Because I can schedule the wash to be done when i get home, and then hang the clothes to dry immediately and be free for the rest of the day

The alternative is an ordinary timer, but if i stay longer at work, the clothes will stay in the drum and get crinckled, if a meeting is cancelled, I'll be home already before the wash even starts, and I'll have to wait for it to finish, before i can go somewhere else.

You dont need-need it, but it's nice to have, and doesn't really cost a lot... I can get a connected washer for ~300eur here, maybe even less if it's on a sale. If you reall dont need it, just don't connect it to wifi, and it'll still be a dumb offline washer