Levoit Core 400S air purifier review: Freshen up your home

8.2

As a recent trip to Melbourne kindly reminded me, hay fever season is back with a vengeance. Sniffly noses with red and itchy eyes will be a common plight for allergy sufferers in the next few months. Not long after, Australia’s dreaded bushfire season will be upon us, with smoke adding more discomfort for those with breathing difficulties — my partner among them. Levoit aims to provide some indoor relief during these times in the form of the Core 400S air purifier.

Over the past few weeks, the Levoit Core 400S has been a constant presence in my home. In the absence of lab-quality equipment, I’ve tested the air purifier across a range of situations in different rooms to see what impact it has in a real-world setting.

For the most part, it confirmed that I’m fortunate enough to live in an area with breathable air. But when I directly intervened with some common household pollutants, the Core 400S made a difference.

Air circulation and Australian homes

Testing the Levoit Core 400S over an extended time taught me one thing: my home has pretty good air circulation. Too good, if you ask me. To be honest, I didn’t need an air purifier to tell me this. In winter, it’s impossible to keep warm, and heat lingers way too long during summer. At all times of the year, draughts make doors creak as air makes its way in through poorly sealed windows.

It’s no secret that Australian homes traditionally have poor air tightness, especially those built before 2015. This unwanted feature of older builds makes temperature regulation a nightmare, which hurts even more when it comes to paying the energy bills.

However, the upside in my case is that because of the strong airflow — combined with living in suburban Adelaide — my home’s air quality is good most of the time. Levoit’s main unit of measurement, PM2.5 (fine particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometres), rarely registered higher than five.

As measured by the air purifier’s built-in laser sensor, PM2.5 levels above 50 are considered unhealthy. For people with asthma or other respiratory conditions, lower counts can be harmful. According to Asthma Australia, car exhaust and bushfires are among the biggest contributors to PM2.5 levels.

Regional areas away from bustling streets and industrial zones might not have as much need for an air purifier 12 months of the year. But as the harsh Australian summer draws nearer, the threat of bushfires could necessitate an appliance that can clean your home’s air.

Levoit Core 400S specifications and price

Filter	Three-stage filter: small particles, large particles, carbon
CADR (clean air delivery rate)	433 m³ per hour
Advertised effective range	90 m²
Noise level	28-54 dB
Size	27.4 × 27.4 × 52cm 5kg
Smart functionality	VeSync app connectivity Alexa and Google smart assistant-compatible
Price (RRP)	$399
Warranty	Two years
Official website	Levoit Australia

Design

A moderately sized cylinder standing roughly 50cm tall, the Levoit Core 400S is designed to purify the air in rooms as big as 90 m². Based on Levoit’s specifications, this air purifier has a clean air delivery rate (CADR) of roughly 433 m³ per hour, which refers to how quickly it purifies air. I’ll get to my testing soon, but these specs indicate a device meant to purify larger rooms, like living rooms and kitchens.

Getting started with the Core 400S is straightforward. After removing the packaging and plugging the appliance in, you can connect it with the VeSync smart home app. It requires creating an account, which then lets you view real-time and historical air quality data on your phone, with the option of using Alexa or Google smart assistants to control the appliance remotely. Using the app isn’t strictly necessary, but access to past data is handy, particularly if you want to cross-reference with a bad asthma day.

Image: Chris Button.

On top of the purifier is a set of capacitive touch buttons, allowing for on-device controls. Alternatively, you can control the appliance remotely via the app. These on-device controls also include a display, which shows live air quality readings, fan speed, and Wi-Fi connection status.

By default, the Core 400S runs an auto setting, adjusting the fan speed based on air quality. Alternatively, you can set fan speed manually, set it to run on a timer, or activate night mode, which turns the display off and runs the fan on a lower speed so it doesn’t disturb you while you’re trying to sleep.

Accessing the filter within the purifier is easy: just a twist, and the bottom compartment pops open. It’s a three-part filter designed to capture larger particles (dust, pet fur, etc.) and smaller particles (pollen, bacteria, etc.), while a carbon layer absorbs smoke and odours. Replacement filters — which you’ll need every 12 months — cost $79 via Levoit’s website.

