Miele has secured two major honours at the 2026 Which? Awards, taking home Home Appliance Brand of the Year and the newly introduced Consumer‑First Brand of the Year.
Held at London’s Science Museum and hosted by Sue Perkins, the awards recognised Miele for its consistently high product test scores, top‑tier reliability ratings, and its growing portfolio of premium appliances now available to the trade via Häfele UK.
The Consumer‑First accolade highlighted Miele’s new digital support service, which connects customers to experts via video call to resolve appliance issues without a home visit — a move Which? praised as a standout example of customer‑centric innovation.
Which? chief executive Anabel Hoult said the awards celebrate brands delivering “truly outstanding products and services”, noting Miele’s performance as “exceptionally high”.
CDA Returns to Profit
CDA has delivered its strongest performance in more than half a decade, returning to profit in 2025 after an intensive 18‑month transformation programme under Amica Group ownership. The appliance brand reported turnover of £42 million, alongside a £3.4m improvement in profitability, marking its first positive PBT result since 2020.
Bosch Expands Top‑Load Line‑Up as India’s Laundry Market Surges
BSH Home Appliances is pushing deeper into India’s fast‑growing top‑load washing machine segment, rolling out a full Bosch range from 7kg to 12kg. The brand is targeting rapid upgrades in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, where consumers are shifting from semi‑automatic to fully automatic models at pace.
The new line features Bosch’s PowerWave Wash system, dual lint filters and ten smart wash programs — all aimed at delivering stronger cleaning with lower water use. BSH reports strong double‑digit growth in Q1 2026, with India’s overall laundry category up sharply across channels.
Cuisinart Launches New ClearView Air Fryer Collection With Visibility‑First Design
Cuisinart has unveiled its new ClearView Air Fryer collection, a range built around one core idea: giving consumers complete visibility and control while cooking. The launch introduces two models—a 4‑quart glass air fryer and a 9‑quart large‑capacity unit—both designed to meet rising demand for healthier, low‑oil cooking without compromising convenience.
The standout feature is the glass viewing window, paired with interior lighting, allowing users to monitor food in real time without pausing or opening the drawer. For retailers, this taps directly into the “see‑through” trend already gaining traction in kettles, toasters, and multi‑cookers.
JennAir and BORA Rewrite the Rules of Kitchen Design
The traditional kitchen layout is officially on notice. At EuroCucina in Milan, JennAir turned heads and stole the spotlight by showcasing its revolutionary NextGen Downdraft Induction Cooktop, developed in an exclusive partnership with European ventilation pioneer BORA.
For decades, the standard kitchen layout forced a compromise: if you wanted heavy-duty ventilation, you had to block your view with a bulky overhead hood. JennAir just completely shattered that mold.
Freedom From the Overhead Hood
By integrating BORA’s elite, European-engineered extraction technology directly into the sleek surface of a magnetic induction cooktop, JennAir is liberating the modern kitchen.
Without an updraft hood obstructing the room, designers and homeowners are unlocked to explore infinite design potential. Imagine:
Clear, Uninterrupted Views: Position your cooktop on a floating island or directly in front of a massive window overlooking the backyard.
Full-Height Backsplashes: Let your choice of luxury marble, quartz, or statement tile run uninterrupted from countertop to ceiling.
Limitless Custom Layouts: Open up sightlines to seamlessly blend the kitchen into living and entertaining spaces without visual clutter.
Quiet Power Meets NextGen Performance
This isn’t just a win for aesthetics; it’s a massive step up in functional luxury. The NextGen Downdraft Induction Cooktop boasts impressive technical specs designed to handle serious culinary tasks:
Smarter Extraction: A powerful 345 CFM extraction system pulls vapors, grease, and odors downward five times faster than steam can naturally rise.
Whisper-Quiet Operation: Running as low as 30 dBA, the sound-reducing technology ensures you can sear, sauté, and entertain guests without competing with the roar of a traditional fan.
Intuitive Control: A sleek vertical slider allows you to effortlessly tap or swipe your finger to control heat levels, while automatic bridging technology seamlessly expands cooking zones for oversized griddles or roasting pans.
Easy Cleanup: True to its premium engineering, the grease filters and components are fully dishwasher-safe, meaning maintenance is as streamlined as its look.
Now Available in the USA & Canada
While EuroCucina gave the global design community a front-row seat to this spectacular partnership, the good news is that you don’t have to live in Europe to bring this innovation home. The JennAir® NextGen Downdraft Induction Cooktop is officially available across the USA and Canada in both 30-inch and 36-inch configurations.
If you want to experience the future of cooking firsthand, you can catch it live at the Chicago World of Whirlpool, NYC A&D, or the Vancouver JennAir Experience Center.
The kitchen is no longer built around the appliances—the appliances are finally flexing to fit your design dreams.
