2011’s Best Gadgets: Smart Appliances

Are you smarter than your washing machine? That’s a question you may ask yourself after checking out Maytag’s Maxima (from $1,600; maytag.com), which uses algorithms to determine how much detergent is necessary and precisely when to add it for maximum cleaning. A decade ago, washing machines used upward of 40 gallons per cycle; the Maxima only needs 11.5. When paired with its companion dryer, the Maxima uses 48 percent less energy than models from just eight years ago.