Milan, Italy
German brand Siemens has used its stand at the 2014 EuroCucina trade show to unveil a freestanding refrigerator with a “special vitaFresh 0° [Celsius] Vacuum Technology compartment”.
Although exhibitors at EuroCucina are only supposed to show integrated appliances, there is a proud history of brands sneaking freestanding appliances, including smalls, onto their stands.
Siemens wasn’t providing a huge amount of information regarding this new innovation, but we did find out that the appliance contains a traditional bottom mounted refrigerator compartment, separated from its freezer by a vacuum chamber around 30 centimetres high.
Fruit and vegetables, meat and dairy products can be placed in this chamber and then, at the touch of a button, a whoosh sound indicated the cavity is vacuum sealed, and then the temperature is kept at optimum levels for longer-lasting freshness.
It is not yet clear if this refrigerator will form part of Siemens’s class A+++ range, which is being marketed, at least in Europe, under the coolGenius sub-brand.
“The Siemens coolGenius refrigerator range represents peak achievement in built-in refrigeration,” the company said. “Independent electronic temperature regulation for fridge and freezer, lowFrost and noFrost systems [and] the special hydroFresh compartment all add up to optimal food preservation and prolonged freshness, plus top-end energy savings.”