Make sure you clean the filter every few weeks. Image: Chris Button.

Although not too bulky, the Levoit Core 400S isn’t all that small, either. The challenge is finding a location for it that doesn’t get in the way, while providing enough clearance so it can get to work.

Performance: Surviving a deodorant shower

In general use, the Levoit Core 400S’ built-in air quality sensor barely registered a PM2.5 level above five. Even when placed in the kitchen near the gas stovetop, the air quality barely moved. I didn’t even have the rangehood turned on, on account of it currently being out of order.

There are two observations I noted because of this. One is that, without a dedicated air quality monitor — which can be quite expensive — I was unable to corroborate the accuracy of Levoit’s sensor. This being said, I’ve used a couple of air purifiers before that provided similar readings. My other observation is that my home’s airflow and high ceilings likely mean it takes a lot for the indoor air quality to deteriorate.

So, to create as much of a controlled environment as possible, I shut the Levoit Core 400S in the main upstairs bedroom. At roughly 63 m³ (and 23.78 m²), it’s one of the largest enclosed rooms in the house. Then, I sprayed a copious amount of aerosol deodorant throughout the room, to the point I could barely breathe through the Rexona mist, set the purifier to auto, and shut the door.

Tracking the results in the app, I saw the air quality immediately skyrocket to ‘bad’, with PM2.5 levels well into the hundreds. I didn’t need an air quality monitor to tell you how bad it was in there, but at least it validated my aerosol-seared lungs.

It didn’t take long for the air quality to exceed 300 PM2.5. Screenshot: Chris Button.

Within half an hour, the air quality had restored to ‘good’. By 45 minutes, the air quality was back to ‘very good’, registering single-digit PM2.5 levels. Upon reopening the room, the faint smell of deodorant lingered, still smelling like a footy locker room (minus the Lynx Africa). More importantly, however, I could breathe easily again. No visible airborne deodorant particles remained, and I could comfortably stay in the room without my eyes welling up.

Screenshots: Chris Button.

For another point of comparison, I also recommend reading HouseFresh’s review. They specialise in air purifier reviews, including specialised equipment to validate their findings. According to HouseFresh’s tests, the Levoit Core 400S is one of the stronger performers among appliances made for larger rooms.

Who is the Levoit Core 400S for?

Made for homes with larger rooms, the Levoit Core 400S helps freshen up the air when things get stuffy. It might be excessive for homes with good airflow in areas with good-quality air, but it makes a difference when pollutants get indoors.

As the pollen count rises and bushfire season approaches, your lungs will be grateful for the relief this air purifier can provide.

Levoit Core 400S

Made for homes with larger rooms, the Levoit Core 400S helps freshen up the air when things get stuffy.

Features

8.5

Value for money

7.5

Performance

8.5

Ease of use

8.5

Design

8

Positives

Capable of quickly purifying air in larger rooms

Easy to set up and use

Handy real-time air quality data and app integration

Negatives

Cost of replacement filters adds up over time

Many homes don’t need an air purifier this large

8.2

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Googlebook aims to be the MacBook of the Android ecosystem

Up until now, Google has been content to play in the budget PC space with its affordable Chromebook laptops. Priced to suit students, these computers primarily relied on web-based apps within ChromeOS. Shedding the budget-only perception, Google unveiled the Googlebook overnight, a more premium range of laptops made by the biggest laptop brands.

Much like the interplay between iPhones and MacBooks, Googlebook aims to streamline the connectivity between Android phones and laptops. This comes via “Googlebook OS”, a platform that combines a ChromeOS and Android-like experience for cross-device compatibility. Anything you start on an Android device can be quickly continued on the laptop, in addition to quick file sharing and browsing, and app casting between a phone and the laptop.

In Australia, Google’s new laptops start at $2,299, with models coming from Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. 16GB of RAM is the baseline spec, with 32GB the maximum available. According to Google, the laptops’ batteries last up to 16 hours of web browsing or up to 14 hours of video playback.

