How to Get Notified When Your Washing Machine Finishes (2026)

I forget about laundry constantly. Wet clothes sit in the washer for hours, develop that musty smell, and I end up running the cycle again. A $15 smart plug solved this problem completely.

Here are three ways to get a phone notification the moment your washing machine or dryer finishes.

Why This Matters More Than You Think

A single forgotten load wastes water, detergent, and 45 minutes of your time re-washing. Do that twice a week for a year and you’ve burned roughly $80 in utilities plus 78 hours of waiting for cycles you already completed once.

The fix costs between $8 and $20. Takes 10 minutes to set up.

Method 1: Vibration Sensor (Simplest Hardware)

A vibration sensor stuck to the outside of your washer detects shaking during the spin cycle. When the shaking stops for a set period, it triggers a notification.

What you need:

• Aqara Vibration Sensor ($20) or similar Zigbee vibration sensor
• A Zigbee hub (Aqara Hub, SmartThings, or Home Assistant with a Zigbee coordinator)

Setup steps:

1. Peel the adhesive backing off the vibration sensor
2. Stick it to the top or side of your washing machine (top works best)
3. Pair it with your hub using the standard Zigbee pairing process
4. Create an automation: “If vibration not detected for 5 minutes, send notification”

The problem with this method: Vibration sensors work well for washers but poorly for dryers. Dryers don’t vibrate as aggressively, and the sensor often can’t distinguish “running” from “off.” There’s also a reliability issue. Some wash cycles have long pauses between agitation and spin, which triggers false “done” notifications mid-cycle.

I used this method for 6 months before switching to power monitoring. It works about 85% of the time. That’s honestly not good enough when you’re relying on it daily.

For a full breakdown of sensor options, see our best smart sensors guide.

Method 2: Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring (Most Reliable)

This is my recommended approach. A smart plug with energy monitoring tracks exactly how many watts your washer draws. When wattage drops below a threshold (typically under 5W), the cycle is done.

What you need:

• Smart plug with energy monitoring: Zooz ZEN15 ($20), TP-Link Kasa KP115 ($15), or Shelly Plug S ($18)
• A platform supporting power-based automations (SmartThings, Home Assistant, or the plug’s native app)

Setup steps:

1. Plug the smart plug into the wall outlet behind your washer
2. Plug the washer’s power cord into the smart plug
3. Run a normal cycle and watch the wattage readings in your app
4. Note the typical running wattage (usually 300-500W during wash, 100-200W during spin)
5. Note the idle wattage (usually 1-3W when the cycle ends)
6. Create an automation with this logic:

The automation logic:

• Trigger: Power drops below 5W
• Condition: Power was above 50W within the last 60 minutes (prevents false triggers when first plugged in)
• Action: Send push notification “Washing machine is done!”
• Add a 2-minute delay before triggering to avoid false positives from mid-cycle pauses

Why this method wins: Power monitoring doesn’t lie. Every washer uses electricity when running and stops using it when done. No false positives from quiet spin cycles or long pauses. The 2-minute delay catches the rare mid-cycle pause. I’ve run this setup for over a year with zero missed notifications.

Safety note: Make sure your smart plug is rated for the wattage your washer draws. Most washers pull 500W peak, but some high-efficiency models spike to 1500W during heating. The Zooz ZEN15 handles up to 1800W. The TP-Link KP115 handles 1800W as well. Don’t use a 10A plug for an appliance that needs 15A.

Method 3: SmartThings or Home Assistant Automation (Power Threshold)

If you already own a smart plug with energy monitoring, you just need the right automation. Here’s setup on each platform.

SmartThings setup:

1. Go to Automations > ”+” > Create Automation
2. Trigger: Select your smart plug > Power > “is below” > 5W
3. Add a precondition: Same plug > Power > “was above” > 50W (in the last 60 min)
4. Action: Send notification to members
5. Save

SmartThings handles this natively if your plug reports energy. The TP-Link Kasa integration works, and so does any Zigbee plug with power reporting connected through a SmartThings hub.

Home Assistant setup:

automation:
  - alias: "Washing machine done"
    trigger:
      - platform: numeric_state
        entity_id: sensor.washing_machine_plug_power
        below: 5
        for:
          minutes: 2
    condition:
      - condition: state
        entity_id: input_boolean.washing_machine_running
        state: "on"
    action:
      - service: notify.mobile_app_your_phone
        data:
          title: "Laundry Done"
          message: "The washing machine finished. Go move your clothes!"
      - service: input_boolean.turn_off
        entity_id: input_boolean.washing_machine_running

You’ll also want a helper automation that sets input_boolean.washing_machine_running to “on” when power goes above 50W. This prevents notifications when the machine is simply idle.

