Switched on
From fridges to vacuum cleaners to washing machines, the new generation of home appliances is designed with high-performance function — as well as form — in mind.
Here are 10 of the best buys to switch on to.
1. Floor show
If the sexy rose gold design isn’t enough to win you over, Samsung’s latest robotic vacuum cleaner, the POWERbot ($1499), is sure to impress with its clever three-stage cleaning system and host of intelligent features, such as its Visionary Mapping Plus system, which captures 15 frames per second with its on-board camera to create a virtual map of the home.
Samsung, 1300 362 603, samsung.com/au.
2. Fresh outlook
LG’s Door-in-Door fridge range (from $4849) offers the dual benefits of making it easy to access your favourite items while also keeping foods fresher.
Backed by Matt Moran, the fridges let you place commonly used items in the front door and lesser-used ones in a rear compartment. This helps reduce air loss whenever the door is opened.
Lambro Skropidis, of LG Australia, said the range was designed for the increasing number of people who preferred to buy fresh, local produce.
“Our ongoing work with celebrity chef Matt Moran has made us ever more aware that this is not only an excellent trend for the health of Australians in general but also a great way to directly support our primary producers,” he said. “This is why LG’s new Door-in-Door refrigerators are designed for Aussies who prefer to buy fresh and direct. They offer a range of features to not only help keep good produce longer but also cater to the organisational needs of food lovers and home-cooking aficionados.”
Moran, LG brand ambassador and a proponent of locally sourced ingredients, said: “It makes perfect sense that those who invest in the source of their ingredients should also invest in keeping those ingredients as fresh as possible with their choice of refrigerator. Which is why I think LG’s latest Door-in-Door refrigerator models are so great — they keep food at the optimal temperatures as well as offering smart organisation and really clever, door-in-door design to reduce cold air loss when the door is opened. It’s why I have an LG fridge in my own home.”
LG, 1300 54 2273, lg.com/au.
3. Waterwise washer
For washing and rinsing a full load with less than 10 litres of water, Smeg has released Australia’s first dishwasher to have a six-star WELS rating.
The range (from $1650) has five wash programs, one that uses just 9.8 litres of water, a clever Flexi Duo Basket (which enables the top cutlery basket to split in two and one to slide underneath the other), a 24 hour time-delay that allows users to take advantage of the cheapest power by running the dishwasher after midnight and Smeg’s Aquatest system whereby water is monitored to assess “dirt” levels and the machine adjusts the wash program accordingly.
Smeg, 9389 8000, smeg.com.au.
4. Steam scene
Skip the morning struggle with the ironing board with Kambrook’s Swift Steam ($49.95), a lightweight clothes steamer that is ultra-simple to use.
Its powerful, continuous steam action makes light work of creases and being portable, the Swift Steam is perfect for travel (it’s small enough to fit in your luggage).
Kambrook, 1300 139 798, kambrook.com.au.
5. Recipe for success
Whether you’re a gas devotee or an induction convert, Fisher & Paykel’s Red Dot design award-winning cooktop range is designed to be mixed and matched to suit your cooking needs.
The Gas on Glass and Touch&Slide induction cooktops each have the same reflective black glass and polished metal strip, allowing individual components to line up perfectly in a seamless configuration of cooking zones, sizes and types. “Consumers can now marry gas-on-glass wok and single or double burners seamlessly with Touch&Slide induction cooktops in 30, 60 or 90cm models, offering endless configuration options,” Fisher & Paykel’s Kara May said.
The Touch&Slide range uses touch-and-slide controls — similar to your mobile — which make adjusting the cooking temperature as simple as the slide of a finger.
Fisher & Paykel, 1300 650 590, fisherpaykel.com/au.
6. Off the wall
Samsung’s Water Wall dishwasher (from $1599) uses world-first linear movement technology to create a powerful sweeping wall of water that reaches into every corner of the machine.
The company says this delivers a completely different way to clean dishes. “The Water Wall dishwasher represents a world-first development for Samsung in the home appliances category,” said Mike Lilly, head of home appliances for Samsung Electronics Australia.
Mr Lilly said the innovative linear movement technology and sophisticated design ensured that every area of the dishwasher was covered and cleaned.
We also love the sleek design, featuring stainless-steel pocket handles and a blue LED display.
Samsung, 1300 362 603, samsung.com/au.
7. Pizza perfection
Homemade pizza has never tasted so good thanks to Ilve’s Pizza Oven ($3699).
The built-in oven has a 400C pizza mode that cooks a pizza to perfection in less than three minutes and the compact design means it’s ideal for smaller kitchens.
Ilve, (02) 8569 4600, ilve.com.au.
8. Platinum choice
Steam ovens are becoming more and more common and the latest release from luxury French kitchen appliance brand De Dietrich takes the trend to new heights.
The Corium Collection Platinum Steam Oven ($3399) has a sleek black and silver exterior, stainless-steel interior, a removable water reservoir, halogen lighting, eight cooking temperatures and a host of other clever features.
As well as steaming vegies, it allows for the preparation of sweet and savoury dishes simultaneously and will also concurrently steam foods that require different cooking times. It’s also ideal for the gentle defrosting of meat and vegetables and reheating without the issue of drying or hardening, by essentially rehydrating the food.
De Dietrich, 1300 694 583, dedietrich.com.au.
9. Clean sweep
With the new Bolt Ion cordless stick vacuum cleaner from Bissell, no skirting board, corner or crevice is out of reach.
The lightweight two-in-one vacuum (it includes a removable hand vacuum) features EdgeReach technology that drives suction right up to the edge of the unit, rather than stopping short by the width of the head.
There are two models in the range: one with 30 minutes run time ($249) and one with 40 minutes ($299).
Bissell, 1800 811 183, bissell.com.au.
10. The dark side
While appliances are all about function, the chic appearance of the Electrolux ESE7007BF fridge ($4859) is hard to go past.
Part of Electrolux’s Ebony range, the 700L side-by-side design is finished in a frameless, high-gloss black acrylic with stainless-steel handles and external electronic touch controls adding to the sophisticated look.
It doesn’t scrimp on performance though, with a host of intelligent features such as an energy-saving system that automatically adjusts the cooling depending on the amount the fridge is used, a quick-freeze function, full-width easy-glide crispers, dairy and deli drawers and a holiday mode to reduce energy wastage when the fridge isn’t being used for an extended period,
Electrolux, 1300 363 640, electrolux.com.au.