Google’s Gemini AI technology features heavily throughout the brand’s new laptops. Wiggling the mouse cursor conjures Gemini to provide context-specific suggestions, while Google’s new Rambler dictation tool automatically cleans up voice notes into complete sentences, like Nothing’s Essential Voice feature.

Asus to debut Googlebook soon

Asus is the first brand to confirm its Googlebook availability in Australia, launching on 5 October. Its range consists of two models: one costs $2,999 and includes an Intel Core Ultra 7 chipset, while the $2,799 model runs on an Intel Core Ultra 5. Aside from the third-gen Intel Core Ultra chips, Googlebooks will also come in Snapdragon variants.

Image: Asus.

Asus advertises its first Googlebook as weighing a svelte 0.99kg, made from a magnesium-aluminium alloy, and sporting a 14-inch 3K OLED touchscreen. It also includes a full array of I/O ports, including two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C slots, two USB-A (3.2 Gen 2) ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

Googlebook is a bold play from Google. Windows has bridged the gap in cross-device functionality in recent years, but few integrations are as seamless as the connectivity between Apple’s laptops and phones. If it comes off, Google’s laptops could make life a lot easier for Android users, leaving Windows in an awkward position.

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This smart tablet stops you from wasting time getting distracted

Modern smartphones and tablets are powerful devices, but it’s all too easy to get caught scrolling Instagram for 30 minutes when you wanted to do something more productive. iFLYTEK’s AINOTE 2 devices are designed to stop that.

With a conventional tablet, all your social media apps, videos, and games are there all the time. Now, we’re only human, and it’s easy to get distracted when everything is within reach of our fingertips.

What you and many other workers need is a lean, focused device that’s nearly distraction-proof. And iFLYTEK’s AINOTE 2 series is just that.

A more focused tablet experience

Both units in the AINOTE 2 range are super-lean, super-clean e-ink tablets built around productivity. One is the AINOTE Air 2, the 8.2-inch model. Notably, it has a cool-to-warm adjustable reading light, rear camera, and speakers.

It’s great if you want to keep a bit of that classic tablet functionality, or you do a lot more reading than taking notes. Though it is absolutely a note-taking device too.

Then there is the iFLYTEK AINOTE 2, a super-thin 10.65-inch tablet. It doesn’t have a camera, speakers, or a reading light, but it’s heavily geared toward note-taking, with a new stylus from Wacom, a massive battery, and just more overall.

Of the two devices, the AINOTE 2 is the flagship model. It lets you make notes, does real-time transcription, converts handwriting to text, and handles your schedule too.

But those are just the core features. The AINOTE 2 isn’t just a walled-off notepad; it has a full open Android operating system. You can get select apps from the Play Store or even sideload apps, with full APK installation support.

Organising your thoughts

So much of daily life relies on taking notes. Keeping track of important meeting actions, remembering grocery items, and managing the household schedule: it all quickly adds up. Rather than trying to remember everything, it’s best to note important information down so it’s there when you need it.

The AINOTE 2 is built around note-taking and staying organised. You can jot down notes using the stylus on the responsive e-ink display, and the AINOTE 2 converts them to text. It then keeps things tidy and organised.

AINOTE 2.

This is where the AINOTE really earns its stripes. Thanks to integrated AI, you can search for your notes using natural language. It’s incredibly helpful when you need to recall something at a moment’s notice.

Instead of having to remember when you made a note, or what title you used, you can just ask the AINOTE 2 to show you the specific notes you need. For example, you could ask about any shopping lists you’ve written, and the device will find them.

More than just a note-taker

With the AINOTE 2, notes are really just the start. This smart little tablet combines note-taking with scheduling functions — including daily, weekly and monthly scheduling — and AI processing to create a powerful but focused tool for managing your work.

Running on software called NOTE OS, the tablet also includes a microphone array on the top edge. This powers up the AINOTE 2 into a voice-to-text transcription powerhouse.

