Matter-Compatible Appliances: A Guide to Choosing Them

Matter-compatible appliances now include refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, robot vacuum cleaners, ovens, cooktops, and other devices for the connected home. The standard allows them to be added to platforms such as Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, or Samsung SmartThings, although the specific experience depends on the model, the Matter version, and the features the manufacturer has certified.

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What Matter brings to a smart appliance

Matter is not a brand of appliances or an application for controlling the home. It is a communication standard promoted by the Connectivity Standards Alliance, designed so that devices from different manufacturers can exchange commands and status information with fewer barriers. It operates over common networks such as Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and Thread, while Bluetooth is used mainly during the initial setup.

In practice, this means that a certified dishwasher is not necessarily tied to the platform of the company that manufactures it. It can appear in the home system chosen by the user and participate in automations with lights, sensors, or voice assistants. Interoperability, however, does not make all advanced functions universal: Matter exposes specific capabilities, not every option available in the original application.

A manufacturer may allow an appliance to be turned on, paused, or checked for its status through Matter, while reserving wash programs, maintenance, detailed alerts, or updates for its own application. This distinction is important because it avoids one of the most common misunderstandings: a product having the Matter logo does not mean that all its functions can be managed from any ecosystem.

Which household appliances are already covered by the standard

The first version of Matter focused on relatively simple categories, such as light bulbs, plugs, switches, sensors, locks, and thermostats. With subsequent revisions, the standard incorporated more complex appliances, including washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, and robot vacuum cleaners. The arrival of these categories marked a significant change: Matter was no longer associated solely with lighting and small accessories.

Compatibility was later expanded to ovens, cooktops, range hoods, and microwaves. Functions related to electricity consumption, valve control, and certain climate-control systems were also added. Not all products appeared at the same time, and commercial availability varies according to the country, local regulations, and each manufacturer’s certification schedule.

The catalog will continue to grow, but it is important to distinguish between a category supported by the specification and a product that is already sold with active certification. The technical roadmap may include a function before enough models are available in stores. In addition, some brands announce future compatibility through a firmware update that may take months or may not reach all regions.

Connected refrigerators and freezers

Compatible refrigerators can communicate basic information such as door status, the set temperature, or certain alerts. In an automated home, an opening sensor could activate a courtesy light or issue a warning if the door remains open for too long. In this case, Matter’s value lies not only in controlling the appliance, but in integrating its signals with the rest of the home.

Each manufacturer’s proprietary functions may be much more extensive. An application may manage interior cameras, inventories, energy-saving modes, diagnostics, or separate compartments, while the Matter connection provides a smaller, shared set of features. Before buying, it is advisable to check the technical specifications to determine whether it is a certified model or merely an integration with a specific assistant.

Washing machines and dryers

In a washing machine or dryer, Matter can facilitate checking the cycle, receiving completion notifications, and controlling certain compatible commands. This information allows for simple automations, such as receiving a notification when the program ends or turning on a light in the laundry area. The standard can also be used to check whether the appliance is operating without opening the proprietary application.

Safety imposes certain limits. An appliance that uses water, heat, or movement should not start just any program without additional conditions, especially when clothes are in the drum or children are at home. Therefore, remote control may be restricted to pauses, authorized changes, or actions that the manufacturer considers safe. Certification does not eliminate physical locks or the appliance’s protective measures.

Dishwashers and small kitchen appliances

Dishwashers integrated with Matter can report their status, program completion, and general issues. Their integration is especially useful in homes where the appliance is installed away from high-traffic areas, because a notification eliminates the need to check it manually. It can also be linked to energy systems to postpone operation until lower-demand hours, provided that the manufacturer and platform allow it.

Recent revisions of the standard also cover ovens, cooktops, range hoods, and microwaves. In these devices, interoperability is still at a more uneven stage. The presence of Matter does not turn a cooktop into a universal recipe system, nor does it guarantee that an oven can receive complex programs from any assistant.

Robot vacuum cleaners

Robot vacuum cleaners are one of the most anticipated categories because they combine mobility, maps, sensors, and routines. Matter can provide basic controls such as starting, stopping, pausing, or checking the cleaning status. It can also allow a robot to respond to a home automation, for example, starting when everyone has left and finishing before the usual return time.

Room maps, no-go zones, object detection, and specific modes usually remain in the manufacturer’s application. These are sensitive data about the layout of a home, so universal integration may be deliberately limited. Common control and advanced functions are not equivalent, and this difference should be clearly stated in the product documentation.

