Samsung Adds Roomier Laundry, Refrigeration
By Alan Wolf -- TWICE, 7/24/2008
New York — Size matters to Samsung Electronics.
The brown- and white-goods manufacturer has expanded its laundry and refrigeration lines with new models that meet or exceed the industry’s largest capacities within their class.
The products, which are already on the sales floors at Best Buy and Lowe’s, were highlighted at a Samsung holiday showcase this week in New York.
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Samsung says its new 29-cubic-foot three-door fridge offers the largest internal storage capacity of any French door model available in a standard footprint. |
In refrigeration, Samsung says its new 29-cubic-foot three-door fridge offers the largest internal storage capacity of any French door model available in a standard footprint.
The company says it was able to increase storage space while holding the line on exterior dimensions through the application of high-rate urethane insulation technology. This enabled Samsung to reduce the thickness of the refrigerator’s walls from 2.04 inches to 1.38 inches without compromising insulation, resulting in a 16-percent, or 4 cubic feet, increase in storage space.
“Samsung is always looking for ways to help meet the needs of our consumers – our super capacity French door refrigerator is just another example of this,” said James Politeski, home appliance sales and marketing VP. “When consumers open this refrigerator they will not only be amazed, but also be able to see exactly what they are looking for – thanks to its wide open interior and extra capacity.”
Other features include a monochromatic stainless-steel exterior; blue LED light; hidden hinges; and a café-look design for the water and ice dispenser. The unit has also been updated with a new, brighter interior LED light, while Samsung’s signature twin cooling system allows the main body of the refrigerator and the freezer section to be cooled separately, ensuring that odors from the compartments do not mix.
The model is available in stainless platinum, stainless steel, black and white finishes and is priced to hit a retail range of $2,700 to $2,900. It is currently featured in a $15 million national ad campaign with celebrity chef and TV host Danny Boome of “Rescue Chef.”
In laundry, Samsung’s next-generation vibration reduction technology (VRT) steam super-capacity 448 front loader features a 4.5-cubic-foot drum, providing what the company describes as is the biggest residential-grade capacity in North America.
The drum also features a diamond-shaped washing surface with smaller drain holes that reduces the number of fabric snags, prolonging the life of delicate and fragile clothing, Samsung said.
Samsung’s proprietary VRT feature significantly reduces the noise and vibration that are commonly associated with front-loading washers, the company noted, allowing it to be set up and used in more convenient, easily-accessible locations such as a main or second floor, or living areas.
Additionally, the new Samsung 448 line offers a steam cycle in both the front-loading washer and the companion dryer. When selected, the steam cycle in the dryer can reduce the need for ironing by relaxing wrinkles and can freshen up clothes and remove odors.
The 448 line also features a 1,300 RPM maximum spin speed and is available in a variety of fashion-forward colors including finger print-resistant metallic finishes like stainless platinum and metallic copper, as well as traditional white. Suggested retails range from $1,400 to $1,500 for the washer and $1,249 to $1,300 for the dryer.
“We realize that consumers are always looking for ways to make life a little easier and we believe our innovative 2008 line of washers and dryers is the perfect solution for today’s more design-oriented consumer,” Politesk said. “We’ve spent a lot of time talking to families and learning what would work for them and are proud to take our well-received 2007 introduction of VRT and applying it across the board in all of our machines, including the 448 line, which is not only the largest capacity consumer washer in North America, but also one of the quietest.”
