Nearly a third (32 per cent) of UK consumers would be happy to welcome a laundry-folding robot into their home, according to a survey of the most desirable smart home tech devices of the near future.

An analysis of a Mindshare survey of more than 6,000 UK consumers by RecycleZone also found that a smart thermostat which automatically adjusts to an individual’s body temperature tops the wish list, with 46 per cent of Brits saying this is the tech they would most like to own in their home.

A smart vacuum cleaner that can move items and clutter off the floor is the next highly desired smart device with 40 per cent of homeowners expressing an interest. Labour-saving gadgets were in high demand, with 37 per cent of those asked attracted by the concept of a smart fridge which suggests recipes based on the food in there, along with the 34 per cent warming to kitchen appliances that can be remotely controlled by smart speakers or voice assistants.

Despite Brits’ love for a cup of tea, just 30 per cent of those asked said that a kettle that can be controlled by a mobile app was a product they would be opening to purchasing. The same number said they were comfortable with the idea of ‘smart shelving’, which links to a grocery shopping app to automatically replenish items as they run out.

More than a third (35 per cent) said they were keen to try an interactive shopping experience, in which they can buy the clothing actors and celebrities are wearing through an app on their TV in real time.

When it comes to next-generation entertainment devices, 37 per cent of consumers said they would be open to experiencing a concert or event from the comfort of their sofa via a virtual reality (VR) headset.

The findings come as the number of Brits owning Wifi enabled smart home and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, such as the Amazon Alexa and Google Home smart assistants, builds rapidly.

Shawn Hallums, a spokesperson from RecycleZone, said: “We are in the era of instant gratification – where people want to utilise technology that makes different aspects of their life easier and more efficient.

“Companies have quickly realised this and created a multitude of devices and applications to cater to this apparent need. As existing as well as new technology advances and develops, consumers expectations will undoubtedly grow.”

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