Unfortunately, Australians are very price driven. Think. How long do you want your fridge to last? A GE fridge is a solid appliance and is built for longevity.”

Keri Algar

Having once had to sit on the washing machine to stop it from bouncing into oblivion, Keri is today delighted with the new (smoother running) technologies that make housework easier every day. A self-confessed lazy-bones, Keri seeks out quirky inventions that ease the human workload, such as the robotic vacuum cleaner (wow). And as soon as someone figures out a Jetsons-like self-cleaning house, she will happily lay her pen to rest and retire from appliance journalism. Until then, her pick is a fridge that will tell her smartphone when it's time to pick up more beer on the way home. Magic.