Appliance Insights
Issue #17 | Curated by Pine Pienaar
This Week's Main Insight: Costs Are Squeezing the Big Brands, So Warranty and After-Sales Support Matter More Than the Sticker Price
International Market
I. Samsung's TV and appliance division slipped into a loss.
Samsung Electronics' Q3 results (29 October) were a record overall, but its combined TV and home appliance business made revenue of KRW 13.9 trillion and an operating loss of about KRW 0.2 trillion. For appliances, Samsung blamed higher raw material and logistics costs, partly offset by B2B and subscription growth. For Q4 it plans to lean on a higher share of premium products to rebuild profit.
II. LG's appliance division stays profitable but expects a limited recovery.
LG's final Q3 figures (28 October) put its Home Appliance Solution company at KRW 7.04 trillion in revenue and KRW 259.2 billion in operating profit, helped by its "dual-track" premium and volume strategy. LG says demand recovery in home appliances will stay limited in Q4, so it plans to push sales in Global South markets, where demand is holding up better. South Africa is one of those markets.
III. Sixteen countries, including South Africa, join a UN-backed electronics programme.
In October a US$60 million Global Electronics Management (GEM) programme was launched, led by UNIDO with the African Development Bank Group, UNDP and UNEP, and funded by the Global Environment Facility. It aims to support longer product lifespans, repair, reuse and proper recycling. South Africa is one of nine African countries in the first phase. The article doesn't detail what South Africa will do under it, so treat it as a direction of travel rather than a rule change.
South African Market
I. Haier SA is selling warranty and local support, and launched a new 12kg washer.
Haier South Africa's "Black Summer" promotion (6 November) highlights up to a five-year overall warranty on selected fridges and washing machines, plus an extended limited lifetime warranty on parts such as Direct Drive motors and inverter compressors. Its new 12kg Multi Wash HW120-BD12699GNU1, launched locally on 29 October, has three drums, a UV hygiene feature and a five-year warranty. Warranty terms vary by model, so always ask for the exact wording before you buy.
II. Takealot's month-long Black November sale has real appliance price cuts.
In a sponsored Takealot article published on 2 November, week-two prices included an LG 20kg top loader at R10,999 (was R16,999), a Samsung 12kg Bespoke AI front loader at R13,999 (was R16,999), a Hisense 21kg top loader at R7,999 (was R11,999), a Smeg 60cm oven at R10,999 (was R14,899) and a De'Longhi Magnifica S coffee machine at R4,999 (was R7,999). Those were the week-two prices, so check current availability. Deals rotate weekly, and the "was" prices are the retailer's own.
From Me
This week's appliance: Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machines
With machines like the De'Longhi Magnifica on special this month, a quick care routine will protect whatever you buy. Empty and rinse the drip tray and water tank daily, run the descaling programme as often as the manufacturer says (more often in hard-water areas), and clean the brew unit under running water if your model allows it. Use the descaler recommended in the manual, because the wrong product can damage seals. Limescale is the main reason these machines slow down, give weak coffee or show error codes, and most of it is preventable.
Recycling reminder: The new UN-backed GEM programme is aimed at longer product lifespans, repair, reuse and recycling, which is the same message as ours: repair first, recycle properly. If you're replacing something this Black Friday, ask the retailer to collect the old unit, or take it to an authorised e-waste drop-off. E-waste, including old appliances, has been banned from landfill in South Africa since 2021. Wipe any personal data from smart devices first, and give a working appliance to someone who can use it.
More everyday appliance care over on the blog, worth a read before you buy: highpoint.blogspot.com
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Cheers,
Pine Pienaar
Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) — All Appliance Repairs
