Tag Archives: refrigerator
This Fridge Looks Like a Giant Coca-Cola Can
Have a Coke and a smile every time you open up this bright red desktop fridge. It’s the real thing. I’d like to buy the world one… if I could afford it. Coke adds life. Now that I’ve proven my deep knowledge of classic Coca-Cola slogans, it’s time to get back to the product.
This literally cool desktop fridge comes from Koolatron, and looks exactly like a Coca-Cola can if you ran it through some kind of enlarger beam. It uses thermoelectric cooling to cool its contents up to 36ºF from its surrounding room temperature and can run on either 110V AC or 12V DC power, so you can even use it in your vehicle or on a boat.
The Coke can fridge can hold up to 12 cans or two 2-liter bottles of your favorite drink inside, though I think it would be sacrilege to put anything in this except for Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, or some other Coca-Cola product. Can you imagine the rift in the space-time continuum that you’d create if you filled it with Pepsi, Shasta, or god-forbid RC Cola? Don’t do it!
You can find the jumbo Coca-Cola can fridge over on Amazon, where it’s currently showing a big discount off of its regular price of $219.
This cost + energy efficient mobile refrigerator reduces food contamination and waste in developing countries!
In many developing countries, especially ones with a large population like India, people don’t have access or money to own basic home appliances. While you can still make do without a fan or a gas stove, a refrigerator is becoming increasingly essential as climate change causes temperatures which affect the harvest as well as the daily food that is perishable – think of how quickly your carton of milk or bag of lettuce goes bad! Sprout Studios and Draper have designed a mobile thermoelectric refrigerator (sponsored by the Gates foundation) for this demographic that doesn’t have an option of renting apartments that come with 5-star rated appliances.
This is a cost-efficient and low-energy consuming mobile refrigerator that aims to combat global refrigeration challenges, especially in tropical developing countries. India is the world’s largest milk producer so it is crucial to not let it perish during storage and transportation. A refrigerator is needed to keep milk from being contaminated with airborne diseases such as Listeria. This product by Sprout and Draper uses thermoelectric technology which is an innovative cooling system that allows villages in India to be able to store their milk overnight and transport it up to 15 miles to pasteurization facilities. The unit requires minimal power and has the added ability to operate from off-grid power sources making it vital for developing countries that have large fields in remote areas. The lack of infrastructure in countries like India (roads, electricity) makes it impossible to fund refrigeration at the point of production or refrigerated transport which is where cost and energy-efficient solutions like this can play a pivotal role.
The Mobile thermoelectric refrigerator has been engineered to be durable, rugged, and look innovative. The chassis of the refrigerator is constructed in a way that it allows the top-chilling unit to be removed while the bottom refrigeration unit is being transported. The chiller uses the water and heat transfer to cool the milk while excess warm water can be used for cleaning and bathing – and that is how it reduces the waste of resources too! The chassis is crafted from anodized aluminum to keep it lightweight and strong. It features an airless wheel system to avoid flats on rough terrain which also utilizes a regenerative hub that powers a battery to keep things cool while on the road. The multifunctional handle design makes it comfortable for the user to pull the refrigerator by hand while walking or even attach it to a bicycle or motorcycle for rapid transport.
“The pressing problems facing humankind and the planet are not well addressed by mass-market off-the-shelf products. Draper’s Global Challenges initiative applies our substantial engineering capabilities to solve these problems by looking beyond the technology to understand the problem space. The correct technology solution is rarely obvious. For example, designing the world’s most efficient refrigerator does nothing for those without reliable electricity,” says the team. Technology is great but can be greater when used to answer the questions of the unheard demographic.
Designers: Jordan Nollman, Jason Wilbur, Rich Orsini, Matt Bettencourt of Sprout Studios, and Robert de Saint Phalle for Draper.
This R2-D2 like personal refrigerator can stock 60 soda cans!
If you live with roommates or siblings then at some point you will really appreciate having a personal refrigerator during this lockdown and it doesn’t hurt if the appliance looks like a modern version of R2-D2. Silo is a personal refrigerator that solves two of its predecessor’s biggest issues – either they take too much ‘personal space’ or they can’t hold enough of your stuff and this is no time to be judged on your snack stock.