What do you think of the hoodless kitchen trend? Would you trade your traditional range hood for an open view? Let us know in the comments
Liebherr Strengthens Its Leadership in Scientific Refrigeration
Liebherr boosts its scientific refrigeration range with a new 5‑year full warranty and upgraded performance standards, reinforcing its premium positioning for labs demanding reliability, precision and long‑term suppor Manufactured in Lienz, Tyrol, each refrigerator and freezer undergoes rigorous end‑of‑line testing, from component checks to controlled temperature descent, and ships with an individual test certificate. Liebherr also guarantees 15 years of spare‑part availability, exceeding EU requirements and strengthening its reliability credentials.
SUNSIR Unveils Compact Semiconductor Ice Cream Maker
SUNSIR Unveils Compact Semiconductor Ice Cream Maker as Demand for Fun, Functional Small Appliances Grows
The appetite for simple, joyful kitchen experiences continues to rise — and Guangdong Sunsir Electric Appliance Co. Ltd. is leaning directly into that trend with its latest compact semiconductor ice cream maker. Designed for modern homes where space, convenience, and versatility matter more than ever, the new model brings soft‑serve indulgence and homemade hard ice cream into everyday life.
Whirlpool CEO Warns of “GFC‑Level” Declines
Whirlpool Corporation CEO Marc Bitzer has delivered one of the starkest assessments of the appliance market in this earnings cycle, drawing a direct comparison between today’s demand environment and the 2008 global financial crisis.
Speaking on the company’s Q1 earnings call — highlighted in a recent Morning Brew Daily segment Bitzer told investors:
“This level of industry decline is similar to what we have observed during the global financial crisis and even higher than during other recessionary periods.”
For the only major U.S.-based kitchen and laundry appliance manufacturer, it’s an unusually blunt signal: the consumer demand backdrop now resembles the worst downturn in modern industry history.
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Q1 2026: Revenue Down, Profitability Under Pressure
Whirlpool reported Q1 revenue of $3.27 billion, a 9.6% year‑over‑year decline, as global appliance demand continued to contract. The company posted an ongoing loss of $0.56 per share, while North America — its most critical profit engine — saw EBIT collapse 96% to just $6 million.
Key datapoints for the trade:
– Appliance demand fell 7% across major markets
– North America EBIT nearly wiped out, signalling intense margin pressure
– Stock dropped 12% following the announcement
– Year‑to‑date, shares are down 32.29%, reflecting investor concern over prolonged demand weakness
Industry Context
Bitzer’s recession‑era comparison adds weight to what many manufacturers and retailers are already experiencing: a market still struggling to stabilise after years of inflation, elevated interest rates, and weakened consumer confidence.
For the sector, Whirlpool’s commentary reinforces a broader theme — the downturn is deeper, more persistent, and more structurally challenging than early‑2020s cycles
MOVA Scoops 2026 Red Dot Design Award for Flagship Robot Vacuums
MOVA has picked up a 2026 Red Dot Award for Product Design for its two flagship robot vacuums — the V70 Ultra Complete and Z70 Ultra Roller Complete — marking a major early win for the brand founded in 2024.
The Red Dot jury highlighted MOVA’s blend of engineering innovation, AI‑driven cleaning performance, and consumer‑friendly design.
V70 Ultra Complete
The V70 focuses on deep‑reach cleaning with MOVA’s MaxiReachX™ system, extending its mop and side brush for stronger edge and corner coverage. It delivers 42,000Pa suction, a bagless EcoCyclone™ system, and up to 100 days of hands‑free dust management.
Now available via MOVA’s website, Amazon and 350 MediaMarktSaturn stores in Germany.
Z70 Ultra Roller Complete
Designed for wet‑cleaning performance, the Z70 uses HydroForce™ Mopping 2.0, a 27cm roller mop, and real‑time mop fluffing for consistent floor contact. It pairs 36,000Pa suction with anti‑tangle brush engineering.
Retail launch coming soon.
A Fast‑Rising Player in Smart Floorcare
The dual Red Dot win strengthens MOVA’s position in the premium robot‑vacuum market, signalling rapid momentum in design‑led, AI‑powered home cleaning.
Samsung Halts Home Appliance Sales in Mainland China as Strategy Shifts to Future‑Tech Growth
Samsung Electronics is officially halting the sale of home appliances in mainland China, marking a significant shift in its global strategy. Facing intense competition from domestic giants like Hisense and TCL—who now command over 94% of the market—Samsung’s offline presence in key categories like refrigerators and washing machines has dipped below 1%. This move is a calculated response to rising operational costs and a 200 billion Korean won loss in its appliance divisions in 2025. However, this is not a total exit from the region. Instead, Samsung is doubling down on high-tech evolution, refocusing its resources on AI, semiconductors, and medical equipment to align with future growth sectors. In a rapidly maturing market, Samsung is choosing to lead through innovation in advanced industries rather than competing in a saturated consumer landscape.
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