Combine transcription with AI, and what you get is a tablet that listens along to meetings, takes notes, and can then generate minutes, or even a dot-point summary. All with a single tap.

That’s perfect for busy, on-the-go people who have regular work meetings and need to manage a household’s schedule. With a pen-and-paper system, it’s easy to lose track of so many moving parts.

Instead of all this information going into one big note that you have to decipher later, the AINOTE 2 can organise it all and match it up to your schedule.

If you have a busy week packed with deadlines and tight timings, the AINOTE 2 can look at your notes and meeting transcriptions and generate a daily or weekly report, based on what tasks are involved.

You can ask the device to produce a report on your tasks, and the AINOTE 2 will use its AI smarts to look through the notes and any meeting transcriptions, pull out the tasks, put them in your schedule and generate a report for the week.

It’s a clever way of reducing cognitive load that makes finding important information easy.

Flexible technology without the distractions

You might have a particular work style, but the genius of the AINOTE 2 is that it can suit anyone. Whether you’re in a highly structured corporate environment, out on the street as a journalist, deep into a complicated trial as a solicitor, providing healthcare, or even just reading — the AINOTE 2 can work for you.

iFLYTEK talks about this tablet making mind and hand one, but it’s even more than that. It’s also about increasing focus. No more distractions from entertainment apps, and no more frustration at the time wasted sorting through notes or manually entering tasks and events into a calendar.

It’s not just the smarts inside that make the AINOTE 2 a great device. It is currently the world’s thinnest e-ink tablet, so it’s really light to hold and carry around. It weighs just 295 grams, so you won’t even realise it’s there.

There’s a 4,000mAh battery — that’s massive for an e-ink device — so you don’t have to charge this every night like your other devices.

The e-ink display itself is optimised for that natural pen-on-paper feel. The refresh rate is really high, and the latency on the handwriting — that’s the time between you moving the stylus and the line appearing — is just 20ms.

Even the stylus — iFLYTEK calls it an EMR pen — feels premium, just the right amount of weight to feel comfy.

Focus without limitations

Usually with a device like this, you get focus at the expense of flexibility. Just a few, select apps, and maybe a branded app store with a couple more on it. The AINOTE 2 is a fully open Android-based tablet. In fact, it’s even more open than many smartphones — you can sideload apps via an APK file.

This isn’t about being able to put TikTok on the AINOTE 2, though; it’s about deep user customisation and extensive compatibility with different file types. You get support for all the top eBook formats: PDF, EPUB, MOBI and more. And there’s a document viewer for fast browsing of Office documents, which is a big time saver on a device like this.

There’s also a lot of tweaking you can do to the refresh rate, so third-party apps work properly, without the weird refresh glitches you might see on other e-ink devices. And, as you might expect, there’s support for cloud storage. Right now, there’s OneDrive connectivity, and iFLYTEK says Google Drive and other options are on the way soon.

Breath of fresh air

An alternative is the AINOTE Air 2, a smaller version of the AINOTE 2. With an 8.2-inch e-ink display and a reading light, the Air 2 has a slightly different emphasis from the AINOTE 2. It’s great for eBooks; you can just curl up for hours. But we’re here to work!

AINOTE Air 2.

The Air 2 is definitely a more discreet device, like a smaller notepad instead of a big portfolio-style book. It’s a bit thicker than the AINOTE 2, but that lets iFLYTEK include a 5MP camera. And finally, it has a glass cover over the display. It gives it a clean, tech look and feel.

Ultimately, choosing the AINOTE 2 versus the Air 2 comes down to your personal preference.

Using the AINOTE as a fourth device

For many people, the standard setup is a smartphone, tablet, and laptop. But whichever tablet you choose from the AINOTE 2 series, it can have a role to play as your fourth device.

It’s focused, it’s lightweight, and it manages your messy thoughts and the stuff you need to know. So, all the convenience of a modern device, without the distractions.

And you can now get the AINOTE range in Australia through the iFLYTEK online store.

