Clothes get dirty. It’s a savage fact of living an everyday life – if you wear clothes, at some point they will become rife with filth; whether that’s your own doing, the sticky-fingered assault of a small child or just the general entropy of wear.
Because of this ongoing irritation and the manual ramifications involved in rectifying it, the washing machine was invented. And then, because the mangle involved a lot of effort and little in the way of reward, the tumble dryer was created too.
An unspecified number of years later and publicly debuted at the recent celebration of cutting-edge tech that is the IFA expo in Berlin, Haier took those two essential appliances and refined them to the pinnacle of performance, behold the X Series 11…
Specs
- Type: Freestanding
- Loading type: Front
- Capacity: 11kg
- Maximum spin speed: 1400rpm
- Energy class: A+++ -10%
- Spin-drying efficiency class: B
- Controls: Touch
- Motor type: Direct motion
- Drum material: Stainless steel
- Drum volume: 126l
- Connectivity: Advanced remote control and extra content (Wi-Fi & Bluetooth) IoT App hOn
- Number of programmes: 17
- Start delay options: Yes (up to 24h)
- Steam programme: Yes
- Noise level spinning: 70dB
- Dimensions: 85 x 60 x 68cm (H x W x D)
- Weight: 84kg
Taking a tumble
Officially launched in July, having already garnered a prestigious IF Design Award, the decidedly handsome X Series 11 is comprised of a washing machine, the HW110-BD14397U1, and a tumble dryer, the HD90-A3Q397U1. The former is an ultra-eco A -40 per cent Energy Efficiency Class clobber cleaner, complete with a Direct Motion Motor to reduce noise and energy consumption, smart dosing to calculate and always add the correct amount of detergent, and a smart AI cycle that tailors the cycle to suit the load. There is also a refresh programme, anti-bacterial treatment, 12 stain options and a drum light that illuminates your laundry in case you’re stuck for entertainment of an evening. Oh, and it’s Wi-Fi connected to give unfettered access via the hOn App.
However, as awesome as all that sounds, it is the tumble dryer which I have chosen to focus on here, as I’ve been hands-on with it in the comfort of my own kitchen for the last week. I’m no stranger to premium-end drying appliances, but I must admit that this fresh addition to the white goods pantheon has changed everything.
The smart of the matter
You may be wondering what exactly makes this tumble dryer different to any other of its clothes-drying ilk. Well, for a start, it’s smart. Yes, I know there are many other internet-connected dryer appliance options out there, but the Haier is smart-smart. Yes, you can monitor and control it over the household Wi-Fi using the app or by calling on Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, like the others, but this one also comes packing AI which allows it to intelligently and automatically recognise different fabric types, laundry amounts and humidity levels, then optimise the cycle accordingly to ensure best treatment and maximum energy efficiency, which makes great for your gear and the environment alike.
It also features something called an ‘Ultra Fresh Air’ function, a decidedly clever system that breathes fresh air into the drum and circulates it before breathing it out for up to 12 hours after the cycle has finished to keep your clothes smelling fresh and stop mould and bacteria forming. So, if you carelessly forget all about your recently laundered load, it’ll still be smelling daisy-like when you remember and you scramble to the Haier’s pleasingly large, scratch-resistant porthole door to reclaim your glad rags.
Not only does it stop laundry left languishing from going stale, but if you have clothes that are clean but could do with a bit of a boost scent-wise, then into play comes ‘I-Refresh Pro’. This program lets you add a few drops of scent to the Haier’s ioniser before letting loose the ‘Ultrasonic Technology’ to reduce creases in your clothes and release bursts of scented micro-mist into the drum to revive fabrics back to socially acceptable lessons, all without washing. A clobber-cleansing game-changer for those who routinely find their clothes tainted by the scent of smoke or strong food aromas.
Effortlessly efficient
As you might imagine, the mechanical engineering of a machine of this calibre and price is next-level stuff. Running at 61dB, which is considered to be the volume of a ‘normal conversation’ or a standard air conditioning unit, the Haier is quieter than most tumble dryers, so it’s as easy on the ears as the cool, minimalist white and black lines of its design are on the eyes.