This personal fridge is both, beauty and brains if I have to put it in the simplest terms. Even if you find a good enough mini-fridge, it will not look as cool as Silo with its sleek curves and minimal design. For its size, you will be surprised how much it can store in its 3 Lazy Susan shelves – 2 tubs of ice-cream on the first level, 36 soda cans on the second level and 15 wine bottles on the third level. It also has an in-built ice-maker that empty’s into a stainless steel bucket that can be used to keep your drinks cool when we are allowed to have gatherings like summer barbeque parties again! Silo gives us something to look forward to while making our time indoors equally happy.
Silo’s physical form radiates a joyful emotion about the product and makes you truly connect with it. The fridge itself is only 30 inches tall, which means it is tinier than R2-D2. The lights at the top and bottom diffuse effortlessly to add a touch of luxury to your surroundings. I am going to call this an essential appliance now. Silo’s cylindrical build optimizes space and storage for small living set-ups like New York apartments or college dorms. Silo fits seamlessly in any interior setting and probably even elevates it, it is a mini-fridge that you don’t have to hide but might want to if you have the best snacks.
Designer: Ken Kirtland IV
Watch LG’s CES press event in 9 minutes
This morning, LG used its CES press conference to reveal more details about its "Real 8K" televisions and rollable 4K OLED TV. LG also offered a glimpse of its 48-inch 4K OLED and its GX Gallery Series ultrathin wallpaper OLED TVs. The company co...
Samsung’s Cube Refrigerator allows you to build your own modular cold-storage
Building on a concept that’s done the rounds for quite a while now (and has even seen success in 2008 at the Electrolux Design Lab), Samsung’s Cube Refrigerator takes a modular approach to cold-preservation. Quite like the Flatshare Fridge that secured the winning position at the Electrolux Design Lab more than a decade ago, Samsung’s Cube fridge is stackable, and allows you to add carious units together to create the fridge of your choice. With its minimal styling, the Cube can be placed anywhere, from your kitchen countertop, to even right beside your couch in the living room, or even in your workshop, where you’d possibly like to keep a couple of brewski’s to sip on when you’re working on your DIY projects. The clean-looking fridge comes with a glass door on the front, allowing you to see what’s inside, and a nifty digital temperature indicator on the top right that lets you set each individual Cube at its own temperature, based on what you put inside it… and what DO you put inside it? Why anything, from veggies to dairy, beer, and takeout. Plus, Samsung claims that the Cube, unlike most fridges, comes with “special cooling technology” that allows it to run without creating that weird whirring sound that most refrigerators make.
Designer: Samsung
When the opening of curtains inspired a fridge door design…
One of my favorite home appliances will always be the refrigerator! I find myself greedily looking for snacks within it, at exact intervals of two hours. For me, the fridge is the abode of everything I hold holy; all things delicious and consumable! Innovative refrigerator designs seem to always be around the corner. However, this one’s the result of an eccentric inspiration! Kim Hyunsoec of hs2 studio created ‘Crevice’. Crevice is a beautiful 900x1970x920 mm double door fridge. Inspired by the experience of drawing your curtains wide open, the handles of the double door of Crevice completely resemble the opening of a curtain! The neat slit with it’s widened edges facing opposite directions brings to mind the exact moment when you grab the corners of your curtain, to tug them apart on a lazy Sunday morning.
Created from stainless steel and featuring a matte black sheen, the aesthetics of Crevice have been designed to complement the interiors of your home. More than an electrical home appliance, it gives the impression of a piece of furniture. The furniture-like feel it resonates makes it suitable to be placed not only in the kitchen but also in the dining or living area. Spacious from within, it is divided into four vertical compartments with six shelving areas, providing ample space for your innumerous groceries. Not only is Crevice a storage wonder, but we must commend the visual appeal it possesses. This is a refrigerator with style!
Designer: Kim Hyunsoec
This Desktop Fridge Is a Soda Can Vending Machine
Do you drink cans of soda to keep motivated during the day at work? You could get up from your desk and walk over to the vending machine, but that requires too much effort. What you need is your own desktop soda vending machine. This one from Japan should do the trick just fine.
Thanko’s compact desktop refrigerator holds up to 10 cans of your favorite drinks, and dispenses them with ease. Just load two cans onto each of its five shelves, and when you’re ready for an icy cold beverage, just push the appropriate button. The only problem with this design is that since it doesn’t require payment, you can’t charge your office mates if they want to pilfer one of your cans of Dr. Pepper.
