Home Appliance Industry Intensifies Competition Beyond Dryers to Ultra-Premium Refrigerators

Samsung 'New Chef Collection' with Internal Storage Zones... 150 Combination Options
LG, Industry's First Built-in Drawer Type Allowing Freezing and Refrigeration in One Compartment

A Samsung Electronics model is introducing the 'New Chef Collection' refrigerator at the experience zone set up in Seongsu-dong, Seoul on the 2nd.

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics recently unveiled ultra-premium refrigerators side by side. The two companies, which have competed fiercely whenever launching flagship home appliances such as 8K TVs and energy efficiency grade 1 dryers, are once again engaging in a pride battle through ultra-premium refrigerators this time.

According to industry sources on the 4th, Samsung Electronics' recently released 'New Chef Collection' is an ultra-premium refrigerator that allows consumers to choose according to their preferences from the exterior to the interior. It is the third product of Samsung's customized home appliance 'Project Prism,' following the Bespoke refrigerator and AI Grande washer and dryer. It features a total of 150 configurations that consumers can select by combining convenience functions such as door panels, edge frames, Bespoke storage zones, and water purifiers.

Additionally, it introduced the 'Bespoke Storage Zone' inside, allowing customized selection based on the types of stored food and lifestyle patterns. By analyzing 1.95 million consumer food purchasing patterns through big data, it provides five compartments for storing ▲meat and fish ▲wine and canned beverages ▲fruits and vegetables ▲ready meals (HMR) ▲health supplements and ingredients. The lower part of the Bespoke Storage Zone is commonly equipped with a 'Chef Multi Pantry (storage),' which can individually adjust the left and right compartments from minus 1 degree to room temperature 13 degrees according to usage.

The exterior consists of five door panels. The premium panel color 'Mare Blue' was handcrafted, inspired by the sea of Venice, Italy. Samsung collaborated with 'Decastelli,' an Italian metal processing specialist company. This is Samsung's first collaboration with a global home appliance company.

The refrigerator compartment is equipped with an 'Auto-fill Water Purifier.' It measures the amount of water with a sensor in a 1.4ℓ water tank and automatically refills as much as consumed. The freezer compartment is equipped with an 'Auto Dual Ice Maker' that provides ice usable for cocktails and beverages. Depending on the internal specifications, the product has a capacity of 900~930ℓ and received energy consumption efficiency grade 1 for all models. The retail price ranges from 7.79 million to 12.49 million KRW depending on specifications.

Lee Jae-seung, Vice President and Head of Samsung Electronics' Home Appliance Business Division, said, "If the first result of Project Prism, the 'Bespoke' refrigerator, showed innovation in design and scalability, the second product, the 'Grande AI' dryer and washer, was an innovation in experience based on artificial intelligence. The New Chef Collection refrigerator has expanded the Bespoke concept from the exterior to the interior to provide a more evolved personalized experience."

On the 2nd, LG Electronics launched the ultra-premium built-in 'SIGNATURE KITCHEN SUITE' island wine cellar and drawer refrigerator in Korea. The photo shows the island drawer refrigerator. Photo by [photographer's name]

LG Electronics also recently launched the ultra-premium built-in 'Signature Kitchen Suite' island wine cellar and drawer-type refrigerator in the domestic market.

The new products are under-counter types installed built-in under island tables or countertops. LG Electronics focused on the trend of home economy life accelerated by open kitchens and non-face-to-face interactions. These products optimize kitchen flow and maximize space utilization so that the whole family can easily store and retrieve beverages, ready foods, and ingredients centered around the island table.

The island wine cellar can maintain different temperatures in the upper and lower spaces, allowing storage of up to 41 bottles by distinguishing between red and white wines. To enhance interior value, LG applied beech wood material to the wine cellar's internal shelves and tinted glass to the exterior.

These products optimize vibration, humidity, and temperature, which affect wine taste, flavor, and aroma. When a customer approaches, the wine cellar detects this and automatically turns on the internal lighting. Touching the upper left corner of the glass door opens it about 10 degrees automatically. If no further action is taken, the door closes automatically, and the lighting gradually turns off.

The island drawer-type refrigerator can adjust the temperature in 19 steps as needed, from minus 23℃ for freezing food to 10℃, suitable for storing rice, grains, and tropical fruits. The refrigerator has a total capacity of 89ℓ, with stainless steel applied inside for temperature stability, hygiene management, and durability. It also features a soft-closing door for safe opening and closing of drawers and ensures the door is fully closed to protect the cold air. The energy consumption efficiency is grade 1.

Both products support wireless internet (Wi-Fi). Customers can monitor the products and control temperatures via a dedicated app on their smartphones. The island wine cellar is priced at 3 million KRW, and the drawer-type refrigerator costs 3.5 million KRW when equipped with a stainless steel panel. The external panel of the refrigerator door can be customized to match the surrounding interior.

Yoon Kyung-seok, Vice President and Head of LG Electronics H&A Business Division's Kitchen Appliance Business Unit, said, "We will provide customers with a different level of value through the differentiated convenience and advanced home appliance technology of the ultra-premium built-in Signature Kitchen Suite."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.