Or … just don’t connect it to the internet?
It is not because it has a wifi antenna or an ethernet port that you need to connect it.
This is increasingly becoming a false statement, unfortunately. Companies are indeed forcing customers to connect in order to use the regular features. For instance, Roku TVs won’t let you change to a regular HDMI input without first connecting and accepting their ToS and updates.
Secondly, even when the forced connection hasn’t been implemented yet, the problem is not entirely fixed. These fridges with digital panels are notorious for randomly having that panel fail, and then the ENTIRE FRIDGE stops working, even though the actually useful compressor and refrigeration loop is intact. Of course, the company will also refuse to sell you a replacement digital panel.
A smart appliance disconnected is still significantly worse than a dumb appliance.
Whaaat? There’s Android for jailbroken Kindles? Back in my day the only thing you could do with a jailbreak was installing a slow version of KOReader that didn’t really work very well.