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Samsung Bespoke AI Combo 19.5kg review: clever engineering, smaller footprint

8.8

Samsung’s Bespoke AI Combo puts a washer and dryer into a single unit. But it’s much more than that, thanks to the use of a heat pump, AI to analyse your loads, and a range of other time and energy saving features. I replaced my standalone washing machine with this unit to see how it performed, and whether it could take the drudgery out of my laundry routine.

At 19.5kg wash capacity, and 10kg dry, it may still appeal to single or a couple household, however, a full family would get the full benefit.

Key features

• 19.5kg wash / 10kg dry capacity
• AI Wash & Dry Plus, with load sensing for weight, soil level and fabric type
• AI Energy Mode, up to 20% energy savings on washing and up to 10% on drying
• Heat Pump drying technology, closed loop, no humidity released into the room
• BubbleWash and BubbleSoak
• AI VRT+ noise reduction
• Super Speed cycle, full wash and dry in 68 minutes
• 7 inch touchscreen with SmartThings app and Bixby voice control
• 10 year motor warranty and 7 years of software updates

It’s a handsome machine, not that my laundry room compliments it. Also, it’s taller than a regular washing machine or dryer. Energy ratings shown on right. Credit Valens Quinn

Table of contents

• Specifications and price
• Setup and first impressions
• Design and build
• Wash and dry cycles
• Wash performance
• Dry performance
• AI features in daily use
• Maintenance
• Capacity
• Value
• Who is it for?
• Frequently asked questions

Samsung Bespoke AI Combo specifications and price

Model	WD90H19AHSSA
Wash capacity	19.5kg
Dry capacity	10kg
Dimensions (W x H x D)	686 x 1110 x 875mm
Weight	145kg
Colour	Dark Steel body, Black door
Control panel	7 inch touch LCD
Energy rating (washer)	4.5 stars
Energy rating (dryer)	10 stars
Water rating (WELS)	4 stars
Max spin speed	1100rpm
Connectivity	Wi-Fi, SmartThings app, Bixby voice control
Motor warranty	10 years (Digital Inverter Motor)
Software updates	7 years (2024 and later models)
Product page	Samsung Bespoke AI Combo 19.5kg
Price	$4,499 AUD

Setup and first impressions

The Bespoke AI Combo is bigger than a single washer or dryer, so it stands higher, at 1110mm tall. The footprint is about the same as my old washing machine, 686mm wide and 875mm deep, but the unit stood about a third taller to make room for the dryer inside it.

Otherwise, it connects the same way you’d expect, with hot and cold connections as well as a drain pipe, so you can use your laundry room’s existing fit out without any challenges. Other than some balancing with the extendable feet, it was ready to go.

I used Samsung’s SmartThings app and connected it to the Wi-Fi network quickly. From there, the touchscreen is the primary way you interact with it, and it’s all pretty straightforward, with an intuative layout and lots of options to play around with.

The Bespoke AI Combo 19.5kg in Dark Steel, from different angles. Credit: Samsung

Design and build

I like the way it looked too, with a simple touchscreen and a nice dark grey metallic finish, called “dark steel”. It also has quite a large door for chucking your clothes in, and inside the drum is sparkling stainless steel and there’s a smoky glass look on the washer’s porthole door that matches the dark grey metallic finish.

Wash and dry cycles

There’s also a huge range of wash and dry cycle types to suit different needs: AI Wash & Dry Plus, Super Speed, Towels, Eco Cotton, Bedding, Cotton, Less Microfibre, Pet Care, Delicates, Wool, Sanitize, Single Garment, Baby Care, Shirts, Denim, Hand Wash, Rinse and Spin, Spin Only, Air Sanitize, Air Bedding Care, Down Jacket Care and Cool Air. You can also save your own customised cycles, I set one up for quick t-shirt washes.

A few of these go beyond a simple label. Eco Cotton washes cotton loads using less water and energy, Sanitize uses hot water to eliminate bacteria, Air Sanitize sanitises and deodorises without using any water, and Air Bedding Care removes dust and lint from bedding using air alone.

