[Jim Hill]

Unless it knows my wifi router password, it’s not communicating anything back to the home office.

[Chickensoup]

smart appliances also communicate through the electrical grid and are identified by that smart meter on your house and can be manipulated by the power company.

[editor-surveyor]

>> “Unless it knows my wifi router password, it’s not communicating anything back to the home office.” <<

.
Sorry, but that depends on how old your router is. If you bought it within the last seven years, it has federally mandated “back doors.”