Appliance manufacturers are gearing up for a rejuvenated market as electrical utilities begin to roll out smart meters and homeowners are encouraged to install or upgrade to appliances that can communicate with these meters, which can adjust their behavior as the price of electricity varies due to demand.

General Electric has developed a complete suite of smart appliances, including a fridge, dish washer, electric oven, clothes washer, dryer, and hot water heater, that all have Zigbee radios for communicating either directly with a smart meter or with the company’s Nucleus Energy Manager.