Or you can just go with AI Wash mode and let it figure everything out for you. When it’s washing, it uses sensors to detect the weight, soil level and fabric type of each load, then adjusts the amount of water and detergent it uses accordingly. There’s also a fast wash that gets you through a full wash and dry in 68 minutes, called Super Speed, which is very handy.

Once a cycle finishes, the door opens automatically, a feature called Auto Open Door+, so humidity doesn’t get trapped inside. It’s also designed with pet owners in mind, dealing with fine pet hair as well as odours and allergens.

Lots of cycles to choose from, but the AI Wash & Dry+ is my daily driver. Credit: Valens Quinn

Wash performance

Everything came out nice and clean, no problems there. I love that the auto detergent and fabric softener dispenser, Samsung calls it the Flex dispenser, takes care of adding liquids so you don’t have to get your hands messy. It’s pretty much a one button, set-and-forget type of thing, you put your clothes in and they come out clean, dry and smelling lovely.

I can play music, check the weather, and yes, even watch myself on YouTube while folding the laundry. Credit: Valens Quinn

The machine also prevents wrinkles with a feature called Wrinkle Prevent, which agitates the drum at intervals after a cycle finishes to reduce creases for up to three hours if the laundry is left in the washer, handy for when you forget the laundry is done. It’ll also send a message to a compatible Samsung TV, like my OLED in the living room, or to your phone, plus a friendly little chime. I like to set my fabric softener to a light dosing rather than something heavier, and you can adjust that for both detergent and softener. The dispenser holds enough for 22 loads if you’re using both detergent and softener, or up to 40 loads if you’re only using detergent, so I don’t need to refill it often. You can also select Bubble Soak mode, which adds extra soaking time to really get stains out.

Dry performance

The only thing I noticed with drying is that it takes longer than a conventional dryer, but I’d much rather that than burning a huge amount of energy and filling the room with humidity. On average I’d say the dryer takes about 30 to 50% longer than a conventional dryer for normal clothes, and more for something fabric dense like towels. There’s also a Dry Prep mode, which gives you a 10 minute pause after washing ends, so you can pull out anything that shouldn’t go into the dryer before it carries on automatically. You can schedule laundry to start and finish whenever you want though, so I don’t see it as a problem, and you can also choose to just wash or just dry.

The lint filter comes out of this panel, and a look inside the drum. Credit Valens Quinn

The other thing I find incredibly desirable about this machine is that it doesn’t pollute my laundry room with humidity, because the dryer uses a heat pump, so it’s a closed system. It’s also very quiet, and I can barely hear it. Essentially, doing the laundry no longer means figuring out how to ventilate the room to stop humidity coating the walls, or putting up with the rumble, rattle and booming of a washer and dryer during spin cycles. It feels like a more sophisticated way of doing things, the sort of thing you’d expect in the modern age, and once you’ve experienced it you wont ever want to go back to the old way. There’s also the benefit of a 10 Star energy rating on the dryer, because it’s so much more efficient at drying, which is normally a notoriously high energy use activity. Worth noting the washer itself carries a 4.5 star energy rating, it’s the dryer side, running on the heat pump, that earns the maximum 10 stars.

Two of my favourite features – the auto dispenser for detergent and fabiric softener (left) and the Super Speed cycle (right). Credit: Valens Quinn

AI features in daily use

The thing about pairing it with SmartThings is that you can operate it from your phone, or just check in on its status, as well as access broader functions like enabling AI Energy Mode, getting suggestions about how to use it, and customising your different wash cycles. You can also control it by voice using Samsung’s Bixby, though I didn’t actually use that feature myself. From the touchscreen you can also receive calls, and check in on your security camera or doorbell camera feeds if you’ve got them connected through SmartThings. Some of this can be a little finicky to do from the touchscreen, but otherwise the screen gives you plenty of information at a glance, including maintenance alerts, energy consumption, water consumption, what cycle you’re on and how much time is left.

