Miele and Dyson add cameras to dishwasher

Appliance maker Miele has unveiled a smart dishwasher with an interior camera. The company showed the new model at the IFA 2026 home appliance exhibition in Berlin this week.

Dyson also just rolled out a $500 electric toothbrush that uses a tiny camera. The toothbrush's macro-lens has 100,000 pixels and livestreams a view of the user's mouth to a paired smartphone app.

The new camera-equipped appliances

Miele's dishwasher includes an app for monitoring performance and can automatically run during off-peak electricity hours. The camera inside the door is intended to monitor dishes. Miele claims this allows the machine to tailor washes for optimal energy efficiency and meet personal preferences.

Dyson says its toothbrush camera targets interdental cleaning. The aim is to help users maintain their teeth between professional cleanings.

These launches continue a wider trend. Smart ovens, refrigerators, and doorbells already incorporate cameras. Manufacturers allege these features help appliances run easier and faster. A fridge camera can track groceries. A doorbell camera identifies visitors.

The drive for control and productivity

The promise is one of increased productivity and control. In an age of busyness, a moment wasted can feel like stress or money lost. A poorly cleaned load of dishes means redoing the work. Inadequate brushing leads to future dental bills.

It can feel sensible to keep an eye on things. The cultural pulse is accelerating. Trying to pin down the minutiae of daily life, like dishes and dental hygiene, offers a form of control.

Privacy concerns in a surveilled home

The push to embed cameras comes at a dissonant time for consumer priorities. Buyers crave control but also desire privacy. There is widespread anger toward increasing surveillance in daily life.

People have been smashing Flock cameras on the street. Meta's A.I.-powered Ray-Bans have been nicknamed "pervert glasses." Rumors persist about companies using personal data to train A.I. Models. Many consumers do not want more invasive tools with a proven track record of surveillance.

From resistance to reliance

There is a long history of new products meant to make life seamless meeting initial resistance. This is often followed by eventual submission and deep reliance. People once freaked out about elevators and escalators. British men in the 1750s thought the umbrella was a sign of weakness.

These technologies became quietly integrated. A broken elevator is now a major inconvenience. The Dyson toothbrush is unlikely to become a police-state surveillance tool. There may not be a huge market for a $500 toothbrush or a premium dishwasher whose price Miele has not yet announced.

Yet the desire to know what happens in unseen places persists. Many would like to leave no moment uncaptured. The dishwasher camera raises questions about consumer tolerance for discomfort and the willingness to retain personal agency. The trend shows no sign of stopping.