For more automation ideas, check out our best automations to set up first.

Making It Work for Dryers Too

Dryers are actually easier with power monitoring because they use significantly more electricity (2000-5000W for electric dryers). The power drop is dramatic and unmistakable.

Gas dryers are trickier since they use less electricity (300-600W for the motor and controls). Power monitoring still works. The drop to idle is still clear.

Use the same smart plug method. Adjust your threshold slightly. Dryers tend to idle at 0-2W versus a washer’s 1-3W.

Advanced: Multiple Notification Options

Once the basic automation works, try these upgrades:

Announce on smart speakers: Instead of just a phone notification, have Alexa or Google Home announce “The washing machine is done!” out loud. This catches everyone in the house, not just the phone owner.

Repeat notifications: If nobody moves the laundry within 30 minutes, send a second reminder. In Home Assistant, you can loop every 30 minutes until someone opens the washer door (requires a door sensor, which is admittedly extra).

Flash a light: Have a specific smart bulb flash blue when the washer finishes. Some people respond better to visual cues, especially with phones on silent.

These upgrades pair well with devices in our best smart home devices under $50 guide.

Comparison Table

Method	Device	Price	Reliability	Platform Needed
Vibration sensor	Aqara Vibration Sensor	$20	85% (false positives possible)	Aqara Hub, SmartThings, or HA
Smart plug (energy)	TP-Link Kasa KP115	$15	99% (power doesn’t lie)	Kasa app, SmartThings, or HA
Smart plug (energy)	Zooz ZEN15	$20	99%	SmartThings or Home Assistant
Smart plug (energy)	Shelly Plug S	$18	99%	Shelly app or Home Assistant
Combo sensor	SmartThings Multipurpose	$25	80% (vibration only)	SmartThings hub required

Which Method Should You Pick?

If you want the easiest setup and can tolerate occasional false positives: vibration sensor. Stick it on, pair it, done.

If you want reliability and don’t already own a hub: TP-Link Kasa KP115. Works with its own app, no hub needed. $15, 10 minutes of setup, 99% reliable.

If you already run Home Assistant or SmartThings: Zooz ZEN15 or Shelly Plug S. Both integrate perfectly and give you the most automation flexibility.

My pick: the Kasa KP115 for most people. Cheap, reliable, and the Kasa app handles notifications without needing anything else. Integrate it into a bigger system later if you want.

For the hub that ties everything together, see our best smart home hub comparison.

Tips for Getting It Right

Calibrate your threshold. Run one full cycle while watching the power readings. Note the lowest wattage during the cycle (usually during pauses between agitation). Set your “done” threshold below that. For most washers, 5W works perfectly.

Position matters for vibration sensors. Top-center of the machine gives the clearest signal. Avoid the back near water connections where pipe vibrations cause false readings.

Don’t cut power to the washer. Some people think “turn off the plug when done to save standby power.” Don’t. Many modern washers need standby power to release the door lock. Cutting power mid-unlock can damage the mechanism.

Test with both small and large loads. A small load vibrates less and uses less power. Make sure your threshold catches a light wash, not just a full heavy cycle.

FAQ

Will this work with a stacked washer/dryer? Yes. For power monitoring, you’d ideally use two smart plugs (one per machine) on separate circuits. If they share one outlet, power monitoring becomes unreliable because you can’t tell which machine is running. Use a vibration sensor on each machine separately in that case.

Does the smart plug add any delay to starting the machine? No. The plug stays on (passing power through). It’s only monitoring, not controlling. Your washer works exactly as before, you just get the notification bonus.

Can I use this with a smart washer that already has WiFi? You can, but you probably don’t need to. Samsung, LG, and Whirlpool smart washers send notifications through their own apps. These methods are specifically for “dumb” washers without WiFi.

What if my washer is in the basement with bad WiFi? The smart plug needs WiFi to send notifications. If your basement has weak signal, use a WiFi extender or a Zigbee plug (like the Zooz ZEN15 with a SmartThings hub) since Zigbee meshes through other devices. Our guide to starting a smart home covers connectivity options.

Does energy monitoring increase my electric bill? No. Smart plugs use about 1W of standby power. That’s roughly $1.05 per year at average US electricity rates. Completely negligible.