I’ve been using AI Energy Mode, which Samsung says can save up to 20% on washing and up to 10% on drying. From my side it doesn’t seem to make any real difference to how the cycle runs, maybe it goes a little longer, but I’m happy to save some energy for that. You can also monitor your energy consumption in real time through the SmartThings app, and even set an estimated electricity bill alert that flags if you go over a preset target. I plugged my cost per kilowatt hour into the app, which then reports how much energy each wash and dry cycle uses, and it really isn’t much, only a few dollars a load.

I entered my kilowatt-hr pricing and it appears that I’ve spent around $1 on my last wash! Water usage included too. Credit: Valens Quinn

Maintenance

There’s auto cleaning for the drum, called Drum Clean Plus, which uses a combination of soaking, pulsating and spinning to remove dirt, plus a water jet and high spin speed to clear grime from the door gasket. It reminds you when it’s time to run one. There’s also a dual layer lint filter, which is large and easy to clean. Separately, an auto condenser cleaning system uses a nozzle to spray the heat exchanger with water, keeping lint and dirt from building up in the dryer over time.

Capacity

I probably didn’t make full use of the 19.5kg capacity, but there was always plenty of room for a very large load, and I can see this being a genuinely useful size for a family.

The BespokeA AI Combo is so quiet and smooth when running thanks to Samsung’s AI Vibration Reduction Technology (VRT+) system. Credit: Samsung

Value

Yes, the purchase price is not cheap, with an RRP of $4,499. But the ability to contain all the moisture, wash incredibly quietly, handle all sorts of different loads and do the thinking for you, including dosing the detergent, really feels worthwhile, and I wouldn’t go back to something less sophisticated. It also comes with a 10 year warranty on the motor and seven years of software updates, which adds to the sense that this is built to last rather than a short term buy. The touchscreen is great and easy to interact with, but you can always fall back on the SmartThings app if you’d rather, and if you like getting into the data there’s plenty to look at.

Who is it for?

Samsung’s Bespoke AI Combo 19.5kg is great for families who don’t want to spend a lot of time thinking about laundry, value energy savings, and may have less space in their laundry room. It’s stylish, quiet, and all but eliminates humidity, and is definitely worth the additional cost for those who value these things. It’s also great for people who want to complement their laundry with a stylish looking machine, not to mention access to the latest laundry technology right from their smartphone.

Frequently asked questions

How much does the Samsung Bespoke AI Combo 19.5kg cost in Australia?

The Samsung Bespoke AI Combo 19.5kg (model WD90H19AHSSA) has an RRP of $4,499 AUD.

What is the wash and dry capacity of the Samsung Bespoke AI Combo?

It washes up to 19.5kg and dries up to 10kg in a single combined unit, a size best suited to a family household.

How long does the Super Speed cycle take on the Samsung Bespoke AI Combo?

Super Speed mode completes a full wash and dry cycle in 68 minutes.

Does the Samsung Bespoke AI Combo use a heat pump dryer?

Yes. The dryer side uses a closed loop heat pump, so it doesn’t release humidity into the room, and it carries a 10 star energy rating. The washer side is separately rated at 4.5 stars.

What is a heat pump?

A heat pump dryer uses a refrigerant cycle to extract moisture from clothes and recycle the heat, rather than venting hot, humid air outside like a conventional dryer. This makes it more energy efficient and means it doesn’t release humidity into the room it’s in.

Samsung Bespoke AI Combo 19.5kg

Washes, dries and thinks for you, quietly and without the humidity. Not cheap, but for families short on space and time, it earns its price tag.

Performance

9.1

Features

9.1

Ease of use

8.9

Design

8.9

Value for money

8

Positives

Combined washer and dryer fits into smaller spaces

Doesn't vibrate and is very quiet

Heat pump means it doesn't pollute your laundry room with humidity

Smart automatic detergent and fabric softener dispenser

Uses considerably less energy when drying

Watching YouTube videos while folding your clothes!

