Canstar Blue has named Samsung and Ecovacs as the winners of its Innovation Excellence Awards, presented to home appliance and consumer electronics brands that have introduced an outstanding product or feature to market.

The winners were scored based on product uniqueness and how disruptive or new it is to the category, as well as overall ‘wow’ factor. The awards also evaluate submissions based on affordability and ease of use.

Samsung was awarded five Canstar Blue Innovation Excellence Awards across five categories: Home Entertainment, Outdoor Entertainment, Heating & Cooling, Kitchen Appliances and Laundry Appliances.

The winning product in the Home Entertainment category was the Samsung Neo QLED 8K TV (pictured above), recognised for its picture quality improvements, new surround sound technology and Infinity Display’s ultra-slim frame with virtually no bezel or border.

Taking out the award in the Outdoor Entertainment category was the Samsung Terrace Outdoor 4K Smart TV, one of few TVs specifically designed for the outdoors with an IP55 rating. It combines Anti-Glare and Quantum Dot technology with the same smart connectivity found on Samsung’s indoor TV range. Installation is free and Samsung offers a 100-day money back guarantee.

The Samsung Geo WindFree Split System (pictured above) was the winning product in the Heating & Cooling category, designed to cool indoor spaces more efficiently and gently with a wind-free system. Its Tri-Care filter claims to eliminate up to 98.8% of inactive bacteria through three filter layers and the display monitors indoor temperature and air quality information at the same time.

In the Kitchen Appliances category, the winning product was the Samsung Family Hub 5.0 Fridge, which encourages better food management by offering recipe recommendations and improving visibility of the fridge’s contents, as well as allowing households to tag food expiration dates. New SpaceMax technology maximises storage capacity by using high-efficiency insulation that removes the need to extend the external dimensions.

And finally, the winning product in the Laundry Appliances category was the Samsung Smart AI Laundry Range (pictured above) that learns and remembers user habits and preferred settings via the AI Pattern function. Using the SmartThings app, users can schedule their washing, monitor their load and access controls remotely.

Samsung Australia vice president of consumer electronics, Jeremy Senior thanked Canstar Blue for recognising the time and effort the team puts in to bringing new innovation to homes.

“As our daily routines continue to change, we want to make sure that there is meaningful technology at every step to make life easier. It’s a tremendous result to be awarded for outstanding innovation across so many categories,” he said.

Ecovacs claims victory in home cleaning

Ecovacs was recognised with a Canstar Blue Innovation Excellence Award for its Deebot T9+ robotic vacuum cleaner with TrueDetect 3D 2.0 obstacle avoidance technology and Auto Empty Station that minimises interaction with allergens after cleaning.

The Deebot T9+ also features an industry-first built-in air freshener which distributes scent around the home to remove musty smells and pet odours. It boasts double the suction power to previous models and can be controlled via the Ecovacs Home app or voice with smart speaker compatibility.

Ecovacs Robotics head of Australia and New Zealand, Karen Powell said the company is delighted by the recognition and honoured to be awarded.

“We pride ourselves on our ongoing innovation and commitment to bring new and exciting developments to home robotics. We have been raising the bar in all key areas of functionality, from mapping and mopping technology to battery life, obstacle avoidance and suction power that can be delivered in a robotic vacuum cleaner,” she said.

“This award for cleaning appliances is another feather in our cap that we deeply appreciate. We will continue to drive the category and deliver a hands-free cleaning experience that makes consumers’ lives easier, while continuing to change perceptions about what is possible in a robotic vacuum cleaner.”