Samsung’s Dacor spices up kitchenware line

A model demonstrates Samsung Electronics subsidiary Dacor’s Modernist Collection line of luxury built-in kitchen appliances in New York on Wednesday. [SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS]

Samsung Electronics’ Dacor unveiled a luxury lineup of built-in kitchen appliances on Wednesday in New York, the first outcome from the tech giant’s acquisition of the American brand last August.

The lineup, titled Modernist Collection, marks Samsung’s expansion of its home appliances portfolio into luxury kitchen products that will carry the Dacor brand and target serious cooks, both professional and amateur. Samsung bought the California-based luxe kitchen appliance maker for around $100 million last year and made it a wholly-owned subsidiary.

“With consumers envisioning the kitchen as a place to entertain and connect with friends and family, as well as prepare awe-inspiring meals, the Modernist Collection presents a new vision for what a luxury kitchen can be,” said Yoon Boo-keun, CEO and president of Samsung, at a launch event on Wednesday at Samsung’s 837 marketing center in Manhattan.

“With the Modernist launch, Samsung and Dacor have partnered to do something that is virtually unheard of in the industry - design, create, and execute a simultaneous launch of a full suite of luxury appliances,” said David Nichols, vice president of products at Dacor.

The collection consists of 18 different products, from refrigerators, stoves, ovens, cooktops and dishwashers to microwave drawers and warming drawers of varying sizes.

The collection, cast in stainless steel with a graphite color, “blends leading technology and innovation with luxury aesthetics and premium features to create a suite of appliances,” Samsung said.

Of note is a refrigerator and freezer system that Samsung calls “column refrigeration,” where the refrigerator and freezer are adjacent to each other. It comes in four sizes and boasts a full stainless interior, with glass and aluminum bins, LED lighting and intuitive features like a dual ice maker that makes crushed and cubed ice and drawers that can be adjusted within the space to suit users’ needs.

Other products include a stove that Samsung calls a “pro dual fuel steam range,” which has settings for steam baking and steam roasting, and an induction cooktop that sports a “virtual flame” to provide a visual cue for the burner.

The launch event took on an unusual format for Samsung, which is known for revealing new products through lecture-style presentations. This time, the company called on actor Alec Baldwin and his wife to emcee a casual conversation onstage between kitchen experts and cookware designers on the new products’ features.

The Modernist Collection’s launch came a day before it was to be showcased at the Architectural Digest Design Show, which runs from March 16 to 19 in New York. The show is attended by over 40,000 interior design experts and enthusiasts each year.

North America has emerged as a fresh battleground for rivals Samsung and LG in luxury consumer electronics. Earlier this month, LG showcased its new InstaView Door-in-Door refrigerator in the New York. The fridge boasts a tinted glass panel that allows users to see inside without opening the door. Users only need to knock twice on the glass to change the tint.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun@joongang.co.kr]