Negatives

Takes longer to dry compared to a conventional dryer

No option to wash and dry different loads at the same time, since it's one drum

Pricy

8.8

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Cheapest printer to buy: cartridge vs ink tank

We were talking about printers at the GadgetGuy office, and it turns out everyone either had a home printer or knew someone who did. We still need printers for kids’ schoolwork, printing and signing contracts, concert and travel tickets, etc., or even to make the occasional sign. So if you need a printer for that occasional paper fix, what really is the cheapest printer you can get away with?

I visited Officeworks and found an HP printer for $38, so why would you consider Epson’s cheapest ($399) all-in-one EcoTank ET-2910 printer instead? First, let’s understand the difference between the two.

Both are inkjet printers that work by spraying ink onto paper to form text or images. The HP is an inkjet cartridge printer that uses cartridges to store the ink. These need replacing when the ink runs out.  The Epson is an inkjet printer with an ink tank reservoir (Ecotank). This can be refilled from a bottle.

Ink bottle.
Image: Angus Jones

Ink cartridge.

Ink tank vs cartridge printers: which is cheaper to run?

An ink tank printer will produce approximately 4,700 to 7,500 pages per bottle of ink. A cartridge printer may print as few as 100 pages per cartridge. There are, of course, many variables: ink bottle and cartridge sizes and the amount of ink required on each page.  For example, a half-page of text will use less ink than a page covered in pictures.

I’ll use today’s pricing from the Officeworks website for a cheap cartridge printer and a cheap ink tank printer for our comparison.

Item	Price	Page yield
HP printer	$38	–
HP black ink cartridge	$29	120 sheets
HP tricolour ink cartridge	$29	100 sheets
Epson EcoTank ET-2910 printer	$399	Included ink: 3,600 pages black, 6,500 pages colour
Epson black ink bottle	$17	4,700 pages
Epson yellow ink bottle	$16	7,500 pages
Epson cyan ink bottle	$16	7,500 pages
Epson magenta ink bottle	$16	7,500 pages

Of course, once you have used up all the ink in the Epson, you will need to buy more at a cost of $65 for the 4 bottles required. But you can see from the below calculations that although the $38 printer seems cheap, the $399 Epson is the cheapest printer in the long run.

Scenario	Cartridge printer	Ink tank printer
Black and white, 7,500 pages	$1,865 (printer + 63 cartridges)	$464 (printer + a full set of 4 colour ink bottles)
Black and white, 2 pages a day for 3 years (about 2,190 pages)	approx. $560	$399 (within included ink)
Colour, 4,500 pages	approx. $1,343	$399 (within included ink)
Colour, 2 pages a day for 3 years (about 2,190 pages)	approx. $647	$399 (within included ink)

Looking beyond the maths

The Epson ET-2910 allows you to print, scan, and copy documents. Epson does have a cheaper model, the ET-1910, for $299, but it only prints. The Epson ET-2910 will print on paper, but also allows you to print photos using special photo paper up to 10 x 15cm (4 x 6 inches). I reckon the extra functionality is worth the cost.

The printer is designed to be wireless-first, meaning you connect to it via your home Wi-Fi network. You can also use your smartphone to connect directly without Wi-Fi. It does not have an Ethernet port, but you can connect directly to a PC via a USB cable.

EcoTank ET-2910 box contents. Image: Angus Jones

Ink refill location Epson EcoTank ET-2910.

Ink is restocked by buying bottles of black ink, allowing you to print about 3,600 pages, and the three coloured bottles plus black allow you to print about 6,500 pages. Refilling is not a concern as the bottles are designed for mess-free transfer and will not allow you to overfill your printer. The rear paper feeder can hold up to 100 pages, and a front tray is provided to catch the output pages.

Setup can be done either with the Epson app or on your PC (requires a USB cable for the initial setup). I did have an issue with the PC setup procedure, but I overcame it by downloading the smartphone app and changing my setup method.

The Epson EcoTank ET-2910 provides good-quality prints at a low total cost per page. It is a handy addition for home use, allowing you to photocopy, scan and print documents. If you only ever printed one page a day, the supplied ink would last you up to 10 years.

Read more Epson articles on GadgetGuy.

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