Popularity of 'Eoreum Jeongsugi' in the Heat... Distinct Features of Each Product

As the hot summer approaches, 'ice water purifiers' are gaining popularity. Major water purifier companies are focusing on launching distinctive products to gain an edge in the market.

Coway's '2024 Icon Ice Water Purifier'
Photo by Coway

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According to Coway on the 15th, sales of ice water purifiers last month increased by about 30% compared to the same period last year. Sales also rose by about 20% compared to April. Cheongho Nice's ice water purifier sales last month also increased by 15% year-on-year and 30% compared to April.

An industry insider explained, "As the weather gets hotter, more consumers are seeking ice water purifiers," adding, "It is much more convenient to make ice using a water purifier than to freeze ice separately in the refrigerator or buy it, which leads to purchases."

Each company has made a bold move with new products featuring advanced technologies to capture the summer market. Coway launched the '2024 Icon Ice Water Purifier' on the 7th of last month, targeting the summer peak season. It is the first domestic ice water purifier to apply a function that allows users to control the hot water temperature and dispensing volume as they wish. The hot water temperature can be set in 5-degree increments from 45°C to 100°C. Additionally, Coway's patented dual rapid ice-making technology provides fast and abundant ice. The ice-making time per cycle is 12 minutes, producing up to 600 pieces of ice per day. Users can choose between large ice cubes (about 10g) and small ice cubes (about 7g).

SK Magic also released the 'One-Coke Ice Water Purifier' on the 2nd of last month. Unlike tank-type purifiers that store purified water in a reservoir, this is a direct water purifier that purifies water instantly when the button is pressed. It is the first in Korea designed to dispense ice and water simultaneously. It produces more than 600 pieces of ice per day. The internal structure has been improved to reduce broken ice made long ago and to dispense newly made ice first.

Kyowon Wells' 'Ice One Ice Water Purifier,' released in April, opened the era of 1kg capacity ice rooms. By applying dual-tube cooling technology, it reduced the size by 31% compared to previous models while securing a large-capacity ice room. It features a 'mineral filter system' that increases mineral content and removes 99.9% of harmful substances such as E. coli. The ice size can also be set in two options.

Cheongho Nice, the 'original company' of ice water purifiers, has lineups such as 'New Ice Tree' and 'Esprecafe.' Especially, Esprecafe is the industry's first coffee machine ice water purifier, combining the functions of a capsule coffee machine and an ice water purifier in one. With a single touch, you can enjoy iced coffee anytime. A new product is also expected to be released within this month. A Cheongho Nice representative said, "The new product is a model that adds artistic sensibility based on differentiated technology."

Cheongho Nice's 'Espre Cafe'
Photo by Cheongho Nice

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