LG DF375HMS: A very good dishwasher with somewhat lacklustre Smart Home connectivity
This mini-review will be a bit unconventional. As a kitchen appliance, the LG DF375HMS dishwasher made a very good first impression. However, I do feel a slight sense of unease when I start looking at it through the eyes of someone who works in the smart home and home automation sector. Lower energy consumption
The new dishwasher should be around 40 per cent more energy-efficient than our previous LG D1453CF, which was rated A++ at the time. The older model consumed approximately 0.9 kWh per cycle, whilst the manufacturer states that the new model consumes around 0.5 kWh. If these figures are confirmed in normal use, it will be a very welcome improvement. However, I won’t be able to assess the actual fuel consumption until I’ve used it for a longer period of time. Unfortunately, I haven’t been monitoring my old dishwasher for some time, so I plan to connect a smart plug to the new one and monitor its energy consumption continuously via my home automation system. Design and Controls
The LG DF375HMS features a clean design in an elegant matt anthracite finish and a partially concealed control panel. Personally, I’m not particularly taken with the current trend for almost ‘invisible’ control panels on everyday kitchen appliances. I do realise, however, that in households with young children or pets, such a solution can have its advantages. I do miss the Czech labels on the control panel that our older LG dishwasher used to have. I also miss having a larger, more prominent display, especially as the app doesn’t allow you to control the dishwasher properly. Inside, there are four spray arms, along with TrueSteam technology and a capacity of up to 14 place settings. Average water consumption is 9.5 litres per cycle. The dishwasher also features a half-load cycle, AquaStop, an inverter motor and a child lock. Very quiet operation
The manufacturer states a noise level of 43 dB, which is the same as our previous model. Subjectively, however, the new dishwasher seems considerably quieter. This may be partly due to wear and tear on the older machine; in any case, we hardly notice the new dishwasher during normal use. Automatic door opening is a convenient and practical feature. It’s not just a stylish touch – leaving the door open speeds up the drying process and helps to remove any residual moisture. Because of the steam escaping, I had to stick a protective metalised film – supplied by LG as an accessory – to the underside of the worktop above the dishwasher. The film protects the wooden parts of the kitchen units from prolonged exposure to moisture and steam. Washing performance and the Eco programme
Although the dishwasher has a whole range of sophisticated wash programmes, we currently use the long Eco programme most often; it lasts around five hours, usually overnight. The dishwasher copes very well even with dishes that are partly dry, and everything is usually thoroughly dry once the cycle has finished. The cutlery drawer and other bins also look well-made and well-designed. The layout of the interior is exactly what I’d expect from LG’s higher-end range. Unclear extended warranty
I’m still not entirely clear on the warranty. The first two years are covered by the standard statutory warranty, as also stated by the retailer Alza. However, foreign sources commonly mention an extended warranty on the direct-drive motor for this particular model, covering the period from the third to the tenth year. With our previous LG dishwasher, a ten-year warranty on the inverter motor was standard. Even speaking to an Alza representative didn’t clarify the situation for me. In the Czech market, LG officially offers an extended warranty only on certain higher-priced models. It therefore appears that the manufacturer applies different rules in different countries. Installation and the peeling skirting board
The installation went quickly and relatively smoothly – essentially piece by piece. However, I don’t understand why the customer has to fit the two front cover and noise-reducing strips themselves. For an appliance in this price range, it seems a bit out of place. Could it be that IKEA was the inspiration? What’s more, after about two weeks, the small strip between the lower fixed panel and the door came away on its own. And yet I applied it exactly as per the instructions, including thoroughly degreasing the surface. First use
Once installed, all that remained was to set the water hardness – which can also be done via the app – and run the first wash cycle. We loaded the dishwasher after lunch and selected the ‘Express’ programme. For the first minute after it started, there was a slightly eerie silence. Then the servo motors, valves and other mechanisms started to make noise, and the dishwasher began to fill with water. A brief flush confirmed that the water supply, AquaStop and drainage were all working correctly. The programme’s progress was displayed in the app at the same time. First impression? The dishwasher is really very quiet – subjectively, it’s noticeably quieter than its predecessor. LG ThinQ: Monitoring, first and foremost
The dishwasher communicates with the LG ThinQ app via Wi-Fi. Adding the appliance to the LG ecosystem went smoothly. However, the app has virtually no control over the dishwasher. This is probably intentional on the part of the manufacturer, perhaps for safety reasons. Apart from a few specific functions, ThinQ is mainly used to display the status, monitor operation and provide information about the programme currently running. Once a programme has started, certain settings can be adjusted, and the app also allows you to download additional wash programmes. It also includes an Energy Monitoring section. However, this is not an actual measurement of consumption, but rather an indicative statistic which may be sufficient for the average user. Remote Start – a feature that doesn’t actually work
The manual states in one place that advanced features, such as ‘Remote Control Mode’, can be configured in the app. However, I couldn’t find any such option in ThinQ. It was only with the help of AI that I managed to track down a general, unverified and, in practice, almost unusable procedure. Once the dishwasher has been loaded and the door closed, the user should manually activate the Remote Start mode directly on the control panel. This is a safety feature that must be activated before each individual cycle. Furthermore, according to the available information, the mode is a one-off feature and remains active for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. The dishwasher then switches off to save energy. However, the manual does not describe this procedure clearly either, and the same control button is also used to connect the dishwasher to Wi-Fi. Even if Remote Start worked exactly like that, it would be of very little practical use. From a smart home perspective, it’s a disappointment. Home Assistant: Once again, it’s mainly about monitoring
I’ve also added the dishwasher to the Home Assistant system via the native integration. The integration primarily offers traffic monitoring. A range of diagnostic data, status entities and information about the programme currently running is available. However, the possibilities for genuine remote control remain minimal. It is therefore not possible to control the dishwasher effectively based, for example, on the current price of electricity or other energy conditions in the household. Only the standard delayed start offers certain options. Although there is a ‘Remote Start’ option amongst the settings, it is disabled by default and cannot be used unless it is activated directly on the appliance. First impressions
So far, the LG DF375HMS has made a very good impression on me as a dishwasher. It runs quietly, washes effectively, dries well and offers a range of useful features. As far as the washing itself is concerned, I’ve got no complaints so far. The noise-reduction strips, which the customer has to fit themselves, and the unclear extended warranty on the inverter motor give cause for slight concern. However, the biggest disappointment remains the Smart Home connectivity. Although the manufacturer offers Wi-Fi, the ThinQ app and integration with Home Assistant, the options for genuine remote control are very limited. In practice, it is primarily a matter of monitoring, not smart control. In my review, that means losing a star. That's a shame. It was precisely the well-designed remote management system and the ability to control start-up based on energy conditions that set this model apart from the competition.
