Don’t let the summer heat burn a hole in your pocket
With technology advancing rapidly, ACs and refrigerators are becoming more energy- efficient than before
Considering India’s tropical climate and scorching summers, air- conditioners and refrigerators are no more a luxury, but a bare minimum necessity in every household. Additionally, consumers look forward to low electricity bills, irregular power supply and voltage fluctuation control and, therefore ACs and refrigerators that can meet these consumer expectations will be the most preferred buys this summer. With advanced technologies and innovations, everything will soon be smart.
When in talks with Rajeev Bhutani, Senior Vice President, Consumer Electronics Business, Samsung India, he highlighted concerns about staying cool while still saving on power bills. Bhutani says that you don’t need to be stingy when it comes to comfort. There are many brands out there that cater to energy- efficient appliances and we should make the right choice depending on requirements. Bhutani tipped on how to choose the right appliances to be a smart consumer.
While buying ACs and refrigerators, it’s better to keep it simple. Start with higher star ratings. Also, going for a trusted and well- known brand with a vast and easily accessible aftersales support and service is a wiser decision. Similarly, cooling capacity, noise levels and warranty offered are some other aspects. Newer lineups of refrigerators and air- conditioners coming up are equipped with advanced technology for faster cooling, power conservation, durability and design to deliver optimal performance. A key feature worth mentioning is solar power compatibil ity, which will go a long way in energy conservation.
As for ACs, optimal cooling capacity in terms of tonnage is important. Similarly, for refrigerators, space is a major aspect, given the size of modern homes and increasing storage needs.
Companies are increasingly focusing on Make for India innovations and, a strong and wellentrenched channel distribution strategy, in order to penetrate the market better. In the refrigerator category, India has a large vegetarian population for whom the freezer section was not very purposeful; hence convertible refrigerators like 5- in- 1 and 3- in1 enhanced the utility of this space. The convertible twin cooling refrigerator maximises performance without adding on to electricity bills. Additionally, there are other technologies available too, such as Power Cool & Power Freeze which provides 31 per cent faster cooling. Then there are inverterpowered refrigerators to tackle low electricity supplies.
Likewise, there are stabiliserfree refrigerators to prevent against voltage fluctuations, and digital invertor technology to save up to 57 per cent energy.
Like refrigerators, there is a myriad of new technologies that are coming up in the AC category too. Owing to the increasing need for energy efficiency and rising electricity costs, AC buyers are fast adopting inverter ACs. Off late, another very unique concept in air conditioning emerged, called the Wind- Free technology.
As we move forward, several new technologies will make inroads into the AC and refrigerators space, much of which would be powered by IoT, AI and the like.