appliance

There is nothing like a little bling on an appliance to get you in the mood to actually do some household chores and the new Hauzen Washing Machine from Samsung certainly has no shortage of bling. The look of the machine was created by Korean designer Andre Kim. It is done in crimson and gold, with a gilded floral pattern, stainless steel door/window ring and the designer's golden crest on the front. There are no details out on pricing from Samsung, yet, but it seems possible that this particular machine will only be available to the Korean market.

[via engadget]

Although they may have an antique appearance, there is nothing old fashioned about the Meneghini refrigerators. The fridges are produced by Robeys out of materials that range from aged cherry wood to Lebanese cedar and mahogany, with solid brass handles that are sturdy and timelessly beautiful. On top of the stunning finishes, or rather within them, lie ultra-modern interiors, with natural lighting, glass shelves and even appliances (optional), including coffee makers, microwaves, ice makers and even ovens. Appliancist has some apparently exclusive photos of one of the newer models. We don't have an exact price on these units, especially since there is a lot of customization involved, but don't be surprised to see them at upwards of £20,000.

Click past the jump to see what types of interiors we would love to see in our fridges:

Limited to only 2,000 units worldwide, the La Glaciere Refrigerator is one appliance that is worth getting ASAP if you like the idea of a very opulently decorated kitchen. The fridge is stunning, with an antiqued, solid French Oak casing and leather door seals. All of the fittings are made of solid brass and the unit will even arrive with personalized brass name plate, engraved with your name. Inside, the shelving and walls are made of satin-finished stainless steel. Price: £7,050 (approx. $13,300).

[via appliancist]

Not everyone out there is a big espresso fan and even those who enjoy a perfectly pulled shot sometimes just want to have a cup of coffee to sip while they are sitting reading the paper or working away at their desk. The new DeLonghi Primadonna coffee maker gives a coffee-drinker all the options that an expensive espresso maker offers, including an automatic milk steamer, ways to adjust the strength and amount of coffee in each pour and even enables users to regulate the heat of the finished beverage. The grinder is automatic, but you can calibrate it to the appropriate fineness for the beans you are using. It also has an automatic washing cycle. Price: $2,305.

[via appliancist]

There seems to be no point at which appliances can be too specialized and Bosch must have been thinking about ways to appeal to various niche markets of dishwasher buyers when they hit up on this idea. The Lego Edition Bosch dishwasher was developed with the toy company and is the first dishwasher that is completely toy-safe. Toys, often made of relatively thin plastic, are too delicate for the heat of most wash cycles, but a cold cycle, even with soap, is not enough to kill any germs even when dirt is washed away. This model solves both problems with a special 40°C washing cycle that will not melt the toys, but is hot enough to kill any germs on them. It also comes with a special tray to hold smaller objects, like Lego bricks, to prevent them from falling during the wash cycle. Price: $1,136.

[via appliancist]

I know that I always prefer to use gold appliances whenever possible. I'm just kidding, of course, but I'm probably not the only one that wouldn't mind having a bit of bling in the kitchen. This EasyHealth Angel Juicer has a pearl and gold finish and a retail price of $2,800 (£1,500). It's a flashy appliance and will probably increase the odds of you getting your required servings of fruits and vegetables every day, as you'll have to keep it in regular use to justify the price.

[via Luxury Launches]

Perhaps this is no different from the average chocolate fountain in anything other than color, but pink just seems to go exceptionally well with chocolate, so this Pink Chocolate Fountain is quite appealing. It comes with a bag of chocolate formulated for fountain use, so it is ready to go as soon as it arrives. It looks far less utilitarian than most of the stainless steel-based models and would be a warm accent in your kitchen even when it isn't in use. Price: £50.

Easily one of the most stylish espresso machines on the market, even sleeker than the eye-candy Francis Francis machines, the Diva Espresso Machine, by Bugatti. The unit is made of die-cast aluminum with a chromed finish, has a 15-bar pump for quick extraction and a fast startup time for the built-in heating elements. The machine pulls two shots at a time, either through fresh packed grounds or pods, and has an attached steam wand for frothing milk, a process which is helped along by the easy-to-read gauge in the front of the machine that clearly marks the appropriate temperature ranges for pulling shots and steaming milk. Price: €650 ($825).

This Vela Mixer by the Bugatti design house was originally intended to professional use, but is now available to private consumers. Its base is made from chromed steel and the body is in chrome ABS, so it has a polished, elegant look that you'll want to display on the counter, rather than tucking it away in a cabinet like so many other appliances. The 500-watt blender has three speeds and a pulse function, and due its professional design, the stainless steel blade is able to crush ice and prepare other foods faster and more easily than other blenders are. Price: €180.

The Siemens Nespresso machine by Porche Design is a fully automatic espresso maker that does everything a the touch of a button. Traditionalists might frown on using an automatic machine instead of a manual, but the automatic has an advantage in that it is very consistent, while the performance of a manual machine relies heavily on the skill of the user. This machine has 19 bars of pressure, automatic volume control (for espresso vs cappuccino), a digital display that offers eight different languages and a steam want that can easily be adjusted to either latte or cappuccino frothing. The only real drawback is that the machine uses pods instead of real ground coffee. The list price is $1,549 Swiss Francs, or about $1,263.

We've already seen LG's designer washing machines, but who knew that they made designer air conditioners, too? TheDesignWeblog first spotted these and they're even cooler - literally - than the washing machines. The Art Cool Air Conditioning units offer changeable panels, in addition to plain designs and the Van Gogh pictured here, that allow you to customize the appliance. The air conditioners are slim, wall mounted and release air through mini-slits, not sending out a jet of freezing wind into the room and eliminating hot and cold spots while keeping things cool. The design makes it one of the quietest air conditioners in the world. It includes an air-purification system, timer, temperature display and a noncooling dehumidification mode.  The units are priced around $1500, but the price varies by specific model, so it's best to track down a dealer if you're interested.

The Swarovski-studded Eyecatcher refrigerators by Gorenje have been selling like hotcakes. Of course, since only five of them were made, it's not that surprising that these beauties went quickly. The most recent one sold for $110,000 to a Russian millionaire at a charity auction to help underprivileged children in Russia. Two others also sold to benefit charities, on in Bucharest and one in Slovenia. The fourth refrigerator was sold at Harrod's, presumably to a private owner, while the fifth and final fridge will be auctioned later this month in Belgrade.

It's surprising that no celebs snapped these up, but they might just be planning on picking up the less expensive model in the commercial line.

Giving a warm edge to the multitude of shining, modernist kitchen appliances is the newest offering from Jenn-Air: the Oiled Bronze line. The idea is to offer the sophistication and shine of a metallic finish with an injection of warmth to keep the kitchen feeling welcoming and friendly. The finish will be available on many, but not all, Jenn-Air products, including refrigerators, dishwashers ovens and cook tops, no doubt hitting the more lux lines before the down-market choices. The french door refrigerator is expected to retail for around $3,000.

[Image Detroit News]