Saves 70% More Energy Than the Highest Rating... LG Targets Europe’s ‘High-Efficiency Appliances’ [IFA Berlin 2026]

【Berlin, Germany—Reporter Im Su-bin】From washing machines that use up to 70% less energy than Europe’s highest energy-efficiency rating, the A rating, to refrigerators and dishwashers, appliances emphasizing high efficiency were displayed throughout LG Electronics’ booth at IFA Berlin 2026, Europe’s largest home appliance exhibition, which opened in Berlin, Germany, on September 4 local time.
This year, LG Electronics moved beyond the competition for the “highest energy efficiency” of select premium products and expanded its high-efficiency technology to mass-market product lines. The strategy is to make energy efficiency a source of competitiveness across its appliance lineup, rather than merely a differentiating feature of premium products, targeting European consumers who are sensitive to energy costs. 


At IFA Berlin 2026, LG Electronics drew attention by presenting products with the highest energy efficiency for European customers while applying high-efficiency technology broadly. Specifically, the company displayed industry-leading products including washing machines that use 70% less energy than the European A rating (A-70%), dishwashers that achieve an additional 30% reduction compared with the highest rating (A-30%), and refrigerators (A-35%). 
The exhibition also featured mass-market products equipped with high-efficiency technology, including dryers upgraded from the B rating to the A rating and A-rated dishwashers. The company explained that it is working to associate the LG Electronics brand with high efficiency by extending the technology from a premium differentiator to mid- and low-priced product lines. For European consumers sensitive to energy costs, energy efficiency is one of the key specifications they check before making a purchase. 
European home appliances are assigned ratings from A to G according to each product’s Energy Efficiency Index (EEI), with A representing the highest efficiency and G the lowest. Since the energy-label revision in 2021, the highest rating, A, has been awarded only to some ultra-high-efficiency products, while many products on the market fall within the C-to-F range. In the United States, ENERGY STAR certification is granted when a product meets certain criteria, so it is difficult to compare it directly with Europe’s rating system. However, Europe’s energy-efficiency standards are generally much stricter. For major appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, and dishwashers, many products certified by ENERGY STAR in the United States receive D, E, or F ratings in Europe.

In addition to traditional large appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines, IFA Berlin 2026 also showcased various concept products designed to reduce energy and resource use in everyday life. In the kitchen-appliance category, LG Electronics introduced a portable induction cooktop, a movable single-burner electric range that can be placed on a dining table or countertop and used immediately by simply plugging it in, without separate installation work. Because it uses electricity rather than a gas flame, it produces fewer carbon emissions. Its light weight and compact size also make it easy to store and move. A launch date has not been decided.
LG Electronics also unveiled the Steam Air Oven for the first time, with enhanced air-frying capabilities. By combining multiple cooking functions, including air frying and steaming, in one appliance, it reduces the inconvenience of using several devices separately. Its width is about 20% smaller than that of existing convection microwave ovens, improving space efficiency.


In the bathroom, the Bath Air System, first launched in South Korea earlier this year, attracted the attention of European visitors. It detects the bathroom’s temperature and humidity, preheating the space with warm air when it is cold and using air circulation and ventilation when humidity is high to reduce concerns about odors and dampness. When the bathroom temperature and humidity reach 22°C and 50%, respectively, the system automatically switches to standby mode.


LG Electronics also introduced Air Duo at IFA Berlin 2026, an energy-efficient hair dryer designed to maximize efficiency. A sensor automatically detects the distance from the hair and maintains the hair temperature at 55°C, reducing hair damage while drying it quickly. When the product is set down, it automatically switches to standby mode, and it powers off after five minutes of nonuse to prevent unnecessary energy consumption. 

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