Matter versions and actual compatibility

The standard’s version matters because not all categories were available from the beginning. Matter 1.0 included devices such as lights, plugs, switches, sensors, locks, blinds, thermostats, and some audiovisual equipment. Matter 1.2 added several classes of appliances, including refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, robot vacuum cleaners, air purifiers, and fans.

Matter 1.3 expanded its scope to ovens, cooktops, range hoods, microwaves, water valves, electric vehicle chargers, and energy management functions. Subsequent revisions strengthened consumption management, battery support, and other infrastructure elements. Even so, the version installed on a device does not always match the latest published version: certification applies to a specific combination of hardware and software.

An appliance that is updated may gain new capabilities, but not all updates are possible. The processor, memory, sensors, and the manufacturer’s security decisions establish limits. For this reason, a commercial description mentioning a future update should be understood as a conditional promise, not as a function available on the day of purchase.

It is also necessary to distinguish between native Matter and a bridge. A refrigerator with native Matter connects directly as a certified device. In contrast, a hub can translate the protocol of another technology, such as Zigbee, to present several accessories within a Matter ecosystem. A bridge expands compatibility, but adds another device and another possible point of failure.

Wi-Fi, Thread, and the equipment required

Large appliances usually use Wi-Fi because they need more bandwidth and generally already have a permanent power supply. Thread, a low-power mesh network based on IPv6, is more common in sensors, locks, plugs, and small accessories. Users do not always have to choose a network manually, but they should check that their home installation can manage the selected connection type.

Thread devices need a Thread border router to communicate with the local network. Many current speakers, displays, hubs, and routers include this function, although not all models in the same family offer it. The existence of a Matter controller and that of a border router are related but not identical concepts: one manages the ecosystem, while the other connects the Thread mesh to the home network.

Setup usually begins with a pairing code and a compatible application. Afterward, the same product can be shared with other ecosystems through the multi-admin function, provided that the platform and manufacturer support it. This system makes it possible, for example, to keep a primary installation in Apple Home and add the device to Google Home without resetting it each time.

The local network becomes more important when users want to control an appliance even if the external connection fails. Matter is designed to allow local operations in certain cases, but not all manufacturers expose the same functions without the cloud. Local communication improves speed and privacy, although it does not replace the manufacturer’s account when diagnostics, history, remote assistance, or updates are needed.

Brands driving Matter appliances forward

Matter’s development is supported by technology companies, electronics manufacturers, lighting companies, and groups specializing in appliances. Google, Apple, Amazon, Samsung, LG, Bosch, Siemens, Electrolux, Haier, and other companies have participated at different levels of the ecosystem, although membership in the alliance does not mean that all of their products are compatible.

Samsung has linked Matter with SmartThings and with part of its connected-home strategy. Some families of refrigerators, washing machines, or displays may offer deeper integration than others, but availability depends on the model and market. In consumer products, the appliance’s exact model designation is more important than the brand’s general name.

LG, Bosch, Siemens, Miele, Electrolux, GE Appliances, and other manufacturers have shown interest in home interoperability, with different schedules and scopes. In some cases, compatibility is concentrated on energy-management platforms or hubs; in others, it is offered through proprietary applications that act as bridges. It is incorrect to assume that all refrigerators from a brand offer the same functions.

Smart-home brands such as Aqara, Eve, Philips Hue, Nanoleaf, TP-Link, SwitchBot, and Legrand are relevant because they can complement appliances with water sensors, plugs, opening detectors, and energy controls. A connected home does not depend solely on the appliance: Matter becomes useful when the appliance can coordinate with its surroundings without requiring a different application for every action.

Advantages over closed ecosystems

The main advantage is freedom of choice. A person can choose a refrigerator for its energy consumption, a washing machine for its noise level, and a robot vacuum cleaner for its navigation system without automatically ruling out the rest of the home installation. Matter reduces the likelihood that a purchase will force someone to change voice assistants or stick with a single manufacturer for years.

Setup can also be simpler. Instead of determining whether a product works with each platform separately, the buyer looks for Matter certification and checks the declared functions. Interoperability reduces uncertainty, although it does not eliminate it: applications may display different capabilities, and some automations depend on the rules of each ecosystem.

