At CES 2024, everything's smart – from vacuums to grills and lawnmowers, but one clever device nearly saw me taking a rather public shower; Kohler's latest smart home wellness devices.
In particular, the Anthem+ Digital Control and System caught my eye, offering an immense multi-sensory showering experience that sees washers customizing the water, light, sound, and even steam. In fact, I was so smitten that I nearly hopped right in myself, throngs of onlookers be damned.
Best of all? The Anthem+ can integrate with the Kohler Konnect app, offering voice control via Amazon Alexa or Google Home. There's no Matter compatibility, but that's unsurprising; Matter support is only now rolling out to some of the major smart home device types, and smart plumbing will be a while off, yet.
OK Google, make me clean
This elegant integrated digital control offers an intuitive, touch-sensitive surface that's capable of managing up to 12 water outlets, offering complete control over a variety of different shower types and up to nine presets.
If you have multiple sprays, you can even customize zones so that different body parts get different treatments.
The smart part comes in with the Kohler Konnect app, which allows for remote control and pre-set setup on smartphones, and voice control via Alexa and Google Home. Users can adjust default and maximum temperature settings, and manage water usage and other presets.
It's a pricey bit of kit, starting at $2,800, but if you're after a truly deluxe showering experience, it's worth every penny. It launches in February 2024, and will be available in a variety of colorways that vary by region; Polished Chrome, Vibrant Polished Nickel, Vibrant Brushed Nickel, Matte Black, and Vibrant Brushed Moderne Brass.
Happy bidet to you
Also on display was Kohler's new smart bidet toilet seat, the PureWash E930, which once again is both Alexa and Google Home-compatible.
Otherwise, the bidet also offers motion-activated opening and closing, UV self-cleaning, two programmable user presets, enhanced rinsing and flushing, adjustable water temperature and pressure, and even a child-safe mode. Its spray can either oscillate or pulsate, and there's also a boost spray if you fancy a more powerful clean. The seat is ergonomic and heated, and there's a customizable warm-air drying system and automatic deodorization, all of which offer a truly luxurious experience.
Using the Kohler Konnect app, users can set preferences and presets, or use voice control for hands-free activation of the spray, air dryer, and UV cleaning features.
It's available right now, starting at $2,149.00, in white and biscuit colorways, with black coming soon in late February.