With a reversible door to make installation easier, inside you’ll find a colossally capacious 126l stainless steel ‘Ultra Reverse’ drum with a maximum spin speed of 14rpm, complete with a laser-welded ‘Pillow’ design, the ‘Reverse’ technology helping to keep clothes from tangling and the ‘Pillow’ to provide a smooth, seamless surface that stops your stuff from snagging.
Driven by a brushless twin-turbo motor to deliver powerful performance and also elongate the life of the machine, the X Series 11 is a heat pump design, which means it uses hot air to absorb the moisture from your load. This then is directed to the evaporator unit which whips said moisture away to the machine’s water reservoir, at which point the remaining hot air is routed back to the drum to repeat the process. And you can even control that warm air flow thanks to ‘Flexy Air’, a function that allows you to choose from five different levels according to the fabrics that you’re drying to ensure optimum care and lower energy consumption.
A remarkably elegant and energy-efficient system that doesn’t require external ventilation, the Haier can be installed anywhere without all the hassle of having to run a hose out, while heat pump dryers can also use up to 60 per cent less electricity than vented or condenser models.
Indeed, Haier’s most efficient machine to date, the 11 comes A+++ -10 per cent rated, and as such uses 35 per cent less power than standard 9kg models, aided by AI sensors inside that adjust settings to keep energy usage to the bare minimum. So, while the initial outlay may seem somewhere in the Himalayas area of steep, with energy prices in the UK still at daylight robbery levels, the money you’ll save over the countless years of usage you’ll get from the Haier more than justifies the spend.
Usage and programs
There are, as alluded to earlier, two ways to control the Haier, the first being via the aforementioned hOn app, and the second by using the distinctive TFT display. In this second case, turn on the machine – enjoying the soothing chimes of the power-up – and use the dial to select your program from the 17 choices that lie before you. Yes, 17. These include AI Smart, BabyCare, Bulky, Duvet and Towel to name but a few,
Which should just about cover anything you care to stick inside it. What’s that? You’re impressed by the sheer volume of programs available, but you also want to use it to dry off your trainers? Well, you’re in luck there too, for as it happens, it even comes with a removable rack that slots into the drum to provide a surface to perch your soaked sneakers on, or, indeed, anything else that conventionally can’t be tumble dried.
On top of all this comes, ‘I-Time’, a function which lets you extend the cycle time dependent on your time demands, and ‘Start Delay’ which does exactly what you imagine it does. And, finally, speeding the whole tumbling process up even further, you can save your most used cycles and settings with the ‘Favourite’ function and simply select and go.
Personally, thanks to the sudden cliff-edge plunge into autumn we’ve ‘enjoyed’ recently, combined with the staggeringly muck-attracting abilities of my children, in the week or so I’ve had the X Series 11 in for testing, I’ve managed to hammer through many of the drying cycles already, from cottons to bedding to sportswear to wool. Dried to perfection with every spin of the drum, the ease of use and added benefit of having the ability to instantly access my saved settings have almost transformed the daily drudgery of domestic laundry duties into a pleasure. I did say “almost” because, hey, let’s not go mad.
Verdict
Haier X Series 11 HW110-BD14397U1 11kg WiFi Connected Washing Machine with 1400 rpm - White - A Rated
There’s an old expression that states “You get what you pay for”, and it exists solely because it’s true. At £1299, the Haier X Series 11 tumble dryer may exist at the more expensive extreme of affordability, but then, far more than just a pricey tumbler that has been bought based on the desire for brand name bragging rights alone, the Haier is nothing if not the ultimate fusion of the very latest laundry, AI and smart technology. An aesthetically pleasing ménage à trois of performance, flexibility and functionality made one glorious whole, causing all other tumble dryers to come across as antiquated.
Incredibly energy efficient to help keep the planet greenish and the pounds and pence out of the grasping paws of the electricity company fat cats, every aspect of the Haier, from the drum to the driving motor to the reservoir draw to the multiple methods by which you can control it has been meticulously conceived, created and finessed to bring about a whole new level of laundry luxury.
With a 10-year parts and labour warranty being the premium build reassurance icing on the X Series 11 cake, you do indeed get what you pay for, and the handsome Haier is worth every last penny.
Buy now £1199.00, AO
