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Shuriken Magnets for Refrigerator Ninjas
Posted by Mark Wilson at 6:20 AM on December 5, 2008
I may not be all that light on my feet, but if there's one place that I dominate, it's the refrigerator.
I may not be all that light on my feet, but if there's one place that I dominate, it's the refrigerator.
If you've ever lived with a roommate who seems to enjoy experimenting with mold in your communal fridge, you can probably appreciate this invention from Austrian design student Stefan Buchberger. The Flatshare Fridge, one of nine finalists in the Electrolux Design Lab 2008 competition, consists of up to four stackable modules on top of a base station. Each module can be further customised with add-ons like bottle openers or a whiteboard.
We covered the Gorenje Made for iPod fridge and the iGorenje home appliance program at IFA last Sunday. I've spent some time with both and I like what I see, although I have some doubts about how practical this can be.
I don't know if these fridges are the norm in the US, but it seems to me like Miele's latest giganormous fridge from their Master Cool line--shown here at IFA 2008--has to be the biggest fridge ever available to megalomaniac consumers and potential serial killers. They should christen it The Walk-In Fridge, because this thing is so big that you can fit a cow inside. So huge in fact that I won't be able to put it in my apartment's living room. Actually, I think can put my entire living room and bedroom inside during the summer months. [More IFA 2008 Coverage]
The Home Appliances halls at IFA 2008 have some of the best stuff in the fair, like this Gorenje fridge table, which seems to be a brand obsessed about doing really Star Trekish stuff for the kitchen. The table--with a central fridge that smoothly raises to give access to food and beverages, and a security system to avoid having your arm trapped in it--is not a concept but a real product made to order. The price: US$15,000 to US$20,000, depending on the material you choose. I'll keep using my picnic fridge and raising it to the table while making a hmmmmm noise with my mouth, thank you very much. [More IFA 2008 Coverage]
Believe it or not, this beautiful Gorenje fridge is an official Apple-licensed Made for iPod refrigerator. And believe it or not, it's not just a speaker and a dock glued to a glossy black fridge: You can actually control the fridge itself using your iPod touch or iPhone using an application called iGorenje. The coolness doesn't stop there, because iGorenje can control all kinds of Gorenje appliances--from the washing machine to the oven.
Generally speaking, refrigerators are not all that exciting unless you're packing in a draught beer system or it is camouflaged for secret office drink parties. However, Sub-Zero models are usually loaded with all kinds of useful features, and their newest model is no exception. It features a NASA designed filtration system that replenishes the air every 20 minutes while eliminating bacteria, odors, and microscopic contaminants. That means food will stay fresher for a longer period of time (and your fridge won't smell like an open sewer). The Built-In Fridge series is slated for a fall release in an array of styles, but no pricing details have been announced.
Ford has upped the ante in the options department by offering drivers of the 2009 Flex a US$760 refrigerator upgrade that fits snugly underneath the armrest in the back seat. The fridge isn't huge, but it can hold seven 12-ounce cans (no, not beer) or four half-liter bottles—which is not bad for a road trip. It is also runs off a compressor making it a bona fide refrigerator that can take a drink from room temperature down to 5 degrees Celcius in two- and-a-half hours. If you choose the freezer option, the temperature drops to a frigid -5 degrees Celcius. With any luck, Ford will offer a Flex oven and Flex toilet option sometime in the near future. Then I would be ready to move in.