LG still plans U.S. debut for vertical drying/steaming cabinet

The LG Styler, which is a 6-foot-4-inch cabinet that can store clothes, hats, towels and even plush toys, features a steam generator and a heat pump that can deodorize, dry and remove dirt and wrinkles from cloth items.

Consumers Digest got its first look at the device, which is about 2 feet wide and 2 feet deep, at the September grand opening of LG Electronics’ home-appliance research-and-development center in Buffalo Grove, Ill. The device has a touch control pad that’s on the front door to set the LG Styler to treat items such as bedding, clothes and plush toys.

The U.S. market has rejected similar products before. Len Swatkowski, who is technical director of Plumbing Manufacturers International and a former technical executive for Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, says both Maytag and Whirlpool tried to introduce steam cabinets in both the commercial and hospitality markets. The companies received poor responses, he says.

“I think part of the problem was [Maytag and Whirlpool’s models were] expensive, and people didn’t really know” how to use them, Swatkowski says.

The LG Styler is available in South Korea. Barry Miller of LG said at the event that the company plans to test the LG Styler in the United States in the next few months for possible commercial release in 2012.

– P. Snyder