Local operation provides another advantage. A command traveling within the home can respond with less delay than one that depends on several remote servers. In addition, a temporary Internet outage does not necessarily have to render all automations useless. The response will depend on the controller, the network, and the appliance, but the standard’s design favors an architecture that is less dependent on external services.

Security was incorporated from the design stage through device identification, certificates, and encrypted communications. This does not make a smart home invulnerable. A poorly configured router, a reused password, or outdated firmware still pose risks. Matter certification is a layer of protection, not a substitute for updates or a well-managed home network.

What Matter still does not solve

The standard does not guarantee that an appliance will be better, more efficient, or more durable. Nor does it unify the quality of applications, technical support, or privacy policies. Two certified products may offer very different experiences because their sensors, motors, programs, and diagnostic systems do not have the same precision.

Interoperability has a defined scope. A power command, a temperature reading, or an end-of-cycle notification may be shared, while a calibration function or special mode remains on the original platform. Compatibility should be understood as a set of specific capabilities, not as a guarantee of absolute control.

The appliance’s service life also raises questions. A manufacturer may discontinue an application before the appliance physically fails. Matter makes it easier for other systems to take over part of the control, but it cannot force a company to maintain servers, publish updates, or certify older hardware. Choosing a brand with a history of support is just as important as checking for the standard’s logo.

Data deserves special attention in refrigerators, cameras, robots, and climate-control equipment. A connected appliance can reveal routines, schedules, and presence in the home. It is advisable to review what information is processed locally, which functions require a cloud account, and how long the company retains records. Actual privacy depends on the entire technology chain, not just the communication protocol.

How to check a purchase before installing it

The first check should be made on the model’s official product page, not solely in a store advertisement. Look for an explicit reference to Matter, the compatible software version, and the type of connection used. A generic mention of a smart home or Alexa compatibility is not equivalent to Matter certification.

Next, check whether the product connects directly or requires a hub. For large appliances, it is also important to know whether integration is available from the first startup or requires an update. The exact model number and sales region determine compatibility, since the same family may have different functions in Europe, North America, and other markets.

The chosen platform must have a compatible controller and, when applicable, a Thread border router. It is also advisable to have a stable Wi-Fi network, a secure password, and updated firmware. Physical installation should not be planned solely around connectivity: an oven, washing machine, or refrigerator must first meet the electrical, ventilation, and safety conditions specified by the manufacturer.

The initial price is not the only relevant cost. An additional hub, professional installation, or a subscription for certain functions can change the budget. By contrast, a product that works locally and receives long-term updates may be more convenient over time than one that appears cheaper but depends on closed services. A smart purchase combines compatibility, consumption, maintenance, and support.

Useful automations without losing control

The most practical automation is usually discreet. A sensor can notify you when the washing machine finishes; a leak detector can close a valve; a metering plug can identify abnormal consumption; and a presence routine can prevent the robot vacuum from activating while people are resting. These scenarios take advantage of interoperability without turning the home into a permanent command panel.

Rules for kitchen appliances should be designed with particular caution. A range hood can coordinate with a cooktop when the manufacturer allows it, but a voice command should not replace physical controls or supervision during cooking. In a refrigerator, an open-door alert is useful; in a washing machine, a cycle-completion notification is more reasonable than remote startup without checking the drum’s contents.

The best automation is one that continues to operate in an understandable way when something fails. Manual controls should always remain available, and every member of the household should know how to stop an appliance, disconnect it, and check its status. Matter can make daily management more convenient, but it should not obscure the basic operation of the appliances.

The future of a connected home powered by common standards

The expansion of Matter is shifting the conversation from light bulbs and speakers toward appliances that consume water, energy, and time. When washing machines, ovens, refrigerators, and climate-control systems share information more consistently, it will be possible to coordinate comfort and consumption more precisely. The benefit will be gradual because appliances are replaced much more slowly than mobile phones.

The standard will not make each manufacturer’s applications disappear or immediately resolve the differences between platforms. Its most important contribution may be less visible: creating a common language so that a new appliance does not become a technological island. Interoperability will be valuable when it stops being a purchase promise and becomes an everyday property, verifiable over years of use.

For consumers, the most reliable signal will continue to be a combination of official certification, clearly described functions, predictable updates, and local controls. The logo helps, but the fine print determines the experience. In a market where more and more appliances include connectivity, choosing open standards can prevent the kitchen, laundry room, and living room from ending up speaking different languages.