The desktop soda vending machine is available from Thanko Japan, where it sells for ¥15800 (~$150 USD). I’m not sure if you can get one shipped to the US, but it’s worth a shot if you want one.
Kitchens and homes of the future: Everything in store at Electrolux’s 2019 product showcase
As we prepare to head down to Stockholm to see what Electrolux’s plans for our future homes and kitchens are, here’s what we know. Considered one of the biggest names in home appliances, Electrolux has, for long, had an approach that is best described as design-forward. As an organizer of the Electrolux Design Lab, a competition that encouraged innovative designers to help Electrolux envision the future of home technology, the company has always had an affinity for conceptual designs that push boundaries, resulting in products that have redefined categories. We got a look at how Electrolux redefined home and kitchen appliances with their showcase at IFA 2018 (under their German sub-brand AEG), with everything from ovens you could control with your voice, induction plates that could turn off when your food’s cooked, and some of the most incredible design details one could imagine in a refrigerator.
Electrolux’s 2019 showcase in Stockholm aims at solidifying its place in every house and kitchen, with products that combine remarkable tech with remarkable usability. Their Intuit range of kitchenware aims at bridging the gap between artificial intelligence and expert cooking. This bridge allows users to rely on AI to assist in meal preparation. The all-knowing AI helps with multitasking, knowing and optimizing cooking processes for taste, and even guiding the user through the process of meal preparation and cooking. Electrolux’s Intuit Range comprises a series of smart-kitchen appliances, featuring the SteamPro oven that’s capable of cooking with steam (an essential for baking soft, delicious bread) as well as performing sous-vide operations to sheer perfection. The oven is even designed to work with Google Assistant, allowing you to simply tell the oven to preheat itself before you use it. Voice commands allow the AI to perfectly execute tasks without having the user to interact with a complex, feature-filled interface. Electrolux’s CookView oven allows you to take your confectionery skills to the next level by remotely viewing what’s happening inside your oven using the oven’s inbuilt camera that lets you keep an eye on your food on a mobile device, even while not in the kitchen.
The SensePro induction hob also forms an integral part of Electrolux’s vision for the future, with a wireless food thermometer that actively tells the induction plate when to increase/decrease the temperature, or when to switch off the stove completely. Imagine never undercooking or overcooking your meat ever again, because the stove ‘keeps an eye on itself for you’. That’s exactly how smart the SensePro aims at being.
The SensePro induction plate even pairs with Electrolux’s Hob2Hood chimney that can intuitively switch on or off depending on what the induction hob tells it. The hob comes with a feature that allows it to distinguish between boiling, steaming, roasting, frying, grilling, and other tasks, giving it the ability to know when to power the hood and clear the kitchen of smoke or smell.
Forming an integral part of Electrolux’s intuitive kitchen is its refrigerator, resplendent with rotating shelves that make sure you don’t forget about stuff kept in the back of the fridge, along with modular containers to mount on the fridge’s door, detachable trays that you can carry to your kitchen counter, and the new UltraFresh+ fridge-freezer that keeps ingredients fresh for longer by offering smart temperature and humidity adjusting capabilities to preserve perishables for longer.
We’re especially excited to see the iF 2019 Award winning ComfortLift dishwasher, that sits on the ground level, but utilizes a clever mechanism to allow the door to open upwards, lifting the trays to an optimal height so you can load and unload the dishwasher without bending down. Using their technical prowess as well as their knack for problem-solving, Electrolux’s products are functional in many ways, offering ease-of-use as well as having a keen eye for small interaction problems that we’ve lived with for years, be it something as taxing as bending down to load or unload the dishwasher, or as critical as leaving the oven on for too long and burning your food to a crisp. We’re headed to Stockholm not to just see Electrolux’s latest products, but to actually use them too. I mean, who wouldn’t want to bake bread with their voice?!
Samsung’s customizable refrigerator comes in nine colors and eight sizes
Samsung wants to capitalize on consumers who value personal tastes and experiences, and they plan to do so with refrigerators. Yesterday, Samsung revealed Project PRISM, or what it's calling a "new era of customized home appliances." The first produc...